The 2025 Newbridge Winter Solstice Festival delivered two days of vibrant community celebration, tradition and spectacle, drawing crowds from across the region to mark the shortest days of the year with warmth, colour and a whole lot of heart.
Festivities kicked off on Friday 20th June with the ever-popular Medieval Banquet — a sold-out evening where guests feasted, toasted and stepped back in time inside the richly decorated Gladstone Hotel. Long tables groaned with hearty fare, while performers in costume brought a theatrical edge to the evening, complete with music, laughter and medieval pageantry.
Saturday 21st June saw the village transformed for the main event — the Winter Solstice in Newbridge — with crowds spilling into the streets to enjoy a full day of entertainment and activity. The energy in the air was unmistakable. From early morning, the village buzzed with excitement, stalls and music as visitors wandered through the makers market, chatted with stallholders, and sampled food and drink from local producers.
True to its reputation, the festival delivered a strong sense of place and community spirit. The highlight for many was the Viking battle re-enactments — crowd-pleasing and action-packed, with armour-clad warriors clashing swords in dramatic displays of skill and theatre. Roving performers, dancers, and musicians kept the atmosphere lively throughout the day.
The Black Joak Morris Dancers once again brought their unmistakable flair to Newbridge, their bells and ribbons adding a touch of cheerful chaos to the main street. Their “Have a Go” sessions gave visitors the chance to step into the tradition themselves — with plenty of laughter in the process.
Live music rang out from several locations across the village, and dance exhibitions brought a welcome touch of movement and cultural flair. As the sun dipped behind the hills, all eyes turned to the symbolic wicker man bonfire — a fitting and fiery conclusion to the day’s festivities.
The Newbridge Progress Association, organisers of the event, extended their heartfelt thanks to the many supporters who helped make the 2025 Newbridge Winter Solstice Festival possible. Special acknowledgement was given to Blayney Shire Council, Orange360, Newmont Australia, The Central West Village Voice, Hill & Crofts – CRT Blayney, Visit Bathurst NSW, Bi-Rite Home Appliances Blayney, The Gladstone Hotel Newbridge, Odd Sock Gallery Blayney, Bernardi Group Blayney, Hutchison’s Bakery Blayney, Railway Butcher Blayney, Newman’s Service Centre/Ampol Blayney, Squire Signs Blayney, 2BS BRock Radio, Bunnings Bathurst and many others.
It was a day where smiles outnumbered clouds, and community pride was on full display. Newbridge once again proved that winter can be warm, especially when a village comes together.
Photo credit: Alan Sadleir
