Good morning Newcastle,

It's grand final week.

Twenty-five years after the Knights last played on the biggest stage, Newcastle is getting ready for another one. The red and blue are everywhere, Sunday night is already shaping up to be enormous.

But there's plenty happening before then. The October long weekend is here, the spring school holidays are underway, New Annual is wrapping up, and there are markets, live music, theatre, food and plenty for the kids across Newcastle and the Hunter.

Lets get into it.

The Exchange Hotel upstairs has had a serious upgrade. Nonna Bizzarro opened in May, bringing Italian-American dining to Hamilton with DJs running every night and a menu built around sharing plates, pasta and late-night energy.

We went recently and ordered three things. The burrata to start, served with salsa verde, hot honey and house focaccia. Easily the standout of the night. From there we went for the Disco Pasta, rigatoni alla vodka with nduja and stracciatella, and the 10-layer lasagna, beef bolognese, mozzarella, bechamel, parmigiano and basil. Both solid, generous and well executed.

The menu is built for sharing across antipasti, pasta and hearty mains, with desserts leaning into Italian-American comfort food. Bottomless is available at $75pp for two hours of drinks with a set menu, worth knowing about for a group booking.

A tad pricey, but the quality sits clearly above pub dining. Newcastle is not short of good Italian. You can add Nonna Bizzarro to that list.

Crumb x RIVVIA Projects — The Junction

What started as a pop-up is now permanent. CRUMB and RIVVIA PROJECTS are opening their first flagship store together in The Junction on October 3, after a temporary collaboration earlier this year exceeded expectations for both businesses.

RIVVIA Projects was founded in Newcastle by professional surfers Julian Wilson and Ryan Callinan alongside Ben Richardson, who runs CRUMB. The Junction pop-up gave both businesses a chance to test the idea before committing, and the response made the decision easy. Ben found an entirely new CRUMB customer base in The Junction without losing anyone at the Lambton store.

The space has been redesigned by local practice After Dark Design, with the building facade opened up to the street and outdoor seating added. More room for RIVVIA's surf, street and golf collections, and a proper permanent home for CRUMB's pastries and coffee alongside it.

Good addition to The Junction.

Two school holiday weeks, a long weekend in the middle, and kids who need something to do.

We've put together a guide to what's on across Newcastle, Lake Mac, Maitland, Port Stephens and the Hunter Valley. It has festivals, theatre, library workshops, animal encounters and plenty of free days out, all in one place..

Most workshops need booking and fill fast, so lock in the ones you want early.

👉 See what's on for the school holidays

Press Play – The Playhouse, Civic Theatre, Newcastle | Fri 2 Oct (10am & 1pm), Sat 3 Oct (10am, 1pm Auslan) Tantrum Youth Arts' New Annual show for young audiences. $15–20. More info

Curtain Call: Strut Your Stuff – Newcastle Museum Park, Newcastle | Sat 3 Oct (Auslan) & Sun 4 Oct (low sensory), 10am–2pm Free New Annual fashion and dress-up activity for kids in the park. Free. More info

Cavitation: Breathing Ocean – Canoe Pool, Newcastle Beach | Fri 2–Sat 3 Oct 10am–4pm, Sun 4 Oct 10am–2pm Walk-through New Annual installation at the Canoe Pool. Free. More info

At Sea – Canoe Pool, Newcastle Beach | Fri 2–Sun 4 Oct, 8am–8:30am Short early-morning New Annual performance at the pool. Earlier sessions have been called off for weather, so check before heading down. Free. More info

Bloom – Charlestown Square, Charlestown | Fri 2 Oct 9am–5:30pm, Sat 3 Oct 9am–5pm, Sun 4 Oct 10am–5pm New Annual installation inside the shopping centre, the festival's Lake Mac outpost. Free. More info

Clam, Camera, Action! workshop – Newcastle Art Gallery, Cooks Hill | Fri 2 Oct, 10am & 1pm School holiday art workshop at the gallery. $35. More info

Mr Squiggle and Friends – Newcastle Museum, Newcastle | Fri 2–Mon 5 Oct, 10am–5pm Puppets, props and a squiggle drawing station from Norman Hetherington's world, with Murray Raine's marionettes. Free. More info

Cinema Under the Stars – Maitland Park, Maitland | Sat 3 Oct, from 4:30pm, film at sundown How to Train Your Dragon (PG, 2025) with live music, kids' games and free popcorn. BYO picnic, no dogs or alcohol. Free. More info

Spaghetti Confetti album launch – The Bowlo, Stockton | Sun 4 Oct, from 2pm The kids' band brings its album launch tour to Stockton, and no tickets are needed. Free. More info

Fort Scratchley Special Gun Firing Day – Fort Scratchley, Newcastle East | Mon 5 Oct, 10am–4pm Guns fired at 11am, 1pm and 3pm, plus military vehicles, re-enactors and tunnel tours. Free entry. More info

NSW Koori Knockout – King Park Sporting Complex, Raymond Terrace | Fri 2–Mon 5 Oct The state's Aboriginal rugby league carnival, hosted this year by the Newcastle Yowies, with up to 10,000 people a day expected. Entry via event site. More info

Pokémon GO Picnic – Hunter Region Botanic Gardens, Heatherbrae | Fri 2 Oct, 10:30am An intro to the game and safety tips for parents, then gym raids with the gardens' trainers. Bring a device and a picnic. Free with garden entry ($5–10). Get tickets

GymKidz Open Days – GymKidz, Merewether | Fri 2 & Sat 3 Oct Open sessions for kids to try the gym during the holidays. Free. More info

Recycled Craft Fun – Raymond Terrace Library, Raymond Terrace | Fri 2 Oct, 2pm–3pm Kids aged 5–13 turn recycled cardboard into a craft bird. $5. Get tickets

Creating New Worlds mixed media workshop – Belmont Library, Belmont | Fri 2 Oct, 10:30am–12pm Art therapist and picture book illustrator Kirrili Lonergan leads a mixed media session. $29.63. Get tickets

High Tea with Donkey – B Farm, Bobs Farm | Fri 2 Oct, 10:30am High tea in the B Farm animal nursery with the resident donkeys. From $35. Get tickets

Circus Aurelia – 4236 Nelson Bay Rd, Anna Bay | Fri 2 Oct, 6:30pm Touring big top family circus with modern music and acrobatic acts. From $33.08. Get tickets

Friendship Bracelet Workshop – Wallsend Library, Wallsend | Fri 2 Oct, 10:30am–11:30am Kids aged 7–14 make bead and thread bracelets, and parents stay with under-12s. $5, bookings essential. More info

PCYC School Holiday Program – PCYC Lake Macquarie, Nelson Bay & Raymond Terrace | Fri 2 Oct, full day Kids aged 5–12 rotate through gymnastics, obstacle courses, STEM, circus skills, LEGO and laser tag. $55 a day. More info

Paper Plate Dinos – Cardiff Library, Cardiff | during library hours, to Sat 10 Oct A self-led craft table where kids make and decorate paper plate dinosaurs. Free, no booking. More info

Balloon Aloft Hunter Valley Fiesta – launch site varies, Pokolbin | Sat 3–Mon 5 Oct, sunrise About 20–25 hot-air balloons go up together at dawn each morning, from a site set by the wind, so check the event's Facebook page early. Free to watch; flights are ticketed. More info

Spring School Holidays – Hunter Wetlands Centre, Shortland | daily; reptile encounters Sat 3 & Sun 4 Oct, 11am A bird-themed holiday program with bird bingo, a quiz and a photo wall, plus weekend reptile shows. Bird activities free with entry; reptile encounters $5 plus entry. More info

Shipwrecked! – Main Hall, Tomaree Lodge, Shoal Bay | to Fri 23 Oct, 9am–3pm The Tomaree Museum Association's exhibition on three local wrecks, the Sygna, Pasha Bulka and Pappinbarra. Free. More info

Free Kids Activities – Shoal Bay Country Club, Shoal Bay | Sun 4 Oct, 12pm–2pm Young Scientist slime and ball making, plus a kids' disco, projector games and prizes. Free. More info

Colour Frenzy Newcastle – Stockton Foreshore, Stockton | Sun 4 Oct An untimed colour fun run on a 1km loop with colour stations, a foam zone and inflatable obstacles, and dogs are welcome. $10–119. More info

Knights Grand Final on the Big Screen – Maitland Regional Sportsground, Maitland | Sun 4 Oct, gates 3:30pm, kick-off 7:30pm Maitland Council shows Knights v Roosters on a 10-metre screen, with family activities and a replay of the 1997 grand final first. Free. More info

School Holiday Deals – Dullboy's Social Co., Warners Bay & Rutherford | daily to Mon 12 Oct Bowling, mini golf and arcade deals, including $10 games from 9am to 10am. From $10. More info

Loca Vida – The Spiegeltent, Civic Park, Newcastle | Fri 2 Oct (6pm & 8:15pm), Sat 3 Oct (5pm & 7:45pm), Sun 4 Oct (5:30pm) Strut & Fret's Spiegeltent show finishes its New Annual season this weekend. From about $70. More info

Wolf – Civic Theatre, Newcastle | Fri 2 Oct 7:30pm, Sat 3 Oct 1pm Brisbane circus company Circa's new work, for ages 12 and up. $45–69. More info

Chat 10 Looks 3 Live – Civic Theatre, Newcastle | Sat 3 Oct, 8pm Annabel Crabb and Leigh Sales bring their books-and-culture podcast to the stage. $49.90–64.90. More info

Fountain Lakes: Y2K – Civic Theatre, Newcastle | Sun 4 Oct, 5pm Kath & Kim-inspired drag parody starring Art Simone, Thomas Jaspers, Jemima Handful and Scott Brennan. 18+. From $72. More info

AUTO-TUNE – The Playhouse, Civic Theatre, Newcastle | Fri 2 Oct 7pm (Auslan), Sat 3 Oct 7pm re:group's gig-theatre rock opera, for ages 15 and up, followed by a free gig each night. $18–30. More info

Triceratop – University House, Newcastle | Fri 2 Oct 8pm, Sat 3 Oct 4pm (Auslan) & 8pm, Sun 4 Oct 4pm (relaxed) Lingua Franca's cabaret, for ages 15 and up. $18–30. More info

PRAXIS – Newcastle Art Gallery, Cooks Hill | Fri 2 & Sat 3 Oct, 7:30pm After-hours dance and visual art performance inside the gallery. $18–30. More info

ALL IN – City Hall, Newcastle | Fri 2 Oct, 7pm Dance Makers Collective's New Annual dance work. $18–30. More info

Global Table – Wheeler Place, Newcastle | Fri 2 Oct (Asia) & Sat 3 Oct (South America), 5pm–9pm Open-air food nights hosted by Jennifer Wong, Benjamin Law and Reece Hignell. Free entry. More info

Sea Stories – Dixon Park Beach, Merewether | Fri 2 & Sat 3 Oct 5:10am, Sun 4 Oct 6:05am Dawn audio walk on the sand, for ages 14 and up. $10. More info

Ocean Rituals: Penelope Green – Dixon Park Beach, Merewether | to Sun 4 Oct, all hours Outdoor New Annual artwork on the beach. Free. More info

Night Flowers: Damien Frost – Watt Space Gallery, Newcastle | to Sun 4 Oct, 10am–9pm Damien Frost's portraits of drag and queer nightlife. Free. More info

Framed in Sound: Tony Mott – Newcastle Museum, Newcastle | to Sun 4 Oct, 10am–5pm Selected works by rock photographer Tony Mott. Free. More info

Muse: Angela Tiatia – Newcastle Art Gallery, Cooks Hill | Fri 2–Sun 4 Oct, 10am–4pm Major exhibition by Angela Tiatia across video, photography and installation. Adults $20, children $8. More info

Cavitation exhibition – The Lock-Up, Newcastle | to Sun 4 Oct Izabela Pluta's gallery exhibition alongside the Cavitation installation at the Canoe Pool. Free. More info

White Rabbit Red Rabbit – The Dungeon, Adamstown Uniting Church, Adamstown | Sat 3 Oct 1pm & 7pm, Sun 4 Oct 1pm Nassim Soleimanpour's play is performed cold by a different actor each show, and none of them has read the script. Ticketed. Get tickets

Friday Night Comedy – Newcastle Comedy Club, Islington | Fri 2 Oct, 8:30pm Mixed bill of stand-ups at the city's dedicated comedy room. From $34.29. Get tickets

Improv Open Day – Newcastle Comedy Club, Islington | Sat 3 Oct, 2pm–3pm A beginner-friendly session run by Newcastle Improv School. Free. Get tickets

Saturday Night Showcase – Newcastle Comedy Club, Islington | Sat 3 Oct, 8:30pm The club's weekly multi-act stand-up show. From $34.29. Get tickets

Long Weekend Race Day – Newcastle Racecourse, Broadmeadow | Sat 3 Oct, 11am–6:30pm The Hunter Rugby Union race day, with 2-for-1 general admission and 2-for-1 cocktails at the Ascot Bar in the first hour. General admission from $10 (2-for-1). Get tickets

Country Bottomless Brunch 2.0 – The Del, Cooks Hill | Sat 3 Oct, 2pm Ninety minutes of bottomless cocktails, a two-course set menu and live country music from 2pm to 6pm. $129. More info

Newcastle Tango Festival – The Hive, 150 Beaumont St, Hamilton | Fri 2–Mon 5 Oct Six workshops and three milongas, including Saturday's gala milonga (8pm–1am) with Melbourne couple Rina and Nadim. Workshops $45 each, or $195 for all six. More info

High Tea on the Harbour – MV Calmer, Queens Wharf, Newcastle | Sat 3 Oct, 12pm–2:30pm High tea on a harbour cruise, with a new season menu. $53.89–94.99. Get tickets

Manhattan Short Film Festival – Warners Bay Theatre, Warners Bay | Fri 2 Oct, 7pm Ten finalist short films screen worldwide in the same week, and the audience votes for the winner. About $15–17. Get tickets

Puppy Pilates – Lot 19, Wickham | Sat 3 Oct, 9am Pilates class with puppies roaming the mats. $59.54. Get tickets

AFL Masters National Carnival – venues across Newcastle & Lake Macquarie | to Sat 3 Oct The national over-35s carnival wraps up, with teams from around the country. Free to watch. More info

Confluence of Order and Chaos – Cstudios Art Gallery, Newcastle West | Fri 2 & Sat 3 Oct, 10:30am–3pm A solo show of new work by Peter Mottershead on human order and natural forces. Free. More info

Upriver Downriver – Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Maitland | Fri 2–Sun 4 Oct, 9am–4pm More than 30 artists from along the Hunter River, including James Drinkwater, Adam Manning and Todd Fuller, before it closes on 11 Oct. Free. More info

National Gallery on Tour: Of This Earth – MAC yapang, Booragul | to Sun 29 Nov The National Gallery of Australia's touring show of First Nations ceramics from the national collection. Free. More info

Mental Health Expo & Wellness Walk – Warners Bay Foreshore, Warners Bay | Sat 3 Oct, 8:30am–2pm Hunter mental health services, a storytelling tent, a chill-out zone, markets and food trucks, run by the Suicide Prevention Network and One Door Mental Health. Free entry. More info

QUICHE Drag Brunch – The Greenroof Hotel, Hamilton | Sat 3 Oct, 12pm–4pm A three-course lunch with two hours of bottomless mimosas and a show from Molly Poppinzz and Nova Hudson; 18+. $85. More info

Annual Bonsai Exhibition – Port Stephens Community Arts Centre, Nelson Bay | Sat 3–Mon 5 Oct; demos 11am Sat & Sun Native and exotic bonsai on display, with shaping demos, trees for sale and a raffle. Free. More info

Intuitive Art Workshop for Women – 176 Park Ave, Kotara | Sat 3 Oct, 5pm–7pm A relaxed two-hour art session run by Therapeutic Art for Positive Wellness. $74.37. Get tickets

West Best Bloc Fest – Midtown, Newcastle West | Sun 4 Oct, 10am–10pm Over 300 local musicians play 10 stages across nine venues, led by William Crighton with CATPISS, Trophy Wyfe, Bilby Queen and SF Wrens, and this year adds an all-ages program for the first time. $70 (18+), $40 all ages (under 18). Get tickets

NRLW & NRL Grand Finals – The Exchange Hotel, Hamilton | Sun 4 Oct, from 4pm Both grand finals on the screens, then DJs and The After Party Band across two levels until 2am. Free entry. More info

Delprat Cottage Open Day – 133 Ingall St, Mayfield East | Sun 4 Oct, 10am–2pm A look inside BHP manager G.D. Delprat's cottage, with steelworks heritage displays and Devonshire tea. Free. More info

Full Throttle Ranch Line Dancing – Full Throttle Ranch, Buttai | Sun 4 Oct, from 2pm MJS Line Dance runs a Sunday afternoon session for beginners and regulars. Free. Get tickets

De Palmageddon: Blow Out – Tower Cinemas, Newcastle | Sun 4 Oct, 4pm Brian De Palma's 1981 thriller with John Travolta and John Lithgow, part of Tower's De Palma season. Ticketed. More info

Divine Feminine Yoga Retreat – Heaven Gardens, Salt Ash | Sun 4 Oct, 5pm–7:30pm A mini retreat in the gardens with a sacral yoga flow and breathwork. $85. More info

NRL Grand Final Watch Party Cruise – MV Calmer, Queens Wharf, Newcastle | Sun 4 Oct, 6pm–9:30pm Knights v Roosters on several big screens while cruising the harbour, with $8 beers all night. $29.23–44.64. Get tickets

NRL Grand Final screening – Hamilton Station Hotel, Islington | Sun 4 Oct, 7:30pm Knights v Roosters on the screens, then an afterparty with DJ Rachel Maria Cox. 18+. Free. Get tickets

NRL Grand Final live – Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle | Sun 4 Oct, 7:30pm The Great Northern screens the decider on its big projector, with $22 jugs, $16 burgers and $1 wings. Free entry. More info

NRLW & NRL Grand Finals – The Beach Hotel, Merewether | Sun 4 Oct, from 3:55pm The Beach Hotel shows both grand finals, the NRLW first, then Knights v Roosters. Free entry. More info

NRL Grand Final: Watch It Live at Wests – Wests New Lambton, Mayfield, Cardiff, City & Nelson Bay | Sun 4 Oct, 7:30pm All five Wests clubs are showing the Knights v Roosters grand final on their screens. Free entry. More info

Lake Nights – Warners Bay Foreshore, Warners Bay | Fri 2 Oct, 3pm–7pm Homegrown's afternoon-into-evening market on the Warners Bay foreshore, with local makers and street food. Free entry. More info

The Olive Tree Market – Civic Park, Newcastle | Sat 3 Oct, 9am–2pm The Olive Tree's monthly market, with more than 100 artists, designers, makers and food producers. Free entry. More info

Glendale Farmers Market – Stockland Glendale, Glendale | Sat 3 Oct, 8am–2pm Weekly undercover market of Lake Macquarie farmers, producers and street food. Free entry. More info

Pelican Foreshore Markets – Pelican Foreshore Park, Pelican | Sat 3 Oct, 9am–1pm First-Saturday lakeside market with produce, crafts, face painting and jumping castles. Free entry. More info

The Marina Market – Nelson Bay Foreshore, Nelson Bay | Sat 3 Oct, 11am–3pm Homegrown's market of handmade and local stalls on the Nelson Bay foreshore. Free entry. More info

Handmade in the Hunter Markets – Sobels Wines, Pokolbin | Sat 3 Oct, 9am–2pm Up to 50 stalls, all 100% handmade by makers from the Greater Hunter. Free entry. More info

Homegrown Markets – Speers Point Park, Speers Point | Sun 4 Oct, 9am–1pm Lake Macquarie's biggest market, with more than 120 handmade, eco and local stalls by the lake, plus street food and live music. Free entry. More info

Newcastle City Farmers Market – Newcastle Showground, Broadmeadow | Sun 4 Oct, 7am–1pm Weekly Sunday market of Hunter growers and producers. Free entry. More info

Adamstown Lions Markets – Cnr Glebe & Brunker Rds, Adamstown | Sun 4 Oct, 7am–1pm Sunday flea and second-hand market, running since 1987. Free entry. More info

Do you want me to share an event in the Newcastle Digest?

That was the night the Knights beat Parramatta 30-24 at Stadium Australia to win their second premiership. Parramatta had lost only four games all season, and one magazine called them "Unbeatable". Newcastle led 24-0 at half-time, the biggest half-time lead in grand final history. Andrew Johns won the Clive Churchill Medal.

The team bus reached Marathon Stadium near 3am, and about 15,000 people were waiting. Three days later an estimated 80,000 filled Foreshore Park and the streets around it for the parade.

Since then, 25 years without a grand final. Twelve months ago the Knights took the wooden spoon with six wins from 24 games. This year, under first-season coach Justin Holbrook and captain Kalyn Ponga, they finished seventh, then knocked out Souths, the Warriors and Penrith. Beating Penrith with only 12 men for the second half. Win on Sunday and they'll be the first team in the NRL era to go from last to premiers in successive seasons.

The city has noticed. City of Newcastle is lighting City Hall and its clocktower, the Civic Theatre and some Newcastle Art Gallery windows red and blue. Orders were so heavy on Monday that the club shop closed until midday, and a Kotara butcher sold 80kg of blue sausages before the preliminary final. Lord Mayor Gavin Morris has promised the keys to the city to the players and coaching staff if they win.

Kick-off against the Roosters is 7:30pm.

Newcastle beat Penrith 22-14 at Accor Stadium on Sunday to reach their first grand final since the 2001 premiership. The Knights trailed 14-6 at half-time after Phoenix Crossland was sent off for a hip-drop tackle that broke Nathan Cleary's leg. Francis Manuleleua, Dom Young and Sandon Smith (two) scored their tries, with Smith kicking three goals and sealing the game with an 80th-minute intercept in front of more than 57,000. Newcastle play the Roosters, who beat the Dolphins 36-20 on Friday, in the grand final at Accor Stadium on Sunday 4 October, kick-off 7:30pm.

Newcastle's Lauren Parker won a record sixth PTWC para-triathlon world title at the World Triathlon Championship Finals in Pontevedra, Spain. She led from the swim and passed Bill Chaffey's five world titles to become Australia's most successful para-triathlete.

Under Focus, trained by Newcastle's Kris Lees and ridden by Hunter jockey Dylan Gibbons, ran third in the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday. Warwoven won from St Gotthard.

AFL Masters National Carnival

The AFL Masters National Carnival began on Sunday across Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, with almost 1500 players in 71 teams from every state and territory. Games run until Saturday 3 October at No.1 Sportsground, Hawkins Oval, Harker Oval, Pasterfield Sports Complex and Feighan Ovals.

The Jets have signed American goalkeeper Claire Henninger and attacker Tamar Levin, formerly of Brisbane Roar and Central Coast Mariners, for the A-League Women season. They open at home to Perth Glory on Saturday 17 October.