At a glance
- When
- Sunday 13 December 2026, 3pm to 9pm (council page); the NSW Government listing gives 3pm to 8:45pm, the time the last carols block ends
- Where
- Speers Point Park, Park Road, Speers Point
- Cost
- Free
- Stage program
- Kids entertainer 5pm to 5:50pm; official welcome 6pm; carols 6:15pm to 7pm; Santa at 7pm; carols 7:30pm to 8:45pm
- All afternoon
- Food trucks, activities and market stalls from 3pm to 9pm
- Who it’s for
- Families and groups who want a free, picnic-rug carols night on the shore of Lake Macquarie
- What to do now
- Put 13 December in the diary and plan to arrive for the stalls; watch the council page for this year’s parking and transport notice
- Last checked
- Thursday 29 October 2026, against the Lake Macquarie City Council event page and the NSW Government events listing
- Not yet confirmed
- Parking, shuttle and road-closure arrangements for 2026, performer names, and the sponsors; the council has not published them yet
Lake Mac Carols 2026 is free and runs on Sunday 13 December at Speers Point Park, with food trucks, activities and market stalls from 3pm to 9pm, a kids entertainer at 5pm, the official welcome at 6pm, carols from 6:15pm and a Santa arrival at 7pm. Lake Macquarie City Council presents it, and the council’s event page lists a full time-by-time program.
This guide uses the council’s 2026 event page (read in a browser on 29 October 2026) and the NSW Government events listing. Where it mentions last year’s event, it says so, because the 2026 arrangements for parking have not been published yet.
What time does Lake Mac Carols start and finish?
The council page gives the day as 3pm to 9pm. The NSW Government listing gives 3:00pm to 8:45pm. The two fit together: the stalls, food trucks and activities run from 3pm to 9pm, and the last block of carols on the stage finishes at 8:45pm.
| Time | What is on, according to the council |
|---|---|
| 3pm to 9pm | Food trucks, activities and market stalls |
| 5pm to 5:50pm | Kids entertainer on stage |
| 6pm to 6:15pm | Official welcome |
| 6:15pm to 7pm | Stage program: carols |
| 7pm | Special guest arrival, described on the page as the man who “wears a red suit” |
| 7:30pm to 8:45pm | Stage program: carols |
The council adds that the program is subject to change. Times in this guide are local Newcastle and Lake Macquarie time, which is on daylight saving (AEDT, UTC+11) in December.
How long should I plan to stay?
The stalls, food trucks and activities are open for six hours, from 3pm to 9pm, so you can arrive at any point and still find something running. The stage program is shorter and has gaps. Nothing is listed on the stage between 3pm and 5pm, or between 5:50pm and 6pm, and the program shows a half-hour gap between Santa’s arrival at 7pm and the second block of carols at 7:30pm. Families with young children who want the kids entertainer at 5pm can arrive for the stalls and the entertainer, then leave before the evening carols; those who want both carols blocks should plan for the full time until 8:45pm.
Is Lake Mac Carols free?
Yes. Both the council page and the NSW Government listing give the cost as free. The council’s description asks people to bring a picnic rug, sing along to the live entertainment and take part in a program of family-friendly activities. Food is sold from on-site food trucks, so the food itself is not part of the free entry.
Where is it?
The event is at Speers Point Park, Park Road, Speers Point, NSW 2284. The NSW Government listing marks the venue as having a car park, a public toilet, access for people with access needs, and as family friendly. It lists pets as “Enquire”, which means the listing does not say they are welcome; ask the council on 02 4921 0333 or at council@lakemac.nsw.gov.au before bringing a dog.
Where do I park?
The council has not published parking details for 2026. The only parking information on the 2026 pages is the NSW Government listing’s note that the venue has a car park.
Last year’s arrangements give an idea of what to look for, but they are not this year’s rules. For the Sunday 14 December 2025 event, the council said pre-paid parking spaces in Macquarie Field could be booked online for $10, with spaces at $15 on the day, and that other parking was further from the park (reported by Newy). Check the council’s event page before 13 December for the 2026 version, including whether booking is needed.
| Item | 2025 event (last year) | 2026 event |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Sunday 14 December 2025 | Sunday 13 December 2026 |
| Macquarie Field pre-paid parking | $10 if booked online | Not yet published |
| Macquarie Field parking on the day | $15 | Not yet published |
| Santa’s arrival | 7pm | 7pm |
What else was part of the night last year?
Newy’s report on the 2025 event says the night included a Kids’ Zone, market stalls, food and drink vans, and a visit from the Cameron Park unit of the NSW Rural Fire Service, which sold battery-powered candles and gave fire-safety information. The event also served as a collection point for non-perishable food, gifts and cash donations for Sugar Valley Neighbourhood Centre. None of this has been confirmed for 2026 on the council’s page, so do not plan around it; it is a guide to what the council did last year.
Are there other carols the same weekend?
Newy With Kids lists several other free carols in the area in December 2026. The table below uses its listing; the organisers’ own pages are the final word on times.
| Date | Event | Where | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday 6 December | Christmas Carols at Avondale | Avondale School, Cooranbong | 4:30pm to 9:15pm | Free |
| Saturday 12 December | Carols by the Lake | Thomas H. Halton Park, Croudace Bay | 6pm to 9pm | Free |
| Sunday 13 December | Lake Mac Church Carols | 16 High Street, Marmong Point | Activities from 5:30pm, carols from 6pm | Free |
| Sunday 20 December | Lambton Park Carols | Lambton Park, Lambton | 5pm to 9pm | Free |
| Sunday 20 December | Christmas Brass | Warners Bay Theatre, Lake Street, Warners Bay | 1:30pm to 4pm | Adults $20, kids free |
Lake Mac Church Carols is on the same evening as Lake Mac Carols, at Marmong Point, so families choosing between them will need to pick one for the 6pm start.
What should I check before 13 December?
Four things are still open as of 29 October. The council has not published parking and shuttle details, the performer line-up, the sponsors, or any road-closure notice for Park Road. The council page also says the stallholder applications closed at 5pm on Friday 2 October, so the food and market stalls are being appointed through its event management contractor, The Tribe Collective. If anything changes, the council’s event page is the one to read, and its contact number is 02 4921 0333.
For public transport, use the Transport for NSW trip planner closer to the date; no event-specific service notice has been published for Lake Mac Carols yet.
Why does the NSW listing link say 2025?
The NSW Government listing links to a council web address ending in “Lake-Mac-Carols-2025”. The council page read for this guide, at an address ending in “Lake-Mac-Carols-2026”, shows the next date as Sunday 13 December 2026, and its program is the one used here. Older stories on the web describe the 2025 event, so check the year before relying on a time or a parking price.
Sources
- Lake Macquarie City Council — Lake Mac Carols (2026 date, times and program; read 29 October 2026)
- NSW Government — Lake Mac Carols (3pm to 8:45pm, free, facilities, contact)
- Newy — Lake Mac Carols 2025 (last year’s parking prices and donation drive)
- Newy With Kids — 2026 Christmas carols guide (other carols in the area)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Lake Macquarie City Council or any carols organiser. Times and arrangements can change; check the council’s event page before you go.
Featured image: Speers Point Park, Speers Point (photo: User:Orderinchaos / CC BY-SA 3.0, taken August 2009) (text added)