04 Mar 2025 - 16 Mar 2025
Multiple Venues
The Seniors Festival is an annual NSW-wide event celebrating the invaluable role and contributions of older adults in our local community.
Running from 3 March to 16 March 2025, the two-week festival is all about connection and discovery. The theme for 2025 is 'Time to Shine'! There will be many opportunities to reunite with old friends, meet new ones, learn and enjoy shared experiences.
The 2025 Seniors Festival in Newcastle is proudly curated by the City of Newcastle, alongside the Newcastle Seniors Reference Group to bring together a diverse and exciting program for the entire community.
Launching with a new-look Festival Expo on Tuesday 4 March, expect to discover lots of interesting and entertaining activities and events across Newcastle Libraries, Newcastle Museum and in collaboration with leading community-focused organisations such as Hunter Ageing Alliance, HMRI and University of Newcastle over the festival period. This year, the festival is further enhanced by Shine Central, a vibrant one-stop hub of information, inspiration, and interaction, located at 111 Beaumont Street, Hamilton.
Read on for more details about this year's festival, with some of our feature events showcased below.
Seniors Festival Expo
Date: Tuesday 4 March 2025
Time: 10:00am - 1:00pm
Location: McDonald Jones Stadium, Broadmeadow Rooms
Cost: FREE, no booking required
Opening the Festival this year is a very special Seniors Festival Expo, where attendees can meet community partners and local businesses at the expo stalls, enjoy free light refreshments, listen to live performances from our local choirs, chat with experts and see demonstrations from local community groups and services.
Program:
| Time | Activity |
| 10:00am | Doors Open |
| 10:10am | Welcome To Country by Aunty Cheryl & Uncle Ray Smith Official Opening of Festival |
| 10:30am | Morning Tea |
| 10:35am | Expo Activities Commence |
| 10:35am | Hunter Handbell Ringers Performance & Talk |
| 10:45am | Performance: Accordion Troupe (roving) |
| 11:00am | Performance: SR&R Parkinsons Choir |
| 11:15am | Performance: Accordion Troupe (roving) |
| 11:30am | Performances: U Dementia Choir & BW Stroke Choir |
| 1:00pm | Expo Activities Finish |
Please note program is subject to change.
This venue is accessible, with ample parking, room for buses and two large lifts making access at McDonald Jones Stadium easy. Inside is lots of space and seating for a relaxed enjoyable experience.
Army Band Newcastle - Shimmering Sounds Performance
Date: Saturday 8 March 2025
Time: 2:30pm - 4:15pm
Location: Harold Lobb Concert Hall, Newcastle Conservatorium of Music, Cnr Laman St, Auckland St, Newcastle
Cost: FREE
RSVP: Army Band Newcastle - Shimmering Sounds Performance
Enjoy a very special "shimmering sounds" performance by Army Band Newcastle as part of the Seniors Festival.
With a short break of service after World War Two, under various names and configurations, the Australian Army Band Newcastle has existed as the Hunter Region’s own military band since 1861. Like all Australian Army Bands, the Australian Army Band Newcastle is capable of performing a wide variety of musical styles and genres suited to most occasions.
The band is constructed around a wind ensemble though it also features a Pipes and Drums section making it a very versatile package. Members of the Australian Army Band Newcastle enjoy the privileges of being an Australian Army musician, a part time job that offers amazing performing opportunities both domestically and internationally. These professional musicians are members of the local community who, in addition to their ‘day job’, are employed by the Australian Army.
The band's main role is to support and promote Australian Defence Force units within the Hunter region of NSW, although they are also very active in community development and support. The Australian Army Band Newcastle is based at Bullecourt Barracks, Adamstown NSW.
Lunch & Learn: Inter-generational Tech Help
Date: Wednesday 12 March 2025
Time: 10:00am - 1:30pm
Location: Newcastle Museum, 6 Workshop Way, Newcastle
Cost: FREE
Register Now: Lunch & Learn: Inter-generational Tech Help
Presented by the Newcastle Museum, this event pairs high school students with seniors to provide free IT guidance in small groups using their own devices.
SUNBURNT: A memoir of sun, surf, and skin cancer
Date: Thursday 13 March 2025
Time: 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Newcastle Library, Laman St, Newcastle
Cost: FREE
Register Now: SUNBURNT: A memoir of sun, surf, and skin cancer
Author Anne Gately reflects on beating Stage IV melanoma in just 97 days. Anne talks about her own life as an average Aussie and explores how Australia's culture influenced her sun exposure.
Illuminating Stories from the Newcastle Art Gallery Collection
Image: Margel Hinder, Tri-form, 1983.
Date: Friday 14 March 2025
Time: 10:45am - 11:30am
Location: Shine Central, 111 Beaumont St, Hamilton Newcastle
RSVP: Illuminating Stories from the Newcastle Art Gallery Collection
Join staff from Newcastle Art Gallery as they discuss lustrous works of art from the city's collection. Discover unexpected gems that distinguish their holdings as one of the finest public collections in Australia. Be inspired to view their unique collection in-person at our re-imagined Gallery once it reopens in 2025.
Strings and Pipes
Date: Saturday 15 March 2025
Time: 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Location: Newcastle Museum, 6 Workshop Way, Newcastle
RSVP: Strings and Pipes
Newcastle Museum's beautiful and somewhat mysterious pipe organ will come to life under the very accomplished hands of Mr. David Drury. Accompanied on violin by David Banney, Director of Music at Christ Church Cathedral and the Newcastle Music Festival.
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