The Hunter will be ringing in the New Year from one end of the Valley to the other tonight.
In Maitland from 5pm there will be a raft of family friendly activities including amusement rides, games, a photo booth, kid’s disco, arts and crafts, and an interactive ‘doodle bubble’ experience, with activities spread across both sides of the river, at RH Taylor Reserve in Lorn and The Levee’s Riverside car park.
Newcastle based retro party band The Cassettes will be blasting a set of popular 80s classics from the riverside main stage before the 9.00pm fireworks display brings the evening to a rousing finish.
In Newcastle records will be broken with a pyrotechnic display being launched from the side of a Cessna 185 Skywagon. Council has teamed up with Paul Bennett Airshows who will put on the display from 6:30pm with some of their other aircraft.
The Queens Wharf precinct will be transformed into a family friendly zone of entertainment from 4pm with the traditional fireworks display over Newcastle Harbour at 9pm from Horseshoe Beach.
Everyone is being encouraged to keep their car at home and take advantage of the public transport into the Foreshore.
There will be a fireworks display at Hunter Valley Gardens in Pokolbin, and at the Muswellbrook Showground at 9pm.
To Lake Macquarie, there will be a community fireworks display at Wangi Wangi which has been organised by local businesses – Swansea, Fishing Point, Morisset and Toronto will also have fireworks.
Port Stephen’s fireworks will launch from Nelson Bay at 9pm.
So, wherever you are in the Hunter Valley and Newcastle there are plenty of places to ring in 2023!