What's On

WE MAKE EVERY EFFORT POSSIBLE TO BE CORRECT, HOWEVER EVENTS DO CHANGE. PLEASE CHECK INDIVIDUAL EVENTS ONLINE BEFORE PLANNING.

WEDNESDAY 2 FEBRUARY

■ Natural History Illustration – Six week course at Museum of Art & Culture

Lake Macquarie (MAC). Explore different techniques, mediums, and art styles for depicting a range of nature subjects (both flora and fauna) with botanical scientific illustrator and nature artist, Molly Gill. Tickets available via Eventbrite THURSDAY 3 FEBRUARY

■ Young Adult Book Club at Newcastle Library.

Open to teens and adults alike who love the young adult genre. Read, discuss and get creative about your favourite titles. Held on the first Thursday of every month, the event is free however spots are limited. Book your ticket online. 4.30pm–5.30pm ■ MONO: A Three-Person One-Man Show at Civic Theatre Newcastle. A comedy tour de farce from three of Australia’s best loved performers; Noeline Brown (The Naked Vicar

Show), Max Gillies (The Gillies Report) and

John Wood (Blue Heelers) are the entire cast of “Mono”; the brand new classic comedy by Angus FitzSimons (Senior Moments). It’s sure to be full of laughs! Book your tickets at www.civictheatrenewcastle.com.au FRIDAY 4 FEBRUARY

■ Civic Bar Beats at Civic Theatre Newcastle.

Enjoy free live music every Friday until the 1st of April ■ West Side Story at Rathmines Theatre.

Tickets are $25 and include drinks and catering. Doors open at 6pm

IMAGE COURTESY OF DESTINATION NSW

▲ Newcastle Caravan Camping Lifestyle

Expo at Newcastle Entertainment Centre.

With over 160 exhibitors and thousands of products on display, it’s the ultimate way to check out what caravan and camping is all about. 4–6 Feb ■ Craft Beer Tasting at Wanderlust Bar in

Nelson Bay. A professionally guided journey through 5 exceptional beers from Bracket

Brewery. 6pm–8pm ■ Ange Lavoipierre; I've Got 99 Problems

And Here Is An Exhaustive List Of

Them at Newcastle Comedy Club. Fastpaced and unrelenting, this beguiling display of self-pity is the holiday from your own problems you’ve been waiting for. For more information and tickets visit www.newcastlecomedyclub.com.au ■ Soul Café Friday Chill at Pacific Park,

Newcastle East. There are just three Friday nights left to enjoy Summer evenings picnicking in the park and listening to artists from across the region! 6.30pm–8.30pm SATURDAY 5 FEBRUARY

■ Resurgence presented by National College of Dance at Civic Theatre Newcastle. 6.30pm ■ Kokedama Workshop by Krystalis at

Wangi Library Creative Hub for a fun experience making the latest in plant crazes – Kokedama ■ Flow at Lighthouse Arts, Nobbys-

Whibayganba Headland. Flow features photographic works by members of the

WH!P Collective (Women of the Hunter in

Photography). Sat + Sun until 19 Feb SUNDAY 6 FEBRUARY

■ MAC – ARTSPACE Young children and their families can enjoy free, simple art activities guided by the art museum educators. Book your ticket via Eventbrite THURSDAY 10 FEBRUARY

■ Greek Cooking Class at The Essential

Ingredient. 6pm-9pm ■ Animal Flow Foundation Course at

Movement Continuum. An introductory course to learn all level one Animal Flow® movements, which are integrated into flows.

The course runs over 6 weeks. 6.30pm–8pm ■ ABBARAMA – The Modern ABBA Tribute at Civic Theatre Newcastle. Get ready to sing-along to all your favourite ABBA songs – Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!, Mamma Mia,

Dancing Queen, Take a Chance on Me and so many more! Tickets and more information at www.civictheatrenewcastle.com.au SATURDAY 12 FEBRUARY

■ Seaside Scavenge will be making its way to

Dixon Park for a day of eco-education, live music, op-shopping, waste-wise workshops, and more. 11am–3pm ■ Maximum Adventure Race Series at Cams

Wharf. Short, fast and fun, and suitable for anyone and everyone with a real sense of adventure, the Maximum Adventure Race

Series is designed to offer the perfect introduction to the exhilarating sport of adventure racing. 12+13 Feb ■ Ted Mulry: Memories Civic Theatre

Newcastle. A celebration of the iconic '70's singer/songwriter.

WINE, CHEESE & CHOCOLATE AT MCGUIGAN

Immerse yourself in the flavours of the Hunter in this exquisite Wine, Cheese & Chocolate tasting. Relax in a private tasting area with a dedicated wine expert who will help you explore the exceptional wines that have made McGuigan one of the most awarded wineries in the world. You will enjoy a selection of the best seasonal, hand-crafted cheeses from the artisans at Hunter Valley Cheese Factory, plus carefully selected hand made chocolates by artisan chocolatier Maître Pâtissier complementing a range of premium McGuigan dessert and fortified wines. Cost – $25pp pre-paid reservations for parties of 1 to 6 people. Visit www.mcguiganwines.com.au and click on Visit Us to book.

■ Maximum Adventure Race Series at

Cams Wharf. Teams of two will compete in mountain biking, trail running and kayaking. SUNDAY 13 FEBRUARY

■ A League Women Newcastle Jets v Sydney

Football Club at No 2 Sportsground ■ Hunter Events Health, Wealth & Wellbeing at Newcastle Showground Exhibition Centre.

Get the best advice, tips and tricks from all the industry professionals with interactive demonstrations & guest speakers.

TUESDAY 15 FEBRUARY

▲ Harvest Live presented by Live Nation and

Australian Rock Collective. The Neil Young masterpiece, ‘Harvest’, live in concert in celebration of its 50th Anniversary. Civic

Theatre Newcastle 7.30pm–10pm WEDNESDAY 16 FEBRUARY

■ Family History – Help Sessions at Speers

Point Library. Book a free, one hour session with the Lake Macquarie Family History

Group. Held on the 3rd Wednesday of every month. Book your session online or call 02 4921 0400. ■ La Traviata at Warners Bay Theatre. Opera

Hunter and Lake Macquarie City Council present Verdi’s Masterpiece La Traviata.

Visit www.operahunter.org.au for tickets. 7.30pm–10.30pm, 16–27 Feb FRIDAY 18 FEBRUARY

■ Maitland Show at Maitland Showground, 18–20 Feb. Celebrate 160 years of the

Maitland Show with entertainment for the whole family. ■ Creativity at Civic Theatre. A satire for the zeitgeist as creatives in a regional conservatorium take on their tone-deaf leaders in a bid to save music. 18–26 Feb ■ Touch Rugby League NSW State

Championship at Earnie Colland Fields,

Gateshead. Lake Macquarie City will play host to the Touch Rugby League NSW State

Championships. 18–20 Feb SATURDAY 19 FEBRUARY

■ The Gin Event at Museum Park. The ultimate

English Garden Party with 12 local distilleries offering their local gin, delicious food, and live music. 11am–3pm + 4pm–8.30pm ■ Garmin Classic presented by Newcastle Port

Stephens Game Fish Club in Port Stephens. 18–20 Feb SUNDAY 20 FEBRUARY

■ Sunday Sessions at MAC (Museum of Art and Culture Lake Macquarie). Grab a wine or beer, enjoy some local music and artmaking from 1pm–3pm. Tickets are $20 and cover a cheese platter and all art materials. TUESDAY 22 FEBRUARY

■ Creative Play for Under 5’s at MAP mima.

Enjoy hands-on activities, where you and your child can explore and discover together WEDNESDAY 23 FEBRUARY

■ Midnight Oil “Resist” at Newcastle

Entertainment Centre. The tour will see the legendary band performing classic songs from across their repertoire while also showcasing some urgent new works. SATURDAY 26 FEBRUARY

■ THIS THAT Festival is returning to Newcastle for its sixth year, staying true to its respected brand of party starter acts, epic headliners and full-service vibes. Tickets available from www.thisthat.com.au ■ Political Women: Overlaps and

Divergences at Museum of Art and

Culture Lake Macquarie (MAC). A free exhibtion featuring artists from diverse cultural, generational, personal and artistic perspectives to illustrate and celebrate the complexity of contemporary feminist discourse. 26 Feb–8 May. ■ FIrst Class 21 at Museum of Art and Culture

Lake Macquarie (MAC). A curated selection of outstanding artworks produced by HSC

VIsual Arts students in the Hunter, Upper

Hunter & Central Coast. 26 Feb–8 May.

COMING UP...

■ Lake Mac GLAM Conference 3–4 March ■ RAW Comedy 4 March ■ Newcastle Show 4–6 March ■ Newcastle Fringe Festival 17–27 March ■ Gin & Jazz Festival 2–3 April ■ Newcastle Food Month April

SATURDAY 5 FEB

From Love to Violence Hamilton Station Hotel Cassidy Rae Northern Star Hotel Boney Rivers Live in the Lounge Wallsend Diggers & Mezz Bar The Years Wickham Park Hotel Jump Queens Wharf Hotel Prince & Bowie Tribute Party The Cambridge Rock Rhapsody Beresfield Bowling Club

SUNDAY 6 FEB

Jon Stevens The Station, Newcastle L.R. Marsh The Stag & Hunter Hotel Col Tegg Experience Queens Wharf Hotel Adam Gear Gallipoli Legion Club Love That Hat Adamstown Bowling Club Liam Kennedy-Clark Duo Club Lambton

SATURDAY 12 FEB

Diamond - A Musical Tribute to Neil Diamond Souths Merewether Dai Pritchard Northern Star Hotel The Years Weston Workers Club Thirsty Merc Huntlee Tavern

SUNDAY 13 FEB

Karen O'Shea Wallsend Diggers & Mezz Bar Just Thoz The Gallipoli Legion Club Montezuma The Wickham Hotel Hockey Dad The Cambridge Jack Botts The Cambridge

THURSDAY 17 FEB

Spacey Jane Bar on The Hill

SATURDAY 19 FEB

Loren Ryan Northern Star Hotel Bliss N Eso NEX Dai Pritchard Wickham Park Hotel Zane Penn Duo Wallsend Diggers & Mezz Bar Chillinit The Cambridge Traces Hamilton Station Hotel

SUNDAY 20 FEB

Loren Ryan The Wickham Park Hotel Diamond: A Musical Tribute to Neil Diamond Stockton Bowling Club Emily A. Smith Northern Star Hotel The Years Jewells Tavern

SATURDAY 26 FEB

Rock'n The Park Pelican RSL Club Post Truth Hamilton Station Hotel Lloyd Spiegel The Stag & Hunter Hotel Abba's Back Club Lemon Tree Mike Horbacz Wallsend Diggers & Mezz Bar Shivoo Bradford Hotel

SUNDAY 27 FEB

Matt McLaren Duo Wallsend Diggers & Mezz Bar Ezekiel Ox The Wickham Park Hotel Brien Mcvernon Gallipoli Legion Club

WHAT'S ON IN Lake Mac

Are you looking for an exciting challenge that lives up to your love for the outdoors and action-packed adventure? Maximum adventure race series – Lake Macquarie may be what you’re looking for!

Designed for teams of two, the races are fun, fast and furious with teams having to change between three core disciplines several times during the event – mountain biking, trail running and kayaking. These non-stop events will take between two to six hours to complete so there is never any time to get bored or tired. Entry starts at just $105 per person.

If art, music, food and wine is more your pace join us at the Museum of Art and Culture, yapang and enjoy the new exhibition First Class 21. Now in its fourteenth year, First Class 21 celebrates the outstanding artworks produced locally from the Hunter to the Central Coast regions, giving young artists the chance to present their artwork within a gallery environment and to a wide audience.

The exhibition will run from 26 February until 8 May and the official opening celebrations will take place on Sunday 27 February from 2pm.

This is a free event and the perfect opportunity to meet the artists and browse the Youth Artisan Markets. Why not bring a picnic rug, grab a bite to eat and enjoy the view to some chilled live music. Drinks can be purchased at the pop-up bar.

For more information about online events and resources Lake Macquarie City Council have available please visit lakemac.com.au/ Events

HYUNDAI AUSTRALIAN BOARDRIDERS BATTLE

> 5 + 6 FEBRUARY, NEWCASTLE BEACH

The Hyundai Australian Boardriders Battle is Australia's biggest grassroots boardriders event and involves more than 70 of Australia's best boardrider clubs. Taking place across eight state qualifying rounds, only 24 clubs will come together at the national grand final to battle it out to become the 2021/22 Australian Champions.

Newcastle City Beach has proven time and time again it is the number one venue in Australia when it comes to hosting the Hyundai Australian Boardriders Battle Grand Final, and 2022 will be no exception. Check out all the action at Newcastle Beach on 5 + 6 February.

Archibald Headlines Jam-Packed February For MRAG

> 1 FEB–6 MAR, MRAG

Primed to visit the Hunter Valley for the first time in almost ten years, the Archibald Prize Tour is the highlight of a jam-packed summer program at Maitland Regional Art Gallery. And it's ON NOW!

Celebrating 100 years as Australia's oldest and most loved portraiture prize, the Archibald Prize is an annual open competition awarded to the best portrait, typically a distinguished person of arts, science, or politics.

This year's winning portrait, Peter Wegner's portrait of Archibald winning artist Guy Warren AM at 100, will be joined by the other 51 finalists. The Gallery will host the travelling exhibition until Sunday 6 March. Tickets start from just $7 for MRAG Members and can be purchased online from www.mrag.org.au