A Wonderful World is blooming in Canberra’s city centre these school holidays

Posted on 31 March, 2026

If your idea of the perfect school holiday involves colourful art, music, bubbles, dancing and a healthy dose of imagination, Canberra’s city centre is about to deliver – again and again.

From Tuesday 7 to Sunday 12 April, a brand-new festival called Wonderful World will transform the city and Braddon into a playful landscape of creativity, discovery and family fun.

Created especially for parents, grandparents and children to enjoy together, the week-long celebration is designed to bring the city to life through performances, installations and interactive experiences that invite families to discover what is wonderful in their world.

But this isn’t a one-and-done day out. Wonderful World is designed to unfold across the week with fresh surprises, new performances and unexpected moments waiting each time you return. With more than 50 experiences across the week, part of the fun is discovering them as you go: from pop-up performances to colourful installations tucked into unexpected corners. The more you explore, the more you’ll find.

The city becomes a playground

Throughout the festival, familiar places around the city will be transformed with colourful installations, live performances and playful experiences.

Glebe Park will come alive as the heart of Wonderful World. Across the six days, the Glebe Park Stage will host an ever-changing lineup of music, cabaret, comedy and live performances, making it a place to revisit as each day brings something new.

Floating above the stage is the vibrant Wonder Balloons installation – enormous, floating sculptures featuring mosaic-style designs that incorporate artwork by local school students in response to the question “what is wonderful in your world?”

Families can join the Big Bubble Blowout, a mass participation event on Friday 10 April (1:30–3 pm), aiming to fill Glebe Park with thousands of bubbles in a joyful, or settle in for Stories of Wonder, a series of live daily storytelling sessions designed to spark imagination for audiences of all ages.

Meanwhile, young imaginations will take flight with Bee-come a Bee (Tuesday 7 to Saturday 11 April, various times) an interactive theatre experience by internationally acclaimed Polyglot Theatre that reimagines City Walk. In this playful performance, children begin by physically transforming into a bee using paper and tape, exploring a buzzing world through movement, imagination and shared discovery. 

Wander and Wonder

While there are plenty of headline performances, part of the joy of Wonderful World lies in the smaller surprises scattered throughout the city.

For one afternoon only (Sunday 12 April, 2–5 pm), the Impact Comics Book Garden will transform a section of Garema Place into a relaxed reading oasis, complete with comfy seating, shade and a soundtrack of laid-back DJ tunes. Visitors can settle in with a book from a curated comic collection – with “comic sommeliers” on hand to recommend the perfect read – or simply bring their own and soak up the atmosphere.

Families can also drop into POP Canberra in Braddon, which will transform into a vibrant Wonder Hub throughout the festival. Here, kids can pick up a Wonderful World POP activity book featuring Canberra icons to spot across the city, then dive into creative play with free drop-in art and craft activities, including paint-your-own cookies and a growing collage-style artwork on the storefront, which will evolve across the week as young visitors add their own creative touches.

Leaf Light at Blank Cultural Platform invites families to step into a collaborative art experience where children and adults work together to create delicate sculptural leaves, gradually building a glowing, nature-inspired installation across the week.

At The Embassy CBR, Passport to the Wonderful World (Thursday 9 to Saturday 11 April) is a family-friendly event where kids and parents “travel the world” through games, music, and creative activities. Children receive a passport and explore themed stations – matching flags, guessing global music, and enjoying hands-on activities, collecting stamps along the way.

At Verity Lane Market, the festival takes on a playful, after-hours energy with a series of interactive experiences designed for all ages as part of The Lost Wonders of the City. Think everything from Pub Trivia, where questions span generations (and the kids might just outsmart the adults) to The Memory Makers, a lively, table-vs-table gameshow inspired by Family Feud.

For cinephiles, Dendy Canberra will host a special five-day IMAX® documentary series as part of the Worlds of Wonder program (where all tickets are just $5!), and The National Film and Sound Archive will screen beloved classics, including The Wizard of Oz, inviting families to experience the magic of cinema on the big screen.

Music, dancing and plenty of nostalgia

Music plays a big role in the Wonderful World program, with performances throughout the week designed to get the whole family moving.

Popular children’s music duo Teeny Tiny Stevies will kick things off on Tuesday 7 April with a joyful live show packed with songs kids already know and love, while Australian entertainment icon Peter Combe and the Bellyflop in a Pizza Band will bring the nostalgic sing-along energy that has delighted generations of Australian families on Wednesday 8 April.

In Petrie Plaza, the city’s beloved merry-go-round will take on a sparkling new identity with Spin at the Disc-Go-Round. Think DJs, disco lights and retro energy as the classic carousel transforms into a family-friendly dance party.

Over at Mooseheads, Mr Moose’s Wonderful Silent Disco invites kids (and grown-ups) to put on a pair of headphones and dance together in a colourful daytime disco designed especially for younger audiences.

Live music fans are spoilt for choice with performances across the week – they can catch Big Boss Groove delivering a lively set of funky rhythms, Rufino and the Wreckage’s vibrant Discothèque Tropicale, Bunny Racket and so much more! Check the website for the full program!

For theatre and dance lovers, The Great Gatsby: A Jazz Ballet Odyssey at Canberra Theatre Centre adds glitz and glamour to the program, blending dance, storytelling and live performance inspired by the iconic novel. 

A taste of Wonderful World

It’s not just about what you’ll see – there’s plenty to taste, too. Throughout the week, local cafes, restaurants and venues will offer family-friendly dining experiences that turn a day in the city into a full outing.

Across the festival, a handful of playful, food-focused experiences invite families to get hands-on or settle in for something a little indulgent. Little foodies can try their hand at the Kids Sushi Sweet Workshop on Sunday 12 April, rolling their own sushi and creating a traditional Japanese dessert called Anmitsuin in a fun, interactive session with Japanese chef Mamoru Aizawa.

For something a little more whimsical, Bloom Stack Wonderland is an immersive, family-friendly pancake experience designed to celebrate creativity, connection, and the joy of discovery. Expect imaginative, stackable creations that are almost too pretty to eat!

Fête Till Late at Sandoochie on Saturday 11 April reimagines the classic school fete as an afternoon of playful nostalgia and wonder. Inspired by the simple pleasures many of us grew up with, the event transforms the space into a vibrant, old-fashioned fete filled with blue-and-white checkered tablecloths, towering displays of cakes and sweets, apple bobbing, and lively oompah band music.

What a wonderful world, indeed!