Abermain Eisteddfod 2026: dates, sections and where to watch
The Hunter's longest-running coalfields eisteddfod: every 2026 section with its dates and venue, how to watch, how to enter next year, and where it came from.
Cessnock Stage is not the eisteddfod. Entries, session times, rules and results are published by the Abermain Eisteddfod at abermaineisteddfod.org.au. Check there before you travel.
The 2026 eisteddfod at a glance
| Section | Dates | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Schools, individual sections | 26 and 27 August | Abermain Plaza Hall |
| Schools, choirs | 28 August | St Philip's Christian College, Cessnock |
| Dance troupes | 29 and 30 August | Vincent Street theatre, Cessnock |
| Vocal and instrumental | 28 September to 3 October | Abermain Plaza Hall |
| Speech and drama | 28 September to 3 October | Abermain Plaza Hall |
| Dance solos | 6 to 10 October | Vincent Street theatre, Cessnock |
| Spirit of the Coalfields Cup showcase | 10 October, evening | Vincent Street theatre, Cessnock |
Still to come this year
6OctAbermain Eisteddfod: dance solos
Vincent Street theatre · CessnockFive days of solo dance sections, open to watch.DanceBook with the venue · listing checked 3 Oct10OctAbermain Eisteddfod: Spirit of the Coalfields Cup showcase
Vincent Street theatre · CessnockThe eisteddfod's showcase evening.DanceBook with the venue · listing checked 3 OctHow to watch
Eisteddfod sessions are open to the public. The dance solos and the showcase evening are listed by the Vincent Street theatre, which handles any tickets for its sessions; check its listing for times and entry. Sessions run through the day, so families often come for the section their child is in and stay for the next.
How to enter
Entries open through the eisteddfod itself, usually months before each section. The eisteddfod publishes its syllabus, entry fees, closing dates and rules on its website. Dance schools and music teachers in the Hunter often enter their students together; if you are entering on your own, the syllabus lists the age groups and set pieces for each section.
About the eisteddfod
By its own account, the Abermain Eisteddfod was set up around 1917 by the Methodist Church, grew by 1965 into the largest eisteddfod in New South Wales, and is now the only eisteddfod still running in the Cessnock local government area. Newspaper reports of it on Trove go back to 1919. We tell that story, with the reports, in this year's eisteddfod news, and the coalfields' choral history in the 1938 choir that won in Sydney by half a mark.
Other eisteddfods in the Hunter
Newcastle and other Hunter towns run their own eisteddfods across the year, with sections for dance, music, speech and drama. We will add their dates here as they are published.
Common questions
When is the Abermain Eisteddfod in 2026?
Its sections ran from 26 August to 10 October 2026. The last sections, the dance solos, are at the Vincent Street theatre in Cessnock from 6 to 10 October, with the Spirit of the Coalfields Cup showcase on the evening of 10 October.
Where is the Abermain Eisteddfod held?
At the Abermain Plaza Hall for most music and speech sections, and at the Vincent Street theatre in Cessnock for the dance sections.
Can anyone watch an eisteddfod?
Yes. Sessions are open to the public; check the venue's listing for times and any entry charge.
How old is the Abermain Eisteddfod?
It dates itself to about 1917. The earliest newspaper report we have found is from April 1919.