The much-loved Anzac Day dawn service at Nobbys will return in full force this year for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tens of thousands are expected to commemorate at Camp Shortland for the first time since 2019, followed by a mid-morning march down King Street and service at Civic Park.
The increasingly popular Anzac Walk sunset service will also take place on Friday, April 22 before a candlelight vigil in Memorial Grove Civic Park on Anzac eve.
Newcastle RSL Sub-branch president Ken Fayle said everything was back to normal this year, but organisers were suggesting people bring a mask due to the expected crowd sizes.
"We're going straight back to what we traditionally do," he said. "We already know more than 1200 people have put their hand up for the march, so this will be one of our bigger ones for some years, which is great."
It comes after COVID cancelled Anzac events in 2020 and severely limited services last year. Mr Fayle said this year still had its challenges with Omicron casting doubt over the event and supplier issues, but expected the events to be back to pre-COVID quality, with ferry, light rail and park and ride services organised to allow easy travel.
"We were absolutely gutted in 2020 we weren't allowed to do anything, the only positive was light up the dawn," Mr Fayle said.
"Last year we tried, but we didn't deliver everything we wanted to.
"We're back to the quality of what we presented before. We want everybody out in support. Look at what's happening around the world, we've really got to commemorate what happened before and stand up for what's happening now."
Wangi Wangi was one of the fortunate sub-branches that was able to hold services last year, and president Leigh Warren expected solid numbers again this year.
The sub-branch will hold dawn and mid-morning services as well as a parade of about 100 military vehicles in the lead up to the 10am march.
The service will be slightly shorter this year for the sake of the older veterans and pipe and drum band members.
