Art Bazaar

Art Bazaar is back at Lambton Park on Sunday 23 August, from 10am to 2pm. It's one of Newcastle's longest-running artisan events, run by the not-for-profit Hunter Arts Network, which has been putting on these markets since 2002. They usually hold three a year, and this one draws people from all over the Hunter region — Maitland, Lake Macquarie, and Newcastle — along with day-trippers and holidaymakers. It's a local fixture on the creative calendar, and if you've been around the city a while, you've probably heard of it.

The thing that sets it apart from a generic market is the curation. Every stallholder is a local maker from the Hunter region, selected by the network for work that's unique, handmade, high-quality and original. The range is pretty broad, too: you'll find painting, ceramics, printmaking, fibre and textiles, photography, sculpture, jewellery, glass, graphics and homewares. It's not just one thing, so you can wander through quite a few different styles in one go.

It's not all about the stalls, though. There are food trucks and coffee vans on site, and the Latin Velvet duo will be performing live — they're playing at every 2026 Art Bazaar, so you'll hear them here and at the others. The whole thing is run by a volunteer committee from the Hunter Arts Network, and every stallholder has to be a member of the network to take part. The event is also supported by the Newcastle Men's Shed.

If you can't make this one, there's another date coming up later in the year: Sunday 22 November, from 9am to 2pm at St Therese's Primary School on Royal Street in New Lambton. For now, though, it's Lambton Park on Sunday 23 August, 10am to 2pm.