Canberra, clear your calendar. Nup to the Cup is back and bigger than ever!

Posted on 12 October, 2026

There are very few occasions when you can put on something fabulous, enjoy a cocktail on a rooftop, be entertained by some of Canberra’s most colourful personalities and call it a good deed.

But on Tuesday 3 November, you can do exactly that.

Nup to the Cup is back for its second year, and after the success of our inaugural event, they’ve decided to turn things up a notch. More entertainment, more fabulous fashion, a bigger auction and, most importantly, more opportunities to spend an afternoon with good people doing something that feels good.

And not a horse race in sight.

A little less racing, a lot more fabulous

Last year, Nup to the Cup set out to create something different for Canberra on Melbourne Cup Day. They wanted to capture everything people love about a great afternoon out  – the dressing up, the food, the drinks, the laughter and the chance to escape work for a few hours –  without the horse racing.

What they discovered was that people were more than ready for an alternative.

The first Nup to the Cup brought together a wonderful mix of people who came for different reasons. Some were passionate about animal welfare. Others wanted to support a good cause. And plenty simply loved the idea of getting dressed up and enjoying a fabulous afternoon with friends.

Whatever brought them through the door, everyone seemed to agree on one thing: they should do it again.  So they are. And this year, they’re making it even more fun.

They’re heading back to The Howling Moon in Braddon, where the rooftop views provide a spectacular backdrop for an afternoon of food, drinks, music and a little bit of mischief.

And they’ve assembled quite the line-up.

The wonderful Wayne Herbert will be the MC, bringing his trademark humour, warmth and irreverence to the afternoon. If you know Wayne, you’ll know that you’re unlikely to get through the event without a few laughs and possibly a little trouble.

Joining him is the fabulous Jolene Mifsud, aka InkBits, who returns to Nup to the Cup with their glorious mix of performance, wit and larger-than-life personality.

And because every good rooftop party needs live music, the very talented Will Campbell will be providing the soundtrack to the afternoon.

They’re also delighted to have Shane Rattenbury joining them as the event ambassador.

It’s a line-up that promises plenty of personality, great entertainment and absolutely no need to pretend you understand horse-racing odds.

Fashions OFF the Field: the more fabulous, the better

One of my favourite things about Nup to the Cup is that we get to keep the fashion without the formality.

Our Fashions OFF the Field competition is back, and they’re encouraging everyone to embrace their own interpretation of fabulous.  Bring your whole self and come as you are. Perhaps you have a spectacular outfit that has been waiting patiently in your wardrobe for its moment. Perhaps you’re a vintage fashion devotee who can turn an op-shop find into something extraordinary. Or perhaps you’ve always wanted to wear a completely outrageous hat in public and have never had a sufficiently good excuse.

Well, here it is.

There will be prizes, of course, but the real joy is seeing people express themselves and have a bit of fun.

No racing etiquette, no dress-code anxiety and certainly no requirement to wear uncomfortable shoes.  Although if you want to arrive in six-inch heels and a hat that requires its own postcode, we will absolutely applaud you.

A celebration with a little more heart

Of course, there is a reason they created Nup to the Cup in the first place.

For many people, the Melbourne Cup has become increasingly difficult to celebrate. The concerns about animal welfare in horse racing are real, and the more we learn, the harder it becomes to reconcile those concerns with a day that is supposed to be about having fun.

But I don’t think the answer is to stop celebrating.  I think the answer is to create something better.

Something that brings people together, supports our local community and gives us an opportunity to enjoy ourselves without compromising the things we care about.

Canberra, bring your people

One of the loveliest things about last year’s event was seeing people who might never otherwise have met enjoying an afternoon together.

Friends brought friends. Colleagues escaped the office. People arrived on their own and left having made new connections.

And that, for me, is what makes an event like this special.

We all lead busy lives, and sometimes we need a good excuse to put everything else aside, gather our favourite people and enjoy ourselves.

Your ticket includes a drink on arrival, catering and an afternoon of live entertainment. All you need to bring is yourself, your friends and whatever fabulous outfit takes your fancy.

So organise your colleagues, round up your friends, invite the people you’ve been meaning to catch up with for months and make an afternoon of it.

Because if we’re going to build a new Canberra tradition, we might as well make it a sensational one.   And this year, I have every intention of doing just that.