Newkulele Festival 2026

The major evening concert of the Newkulele Festival is not to be missed. Featuring four awesome acts and held in the Newcastle Conservatorium, this concert will be a joyous musical adventure that will kickstart the 2026 Festival. Featuring: - The Tuckshop Ladies - AJ Leonard & Jenny Rawlings - Bob Corbett & the Roo Grass Band - Ukastle Ukestra With Host Cathy Crowley

Weekend Pass includes entry to Day One & Day Two* of the Newkulele Festival 2026 *does not include entry to Friday Night Concert or Workshops. Please purchase tickets to these events separately. Day One (Saturday 22 August 2026 10am-9.30pm) Carrington Bowling Club, Carrington NSW Plus Local Carrington Cafes Day Two (Sunday 23 August 2026 10am-5pm) Carrington Bowling Club, Carrington NSW Plus Local Carrington Cafes

Bring your child and your own inner child to discover how you can play your way into learning music. From ukulele to singing, creative movement and dance, you and your child will love making memories together. Miss Mel (Melissa Saunders) from Hive Creative Studios has over ten years experience teaching and writing programs for under 8s. She writes kids' music full of imagination and mischief. Come join in! Tickets $10 for each child. Free for accompanying adult. For children 3-7 years. Your child/children must have an accompanying adult with them in the workshop.

We all know how fabulous the ukulele is as a gateway to musicianship. But the essence of musicianship is to play with others, with whatever instrument that is being played. The question is, how do you do that well? The culmination of the Newkulele Festival is to explore that idea, and what better way to begin than to work with other string instruments. Under the guidance of some very accomplished string players we will blend this ensemble into a cohesive unit. All we ask is for you to bring just about any stringed instruments (that you can play, even just a bit) to this workshop. Together we will play arrangements that will sound like a big band, but which can cater for all levels of players and offer opportunities for skill development for all. Riffs, arpeggiations, ostinatos, plucks or strums - there is a part there for you! Your tutors for this include Mark Jackson on guitar, ukulele and bass, Jane Jelbart on banjo and ukulele, Sally Carter on fiddle, mandolin and ukulele, and John Wallace on bass and ukulele.

Festival Marimbas with Heather McLaughlin. Marimbas are very big xylophones which can be played by three people standing up. They are good for almost instant group music making, and for all ages - no experience necessary! Many schools have found them a great basis for or addition to the music programme, but they are also ideal for adults and community music activity. Heather McLaughlin has enjoyed getting people of all ages playing marimbas and other percussion instruments for over 30 years. In this workshop she will lead you through a few songs; such as Jon Madin’s "Boris the Bassman”, a well-known tune “Heart and Soul”, and even the William Tell theme. This will be a really fun and vibrant workshop open to all players, young and old, and will definitely book out (limit of 30 people each day) so get your ticket now. In particular, families are welcome to come along and play music together.

Workshop for brass, wind and percussion. All instruments and all levels are welcome to join this street band workshop presented by Lyndal & Strat, where you'll learn a couple of grooving tunes to take to the streets of Carrington! Looking for brass, reeds and percussion instruments - from beginners to soloists, and other instruments like accordions, and woodwind are also welcome. The tunes will be learned mainly aurally but charts will be available as a back up. It’s a chance to sing and play outside the parameters of what you normally do, to get the feeling of being a part of something bigger and to have fun and spread joy! Audience participation is key and the skill level and teaching techniques used ensures this workshop is accessible to people of all ages. Lyndal Chambers & Brian Strating are experienced performers and community music facilitators from Victoria, who love empowering people in their own music making journeys. They draw their material from a wide range of sources, with colourful parade tunes being a specialty! They like to keep the music accessible with room for stepping out. They will be accompanied by Newcastle's own master of percussion Benjie (Earthen Rhythms) so if you have a drum or percussion instrument, this is your chance to play with a full marching street band.

The Power of the Beat with Benjie from Earthen Rhythms. Accessible, Inclusive, Fun, and Engaging. Be reminded that rhythm has no boundaries. It’s a fundamental component of music, culture, and community. The beat, the pulse, is made to move humans to unite and bond over a collective cause, whether fun or serious. It can also help release freedom of expression and help escape the everyday. There are also some very powerful wellness aspects to drumming supported by science. For example, did you know that drumming has been shown to reduce blood pressure and increase ‘killer T cells’? If this interests you, come along and find out more. During the workshop, you’ll experience this when you get in the flow. Unlock what’s already in your DNA with Benjie, Global Drum Circle Facilitator extraordinaire who’s based right here in Newcastle. Absolute beginners to Experience Drummers welcome.

Everybody Can Sing (what's the big deal?) Want to sing with others in a big beautiful sea of vocal harmonies? Want to learn some vocal techniques that will get more out of your voice? Under the leadership of four accomplished singers and music arrangers: Jane Jelbart, Ruth McCrae, Mark Jackson, and John Wallace there will be a part for every voice, and a leader for you to follow who can help you with your voice no matter what range or style you sing. We will do some vocal exercises together: we will learn a couple of songs in four part harmonies and learn how to create a beautiful wall of vocal vibrations. Call it a sound bath if you want!

"There's a Song in That" with Rosie and Sam aka The Tuck Shop Ladies. In this fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants workshop, Sam and Rosie turn your suggestions into a song - right then and there! Expect laughter, joyful chaos, creative tangents and at least one freshly minted potential banger by the end.

Develop your plucking skills on ukulele with Sally Carter. Intermediate Level. Learn how to bring your own creativity into working out your own plucking patterns. It’s easier than you think! We will then be arranging a couple of well-known songs with different plucking patterns to bring a unique sound to your playing. What to bring: Your own ukulele. Music stand. Pen/pencil and notebook.