At a glance
- When
- Saturday 19 December 2026; gates open 4:30pm, carols program 6pm to 9pm
- Where
- polytec Stadium, corner of Dane Drive and Central Coast Highway, Gosford
- Seating
- Three options: unreserved picnic area on the pitch, reserved Western Grandstand seats, or unreserved seats in the North and Eastern Grandstands
- Train
- Gosford station is about 300m from the stadium; use an Opal card or a contactless card
- Cash
- The stadium is cash-free; bring a card or phone to pay for food and drink
- Who it’s for
- Families and groups on the Central Coast, or visiting from Sydney and Newcastle, planning to go to the carols at the stadium
- What to do now
- Choose your seating type and buy a ticket through the Ticketek link on the stadium’s event page
- Last checked
- Thursday 29 October 2026, against the stadium’s event page, Getting Here page, A-Z guide and Conditions of Entry, and Central Coast Council’s parking page
- Not yet confirmed
- Ticket prices, the performer line-up, the fireworks time, any extra trains or buses, and whether the event has its own rules on bags or parking
Carols in the Stadium is on at polytec Stadium in Gosford on Saturday 19 December 2026, with gates open at 4:30pm and the carols program running from 6pm to 9pm, according to the stadium’s event page. The page calls it the Central Coast’s biggest Christmas celebration and promises music, lights, family fun, fireworks and a firework finale. This guide pulls together what the stadium and Central Coast Council say about getting there, parking, seating and what to carry in.
What time do the gates open and the carols start?
The event page gives three times. Gates open at 4:30pm. The carols program runs from 6pm to 9pm. The stadium has not published a running order, so it does not say when the fireworks go off or who is singing. We will update this guide if the stadium adds either. The heading of the event page shows 4:00pm next to the date, while its Event times list says gates open at 4:30pm; this guide uses the Event times list. Treat the times above as the only confirmed ones.
The stadium also notes that it is a cash-free venue, and asks visitors to bring an alternative payment method to buy food and drink. Its A-Z guide says there is no permanent ATM on site and that every catering outlet takes only card or digital payments.
Where do I sit, and what is the difference?
The event page describes three areas. It does not list prices; its Get Tickets button goes to Ticketek, which we could not read for prices, so check there.
| Area | What the stadium says |
|---|---|
| On the Pitch | Bring a picnic rug and sit on the pitch. Unreserved picnic-style area; arrive early to secure your preferred spot |
| Western Grandstand Reserved Seating | Shady, reserved seats with elevated views of the stage and fireworks. Reserved uncovered seating; the seat allocation is included with the ticket |
| General Admission North and Eastern Grandstands | Unreserved uncovered seating; arrive early to secure your preferred location |
The words “shady” and “uncovered” sit side by side on the page, so the Western Grandstand is described as shady but its seating as uncovered. If cover from rain matters to you, the A-Z guide lists the undercover seats at the stadium as the Upper Western Grandstand Bays 35 to 41, the Level 1 Western Concourse Bays 2 to 10 (Rows R to W), the Upper Eastern Grandstand Bays 46 to 52 and the Level 1 Eastern Grandstand Bays 23 to 31 (Rows R to W). The event page does not say which of those, if any, are used for the carols.
Can I bring a chair?
No. The A-Z guide says no chairs are to be brought into the stadium and that for a picnic-style event you should bring only picnic rugs. That matches the pitch option above.
How do I get to polytec Stadium by train or bus?
The stadium’s Getting Here page says Gosford station is approximately 300m from the stadium, with regular trains to and from Sydney’s CBD, the North Shore and Newcastle, and tells visitors to check transportnsw.info for trackwork. The A-Z guide gives a 500m walk from the station instead. The page asks you to use an Opal card or a contactless payment card or device on public transport to and from the event.
| Coming from | What the stadium says |
|---|---|
| Sydney CBD or the North Shore | Regular trains to Gosford on the Central Coast and Newcastle line |
| Newcastle | Regular trains to Gosford |
| Elsewhere on the Central Coast | Busways services operate from all over the Central Coast; phone (02) 4368 2277 or 1300 69 2929 |
| Woy Woy, Ettalong, Daviston, Patonga | Nearby ferry stops; see centralcoastferries.com.au or FantaSea Cruising |
The stadium does not publish train times for the night, and its pages do not mention extra trains or buses. The program ends at 9pm, so look up the last trains on the Trip Planner before you go. Our Sydney to Central Coast train fares guide explains what the trip costs.
Where can I park on a Saturday?
The stadium says no parking is available in Wilhemnina Street, Alfred Higgs Place, George Street or under the Brian McGowan Bridge. It adds that the parking lot beside the stadium is closed to the public on event days, and it lists these car parks.
| Car park | Distance | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Gosford City car park (P1) | About 100m | Stadium: $13 flat rate on Saturday and Sunday. A-Z guide: $10 flat rate. Council: $14.30 special event flat fee on Saturdays |
| Gosford station car park (P2) | About 300m | Access by Opal card with any valid train journey |
| Central Coast Leagues Club | Opposite the Eastern gate | A-Z guide: $15 flat for members, $30 for non-members, starting 3 hours before an event, entry via Baker Street |
Which Gosford City car park price is right?
The three sources disagree, and the stadium’s event page does not give a price for the carols. Central Coast Council runs the car park at 1 Baker Street. Its page, read on 20 October 2026, lists a $10.00 weekend and public holiday flat rate and a separate $14.30 flat fee for special event parking on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, and says the event hours are advertised at the entry on the day. Whether the carols count as a special event is not stated, so read the sign when you arrive and plan for a price between $10 and $14.30.
The council gives the car park’s Saturday hours as 7:30am to 3pm and says it is open for special events in addition to its standard hours. It also says anyone can leave at any time after hours: you pay at the Pay Station on the ground level or with the Scan to Pay QR code. In-person security release after closing may add an after-hours release fee of $77.20, so pay before you walk back to the car.
Is there free parking in Baker Street on a Saturday?
The council lists a Baker Street Pay by Plate area on the ground level beneath the car park, entered by Erina Street. It is open 24 hours, with a three-hour limit and paid parking Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 12pm. Outside those times it is free with no limit, according to the council’s page, which means a car parked from Saturday afternoon is not charged. The page does not say it applies on event nights, so check the signs.
How do I drive there from Sydney or Newcastle?
The stadium’s directions are to take the Sydney Newcastle Freeway, about 45km and 45 minutes from Sydney or about 50km and 45 to 50 minutes from Newcastle, then the Gosford and Woy Woy exit onto the Central Coast Highway. Follow the highway into Gosford for about 8 minutes and cross the Brian McGowan Bridge; the stadium is on your left. The stadium warns that traffic will be heavier than usual and points to livetraffic.com for real-time updates. Neither the stadium’s event page nor its Getting Here page mentions a road closure for the evening.
What can I bring, and can I bring a pram?
The stadium’s Conditions of Entry apply to every event and may be supplemented by event-specific conditions printed on your ticket or displayed at the gates. The stadium has not published separate conditions for the carols, so read your ticket. In general, all bags are checked at every entrance, and the stadium lists the following among its prohibited items:
- Alcohol of any kind, and any drink with the seal not intact
- Glass bottles or containers, and vacuum flasks
- Fireworks or flares
- Commercial food and commercial quantities of packet food
- Eskies or hard-cased cooler bags too big to fit under your seat
- Drones, tripods, monopods, and cameras with a detachable or extending telephoto lens
- Bicycles, skateboards and skates, and animals other than service animals
On prams the sources differ. The A-Z guide says prams and strollers are not permitted in the grandstand, and staff can store them until the end of the event. The Conditions of Entry say prams, strollers and baby capsules can be left once inside, opposite the turnstiles, but that they are allowed in for some smaller events, naming Carols, where seating is available on the field. The stadium does not say whether that applies to this year’s carols. If you plan to sit on the pitch with a baby, ask the stadium before you go on (02) 4304 7600.
Children under 12 must be accompanied by a guardian aged 16 or over at all times unless they are in a stadium or club program. Pass outs are available for most events, and the stadium asks you to check with it if that matters to you. Smoking and vaping are not allowed inside.
Is the event accessible?
The A-Z guide says the stadium has 82 wheelchair spaces and 108 carer seats along the Western, Northern and Eastern concourses, which can be booked through Ticketek. Access for wheelchairs is at both the Eastern and Western entry gates. The Eastern Entry Gate 1 is opposite the Central Coast Leagues Club, and the Western Entry Gate 3 is on the waterfront side beside the Brian McGowan Bridge. It adds that for smaller events only one entrance may be open. Baby change facilities are in all female toilets on Level 1 East and West, and first aid responders are present at all events.
Quick plan by how you are travelling
- By train: get off at Gosford, tap on with an Opal or contactless card, and check your last train home on the Trip Planner before the program ends at 9pm.
- By car: use the Gosford City car park, about 100m away, expect to pay a flat fee, and pay before you leave; or try Baker Street, where the council lists no charge after midday on Saturday.
- By bus, bike or taxi: Busways serve the whole coast; cycle ways run from Woy Woy and Erina with bike racks at both entry points; taxi ranks are at the Leagues Club and at Gosford station on William Street (131 008).
- On the pitch: bring a picnic rug, not a chair, and arrive early.
- Paying inside: bring a card or phone, because the stadium takes no cash.
- Check again in mid-December: the stadium may add a running order.
Sources
- polytec Stadium — Carols in the Stadium (checked 29 October 2026)
- polytec Stadium — Getting Here (checked 21 October 2026)
- polytec Stadium — A-Z Guide (checked 27 October 2026)
- polytec Stadium — Conditions of Entry (checked 27 October 2026)
- Central Coast Council — Parking (Gosford City Car Park) (checked 20 October 2026)
Featured image: Gosford waterfront at sunset, May 2024 (photo: Frazerater / CC BY 4.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with polytec Stadium, Central Coast Council, Ticketek or Transport for NSW. Times and rules can change; check the official pages above before you travel.