With funding from UK Shared Prosperity Fund we are delighted to continue working with partners on the Newark Creates programme.

Here are our key dates for what's still to come in 2024! 

11 July – 5 September – Bookbench Sculpture Trail

We are working in collaboration with Wild in Art to commission 11 artists and community groups to design and create a fun, fabulous and interactive trail across Newark this summer. The 11 benches will be found in various locations across the town centre and visitors will be able to pick up a trail leaflet to hunt them down and discover their hidden depths! Keep an eye out for associated workshops, activities, and the Meet me at the Benches programme throughout for extra free things to do!

Ending 19 August - Newark on Sea

An annual highlight, Newark on Sea offers our residents the chance to enjoy all the fun of the seaside for a couple of weeks in the centre of Newark. Alongside everything you'd expect to see there are several events aimed to make the long hot days of summer even more special. Look out for the Madame Galleon shows and the beach time stories. Or try your hand at sand sculpture and Olympic themed crafts. 

You can discover more by taking a wander along the Aqua Trail, and enter our competition to win family friendly goodies.

There's so much to do and see, why not pop down and dive in!

Saturday 5 – Sunday 6 October – Festival of Creativity

Back for the 4th year but with a twist! For 2024 we continue to work with the national Fun Palaces programme but have changed our focus to celebrating creativity even more. Expect a full weekend of drop in, free events from dancing to visual arts, music to weaving, join our play zones, learn more about your town…want to join in with the movement, where community is at the heart of culture? Contact us today to find out more! Taking place in venues across the town…

Saturday 5 October

Access Models - 9am - 5pm

Explore a variety of model-making activities, learn about Warhammer gaming and discover the excitement of radio control cars. 

Air & Space institute - ASI Tours - 10am and 11am

Fantastic tours of the ASI! Each tour lasts 45 minutes. Book your space on an ASI tour now!

National Civil War Centre - A Day of Dance - 10am - 4pm

Hop, skip and jump your way to a whole day of dance taster sessions. Have a go at country, contemporary, cheerleading, ceroc...we have more types of dance than you can shake a morris dancer's stick at! There is event a tiny tots session. All sessions are free, fun and fully accessible for all.

Newark Art Gallery - 9am - 4.30pm

Come along and colour in King Charles I, II and III. See the new collaborative exhibition 'Play' between Newark artists and the Fosseway Writers group.

Newark Library - 9am - 4pm

Drop in and see Rhubarb Theatre's latest show and have a go at various crafts and activities including:

• Nottinghamshire Handspinners and Weavers
• Gifts From Fairies - making a Christmas card!
• Crafts and Lego - fun with the library team
• Making a Zine with Newark Book Festival Young Ambassador Trudy McIntosh (1pm - 4pm)

Plus enjoy "Collection Day" our family friendly theatre show on at 10.30am, 12.30pm and 2.30pm - it's bin day and two rambunctious refuse collectors are heroically cleaning the streets. But what's this? A dustbin that refuses rubbish. Delving into its depths, we discover that 'one man's trash is another man's treasure', as a wonderful myriad of stories and treats ensure from all that is rubbish and recycled. 

Newark Market Place - 10am - 4pm

Find out more about Newark Heritage Forum and Newark Heritage Barge and look out for our play zone!

Newark School of Violin Making - Tours - 10am - 12noon

Take a tour of the violin school. Book your place on a violin school tour now!

Sunday 6 October

Inspire Buttermarket - 12 noon - 4pm

As the nights draw in, we want to light up your life in a creative and inspiring way by inviting you to:

• Make some beautiful, illuminated lanterns, headdresses and badges to take home and keep - we hope you bring them out for the Newark Creates 'A Likely Story' evening event on Friday 1 November to help light up the Market Square!
• Enter our magical Shadow Booth and make your own shadow puppets and improved show!
• Join in with making our illuminated, vertical city and let's see how big we can get it in just one day!

At intervals, throughout the event, you can enjoy music from the Buttermarket-based Inspire Orchestra.

Newark Art Gallery - 9am - 4pm

Come along and colour in King Charles I, II and III. See the new collaborative exhibition 'Play' between Newark artists and the Fosseway Writers group.

Newark Market Place - Play Zone - 11am - 1pm

Join Circus Starlight for a two hour drop in workshop (11am - 1pm), have fun with bubbles, bring your scooters and trikes, have a go on our hopscotch and enjoy a day of free play!

Friday 1 November – 5.30-9pm – Newark Market Place

Join us in Newark Market Place for an event not to be missed! Working with animation & film production company Electric Egg we will present a 15-minute rolled animated film that follows a key character as they travel and learn all about Newark through an imaginative telling of a town’s tale. The film will be projected onto the frontage of Newark Town Hall – join us in the Market Place to watch, browse our stalls and make an evening of it with dinner out too! Your alternative firework night evening.

For other events and festivals happening in Newark why not take a look at Visit Newark for a full listings and advice on places to park, eat, how to travel and where to stay in Newark & Sherwood.