The colourful King Street Heritage Festival will descend on the historic street in the Port Stephens town of Raymond Terrace on Saturday, May 20, 2017, with locals dressing in period costumes to enjoy folk dancing, bonnet parades, live Celtic music and a  ‘majestic beard’ competition.

The ‘Step Back into King Street Heritage Festival’ returns for its third year to celebrate King Street’s heyday as the original main street of a busy river port. The event in Raymond Terrace, two hours north of Sydney, will run from 10am till 3pm and feature activities celebrating a bygone era.

King Street, which will be closed to traffic for the festival, was the original main street of Raymond Terrace and features many historic buildings, some dating back to the early 1800s. This year, the old Richardson Scully building (former Newcastle Aquatic Centre), built in the 1860s, will be open for the first time in years for people to look inside.

Stalls with vintage wares and home-made crafts, feather quill writing, knucklebones, quoits, live traditional acoustic music and traditional workshops are just some of the activities that will be on offer at the festival. Visitors can also join a fun ‘majestic beard’ competition and a best bonnet contest.

One of the highlights of the day will be the Black Joak Morris Dancers from Sydney, returning to the festival to perform traditional English Folk dances, which all are invited to.

For more information and updates visit www.portstephens.org.au/whats-on/events

Step Back into King Street Heritage Festival

Where:           King Street, Raymond Terrace, Port Stephens

When:             Saturday, May 20, 2017

Time:              10am – 3pm

Cost:               Free.

For general information on Port Stephens, see Destination Port Stephens’ website – www.portstephens.org.au