🟡 The Ultimate MNC event guide
Including: Family-friendly and free options.
Ellie Chamberlain
November 28, 2025
⏱️ The 79th edition of our newsletter is a six-minute read.
🙋♀️ Hi there, Ellie here – your reporter for the Mid North Coaster.
👋 Welcome to all our new subscribers, and thanks to everyone for reading!
📸 I asked for your Sunday storm pics, and Mid North Coaster follower Andrew Lister delivered. What a shot!
Flynn’s Beach, Port Macquarie. Credit: Andrew Lister.
🌡️ Hoo boy! Has it been hot this week!? I hope you’ve all been able to find reprieve in fans, AC, shade – or better yet, the ocean – during the steamier parts of the day.
I’m currently working on an article about how the MNC prepares for heat waves (consider it inspiration), so keep an eye out for that story later today.
On Wednesday, I met with Member for Coffs Harbour and newly elected NSW Nationals leader, Gurmesh Singh, to find out what’s important to him and about his future plans.
I asked him for his position on regional healthcare funding, Net Zero targets and MNC master plans, among other things. Keep an eye out for those video interviews coming soon.
Afterwards, I made my way to Woolgoolga to ask Woopi locals about holiday traditions – like their favourite songs for this time of year and what must be on the table come Christmas lunch. I’m looking forward to sharing their answers in the near future.
But for now, as we creep up to a new month and celebration season, I’ve created yet another list of events happening across the region in December – including Christmas festivities, art exhibitions, live performances and more.
In sad news this week, a woman was killed and a man seriously injured after a shark attack near Kylies Beach Campground at Crowdy Bay National Park.
The man and a woman, international tourists aged in their 20s, were swimming at Crowdy Bay near Kylies Beach campground at about 6:30am on Thursday when they were attacked by a shark.
Experts believe the shark involved was a bull shark.
Despite the help of witnesses on the beach, the woman died at the scene before paramedics arrived.
A bystander used a makeshift tourniquet on the male’s leg. He was treated by paramedics and airlifted to John Hunter Hospital in a critical condition.
The woman is yet to be formally identified. Beaches in the area and further north of the incident have been closed.
What’s on in December
Let’s start with Christmas-inspired family-friendly events include free and budget-friendly options.
🟡 Christmas Concert
The NSW Senior’s Regional Christmas Concert is coming to Port Macquarie for a day of live music and performances by Australian artists including;
Silvie Paladino – known for leading roles in Les Misérables, Cats, and Mamma Mia! and a regular star of Carols by Candlelight.
Emma Pask – Award-winning jazz vocalist well known for her long-time collaboration with James Morrison.
Nathan Foley – best known from Hi-5 and The Voice.
Lorenzo Rositano – Acclaimed tenor and founder of Western Sydney Opera.
🗓️Thursday 11, 10am and 2pm sessions
📍Glasshouse, Port Macquarie
🎟️Free tickets here.
🟡 2025 Christmas Fair
The annual community celebration involves Christmas markets, a mascot race, food and beverage stalls and live entertainment including Christmas carols under the stars.
🗓️Friday 5, 5pm - 9pm
📍Town Green, Port Macquarie
🎟️Free event
🟡 Christmas in the Sky
Kids can write letters to Santa’s North Pole letterbox, get a photo with Santa, and enjoy snow machines and a bubble show. Not to mention unlimited rides for $30.
As the sun goes down and the stars come out, a drone light show will light up the sky from 9pm.
Catch it at Wauchope:
🗓️ Wednesday 10, 4pm - 10pm
📍 Wauchope Showground
🎟️ $12.90
Catch it in Coffs Harbour:
🗓️ Saturday 6 & Sunday 7, 4pm - 10pm
📍 Coffs Harbour Showground
🎟️ $12.90
🟡 Christmas Street Carnival
Carnival rides, fire twirlers and stilt walkers will take over the heart of Wingham for a community Christmas celebrations.
There will be market and food stalls, carol singers, a nativity play and plenty of street performers.
🗓️Friday 12
📍Wingham CBD
🎟️Free event
🟡 Free photos with Santa
A free photo session with Santa is a welcomed gift.
Held in Kempsey, you’ll get two edited photos sent to you via email, so you can share with friends and family. The event is run by Macleay Valley Business Chamber, Kempsey Shire Council and Echo Voice & Data.
🗓️Saturday 13, 9am - 12pm
📍Echo Voice & Data in Smith Street, Kempsey
🎟️Free event
And non-Christmas events…
🟡 Bellingen Community Markets 45th birthday
This celebration and market involves 200 stalls, including local creators, food, live music and entertainment.
Apocalypse Joe and the Coyote will perform on the main stage from 10am, followed by The Bellingen AkaBella Choir at 12.30pm.
And keep an eye out for the acrobatic circus performers throughout the day.
Main stage at Bellingen Community Markets. Supplied.
🗓️Saturday 20, 8am - 2pm
📍Bellingen Park - Corner of Church, Park & Ford Streets, Bellingen
🎟️Free event. Gold coin donation optional
🟡 Ceramics Studio Open Day
Local ceramicist, Jann Kesby, will open her South Kempsey studio to the public to showcase and sell her recent works. Meet the creator to find out the story behind every item.
🗓️ Saturday 6 10am - 4pm & Sunday 7 10am - 2pm
📍38 Lily Lane, South Kempsey
🎟️ Free to attend
🟡 Sculptures Rock
For the second year, Sculptures Rock will give the opportunity to artists from the region – and across the country – to exhibit large and small sculptures, with the chance of winning a prize.
The Sculpture Prize, previously known as Sculpture in the Gaol, is now held on the Maritime Precinct grounds at South West Rocks.
Sculptures Rock is a collaboration between the South West Rocks Community Art Gallery and Macleay Valley Coast and offers a prize pool of $13,000.
🗓️Monday 15 December - Sunday 4 January
📍South West Rocks Community Art Gallery, at the Maritime Precinct
🎟️ Entries $25 (free for youth), free to view the art.
ℹ️ Visit https://swrcag.com.au/sculpture for more information and to register. Registrations close 5pm, Friday 12 December.
🟡 Billy Elliot the Musical
Billy Elliot the musical is coming to Port Macquarie.
You might know the story by now, but in case you don’t: 11-year-old Billy Elliot is living in an era of uncertainty – under the reign of Margaret Thatcher and miner strikes in Northern England. A son of a miner and widower, Billy’s life is changed one day when he finds himself in a ballet class after his weekly boxing lesson.
🟡 LASSU Cabaret
This adults-only show combines modern and traditional circus with cabaret dance to tell a story of a cosmic saloon located on the edge of the galaxy where space cowboys, alien drifters, the Rodeo Sisters and Rodeo Clown Rusty gather and “revive the magic that once filled the saloon”.
🗓️Showing from 12 - 20 December
📍Macquarie Park, Port Macquarie
🎟️ Tickets from $78.51, 18+ event
📢 Call out for live music events
I’ll get cracking on a live music events list to go online this morning, so if you know of a gig or concert happening in December and want to see it included, please email details to me as soon as you can – simply hit reply to this email.
📹 Have you guessed?
Mid North Coaster newsletter readers have a “leg up” with this one. I may have given you a little hint earlier in the piece 😉
You can comment on Instagram, TikTok or Facebook.
That’s all for now
I hope you enjoyed this newsletter. I’ll be back next week with more.
If you don’t already, follow the Mid North Coaster on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook, or check the website to keep up to date with local news.
👋 Ellie
P.S. Where is the best place to see Christmas light decorations in your neighbourhood? Hit reply to let me know.