Newcastle Music Festival

The Newcastle Music Festival is an annual fine music festival held in Newcastle each August. The Festival also stages events during Newcastle Food Month in April and proudly supports music makers in our city and region. This year's festival takes place from August 6 to August 16, 2026. This year's festival features operatic arias, a major choral work by Rossini, virtuosic piano by Schumann and lieder by Mahler and Rosenthal, with flamenco dance by Paco Lara and friends, a work for children, "The Sound of Picture Books, and Big Band Classics with Dungeon Big Band. In a festival first, dance will be showcased with dancers from Newcastle Dance Academy in new choreography for Brubeck's Points on Jazz, and Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals. We welcome international stars in Miriam Allan, Erin Helyard, Duo Mimesi and Meechot Marrero - there's something for everyone in this year's festival.