Newcastle Pride 2026: three weeks of parties and parades

Newcastle Pride is back for its seventh year, and it's a big one. The festival runs from Friday 9 October to Saturday 24 October, with some sources pushing it to Sunday 25 October, so the whole second half of October is pretty much spoken for. The theme this time around is "Three weeks of parties, parades and community pride", though you'll also see "Your Voice, Your Story" and "Seen, Heard, Celebrated" floating about. It's run by the Newcastle Pride Committee with the City of Newcastle behind it, and it's come a long way from its grassroots beginnings — more than 12,000 people turned up in 2025, and it's now one of the biggest LGBTQIA+ celebrations in New South Wales.

The parade is the obvious place to start. It's set for a Saturday in early October, running from 10:30 am to 1:00 pm with the departure at 11:30 am, and it winds its way from Nobby's Beach over to Honeysuckle Car Park. Fair Day, usually the biggest day of the lot, is listed for Saturday 24 October at Gregson Park in Hamilton, from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm, with a main stage, a dance area with a dedicated DJ, 'Storytime with Wonder Mama', drag shows, performance art, live music, the Doggywood Parade, a children and youth space, the Tug of Love or Handbag Toss, food stalls, mixed retail, community stalls and the Red Torquettes motorcycles. One source does flag that Fair Day 2026 has been paused due to sponsorship issues, with planning already underway for 2027, so it's worth double-checking before you make plans around it.

For a night out, Drag Music Bingo (70's Classics & Disco Edition) lands at Carrington Bowling Club on Sunday 18 October, hosted by Deirdree Doo with DJ QUeerio spinning 70s classics and disco favourites. Entry is A$20, doors open at 11:30 am and the show kicks off at 12:00 pm. There's also a high-energy afterparty collaboration with POOF DOOF, POOF DOOF + DYKE DOOF, with more than 15 stars, guest DJs and gogos, and the official afterparty at Newy Hotel on Maitland Road in Islington, running from 7:00 pm to 3:30 am. Dates for those two are still to be confirmed, so keep an eye on the program.

Beyond the big names, the festival fills in with drag shows, art exhibitions, creative workshops, storytelling, cultural showcases, dragon boating, disco bingo, the Screamin' Gay party and the AFL Pride Cup. The committee itself is a not-for-profit run by volunteers since 2018, and it picked up Best Festival Newcastle at the NTIG Tourism & Industry awards in May, so it's clearly in good heart.

If you're coming in from out of town, Newcastle is the second largest city in New South Wales, sitting at the mouth of the Hunter River about 170 kilometres and two hours north-east of Sydney, with eight beaches around it, Merewether being the most famous. The committee's office is in Newcastle, and you can reach them on 0428 258 464 or at newcastlepride.com.au, though the site has been playing hard to get lately, so the phone or a bit of patience might be your best bet for the final dates.