October in Lake Macquarie is shaping up to be a month of action, innovation, and celebration. From adrenaline-fuelled festivals and thought-provoking theatre to powerful cultural showcases and major art prizes, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Here’s your ultimate guide to what’s on across the city this October.
Maker-Con 25
WHEN: Friday 10 – Saturday 11 October 2025
WHERE: Various Lake Macquarie venues
Tech meets creativity at Maker-Con 25, a two-day celebration of innovation for makers, educators, and curious minds of all ages. With keynote speakers from MIT, Questacon, Sydney Quantum Academy and more, the program is packed with interactive sessions, live demos, and hands-on workshops designed to spark fresh thinking and problem-solving.
NEW BALANCE: A Play by Christopher Bryant and Emma Palackic
WHEN: Friday 10 – Saturday 11 October 2025 | 7–8:30pm
WHERE: Multi-Arts Pavilion, mima
Built from intersecting stories of the queer-disabled experience, New Balance is a raw and intimate performance exploring universality, identity, and resilience. Through moments both tender and challenging, Christopher Bryant and Emma Palackic create a theatrical work that speaks to the power of storytelling from the margins.
MAC yapang Art Prize Opening & Award Announcement
WHEN: Friday 17 October 2025 | 6pm
WHERE: Museum of Art and Culture, yapang, Booragul
Be there as MAC yapang announces the winners of its inaugural national art prize. The $30,000 acquisitive award will see the winning work enter the permanent collection, alongside two $5,000 prizes recognising an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artist and a Lake Macquarie local artist. Finalists, selected from more than 800 submissions nationwide, will be on display from 18 October – 7 December.
Lake Mac Action Fest
WHEN: Saturday 18 – Sunday 19 October 2025
WHERE: Across Lake Macquarie
Lake Mac’s biggest event of the year is back with a brand-new name and an expanded program. Formerly known as Fast & Loud, Lake Mac Action Fest brings thrills on land and water with speedboat racing and classic cars. This year, the festival adds even more variety: Morisset Showground Agricultural Show, featuring rides, local produce and traditional show attractions. Let’s Surf, a pro junior surfing competition along the stunning Lake Macquarie coastline. From the lake to the showground to the beach, Lake Mac Action Fest is a celebration of energy, community, and culture.
Mob Stars
WHEN: Saturday 18 October 2025 | 5–8pm
WHERE: Multi-Arts Pavilion, mima
Celebrate the vibrant creativity of Lake Macquarie’s Aboriginal community with Mob Stars. This evening of music, dance, and performance brings together talented local artists to share their stories and cultural heritage in a powerful community showcase.
COMING UP IN LAKE MAC
Lake Mac Open Studios
WHEN: Saturday 1 – Sunday 2 November 2025
WHERE: Across Lake Macquarie
Peek behind the studio doors of local artists and makers as Lake Mac Open Studios returns. Explore creative spaces, meet the artists, and pick up unique artworks and gifts directly from their makers.
History Illuminated
WHEN: Saturday 1 – Sunday 9 November 2025
WHERE: Various Lake Macquarie venues
Step into the past at History Illuminated, a week-long festival of exhibitions, author talks, performances, workshops, walking tours and more. With stories ranging from the local to the global, it’s a chance to see history come alive across Lake Macquarie.
