DinoFest, the Haig Park Village Markets, Kite Making and more: 20+ things happening in Canberra this week

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Canberra is starting to come back to life after a sleepy summer break with 20+ things happening around town this week.
From DinoFest to the Haig Park Village Markets, there’s something the whole family will enjoy.
Special Events and Festivals
Warehouse Circus School Holiday Programs
Kids of all ages are invited to unleash their inner acrobat, clown, and performer in the Warehouse Circus school holiday program! With programs in Chifley and Kaleen, your kids can develop lifelong skills, build confidence, and flip, twist, and turn to their heart’s content. Different courses are available for a variety of ages, skill levels, and prices. They’ll be putting on home shows for you in no time at all!
Monday 6 January – Friday 31 January, varying times | 70 Maclaurin Crescent, Chifley and 104 Baldwin Drive, Kaleen | Programs can be selected here.
Kite Making
Windy day? Perfect for kite making! Decorate and personalise your own kite at the National Arboretum. This activity is open to all ages, whether you’re young or simply young at heart, anyone can make a kite. After putting the finishing touches on your masterpiece, take it for a test flight at the Arboretum.
Tuesday 7 January, Tuesday 14 January, Tuesday 21 January, sessions at 9:30 am and 10:30 am | National Arboretum Canberra, Forest Drive, Molonglo | Book your spot here.
Summer School Holiday Program: The Art of Pompeii
Looking for something for the kids to do? Travel back in time and watch them explore the artwork of ancient Pompeii in this drop-in art session during these school holidays.
Ideal for ages five to 12 years, they’ll learn about mosaics and their importance to ancient Romans, then create a collaborative mosaic and a tile artwork to take home. Spaces are limited, bookings are encouraged.
Wednesday 8 until Friday 24 January, 11 am – 12 pm | National Museum of Australia, Lawson Crescent, Acton Peninsula, Acton | Book here.
Playwell Brick Market Canberra
This is the ultimate LEGO brick market! Head along to discover new, rare and retired LEGO sets, purchase parts by weight, and explore a vast selection of unique minifigures.
Ideal for builders of all ages, whether you’re hunting for vintage treasures or the latest releases, you’ll be sure to find something. Entry is just $2 per person and payable at the door on the day.
Saturday 11 January, 9.30 am – 2 pm | Pearce Community Centre, Collett Place, Pearce | More information here.
DinoFest Canberra – Age of the Tyrannosaur
Take the kids to a roarsome experience to see life-size, real walking and moving dinosaurs stomping into the Black Mountain Peninsula. The dinosaur encounter experience is sure to go down a treat, with walking and interactive dinosaurs roaming around, and the dinosaur trail with more than 30 dinosaurs enroute including a life-size T-Rex! Keep the fun going with a dino dig, arts and crafts, and the opportunity to feel a fossil with real dinosaur bones… Book your tickets before going though, the sessions are selling out faster than a velociraptor can run!
Saturday 11 January – Sunday 2 February, 10.30 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm | Black Mountain Peninsula, Garryowen Drive, Acton | More information here.
Markets
Capital Region Farmers Market
This market is a community project run by the Rotary Club of Hall, the only rural Rotary Club in the ACT.
Head along to browse over 100 stallholders who bring their freshly picked, grown, and hand-crafted produce. Speak to a stallholder and ask them where their produce comes from – you’ll be surprised what you’ll learn and pick up cooking storage, and usage tips!
Saturday, 7 am – 11.30 am | Exhibition Park in Canberra, Exhibition Park in Canberra, Mitchell | More information here.
Haig Park Village Markets
The Haig Park Village Markets runs every Sunday in the beautiful leafy grounds of Haig Park, Braddon.
This farmers and foodie market will delight your senses with delicious cuisines, tasty treats, beautiful blooms, fresh produce, delectable charcuterie, and artisan products. Plus you’ll discover locally handmade crafts including jewellery, art, natural body care, unique homewares, hand-poured candles, children’s apparel, pooch wares, and more. Plus, there’s live music, an artists’ table, face painting, and more!
Sunday, 8 am – 2 pm | Haig Park, Girrahween Street, Braddon | More information here.
Food and Wine
High Tea at Louis
Looking for a sophisticated and refined experience high tea experience? Nestled within the elegant confines of Hotel Realm, you can’t go past high tea at Louis.
Offering a meticulously curated array of delicate finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones, and an exquisite selection of pastries and desserts that showcase the finest craftsmanship (along with an impressive tea menu) it will be an occasion to remember.
Every Saturday, 2 pm – 4 pm | Louis, 18 National Circuit, Barton | Book here.
QTea High Tea x Space Kitchen
There’s no cucumber sandwich in sight at this high tea experience. And you better get excited because QT has partnered with Space Kitchen in what be the most delicious collaboration ever.
Taking their high tea offering to the next level, the QTea High Tea x Space Kitchen experience is all about indulgence – from the sweet to the savoury. Lock eyes with Canberra’s first cake trolley featuring Space Kitchen cakes, choose from 28 teas (along with the prettiest of cocktails featuring special brews) and dig into tiers of treats that include Wagyu bresaola bites and picture-perfect serves of duck liver parfait for a decadent dining experience.
Every Saturday, sittings at 12 pm and 12.30 pm | 1 London Circuit, City | Book here.
Stage and Screen
Circus of Illusion
Death-defying escapes, mind-blowing illusions, mime, and magic. What’s not to love about Circus of Illusion?
Escape into a world of cutting-edge illusions and spectacular magic as the ringmaster takes you on a journey where he blends world-class circus artists, and spellbinding magic that will leave you mesmerised. Uplifting, whimsical, wonderful, magical, and over the top, it’s the perfect show to kick off the start of the year.
Friday 10 and Saturday 11 January, 6.30 pm – 8.20 pm | Canberra Theatre Centre, London Circuit, City | Book here.
Music
Bucky’s Big Birthday Bash Blues & Roots Charity Gig
Bucky’s Big Birthday Bash Charity Gig is back for its 22nd year to raise proceeds for Rise Above Capital Region Cancer Support.
Supporting people and families affected by cancer throughout the Canberra region head along to hear eight amazing acts and over nine hours of live music. Along with music, there will be a silent auction for some of Bucky’s memorabilia and lots of raffle prizes drawn throughout the day.
Saturday 11 January, 1 pm – 10.30 pm | Harmonie German Club, 49 Jerrabomberra Avenue, Narrabundah | Book here.
SPEED at UC Hub
SPEED is kicking off 2025 with an extensive tour all across Australia, including a stop in Canberra. This no-barrier show will see them performing anthems from their widely praised album ‘ONLY ONE MODE’ and favourites from their back catalogue.
With special guests performing at all shows, this tour is a rare chance to catch SPEED in a raw, intimate setting.
Sunday 12 January, 3 pm – 7.30 pm | UC Hub, 11 Kirinari Street, Bruce | Book here.
Exhibitions
Richard Larter: Free Radical
Showing at ANU Drill Hall Gallery, this exhibition showcases the work of a founding father of Australian pop art.
Head along to see some of Richard Larter’s luminous abstract paintings (many painted in Canberra and Yass). While informed by his adventures in popular culture these works are also firmly rooted in the histories of abstraction, holding great concern for composition and the formal dynamic relationships of colour, shape, and line. Fluid, lyrical, and improvised, Larter’s work refers to the energies of place and the politics of the times.
Until Sunday 19 January | ANU Drill Hall Gallery, 29 Kingsley Street, Acton | More information here.
Carol Jerrems: Portraits
Photographers, this one’s for you! This week, spend time learning about a key influential figure in Australia’s photographic history at the National Portrait Gallery’s latest exhibit – Carol Jerrems: Portraits. The exhibition showcases more than 140 photographs, drawn from the National Gallery of Australia, the National Library of Australia, and the National Portrait Gallery.
Expect to see photographs from her earlier work to her more famous works, including Vale Street 1975. Learn how her work defined the 1970s and the future of Australian photography while examining portraits of cultural figures like tennis legend Evonne Goolagong, fashion designer Linda Jackson, and author Bobbi Sykes.
Until Sunday 2 March | National Portrait Gallery, King Edward Terrace, Parkes | Book here.
Anne Dangar
Get lost in a world of swirls, squares, lines, and colours at the NGA’s free Anne Dangar exhibit.
This iconic Australian artist played an important part in bringing modern art to Australia in the twentieth century, and this exhibit allows locals a chance to browse her ceramics, paintings, archival material, and more in this major retrospective exhibition celebrating her life and art.
Until Sunday 27 April | National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place East, Parkes | More information here.
Ethel Carrick
The National Gallery of Australia is continuing its focus on celebrating the work of all women artists, with its major exhibition Ethel Carrick. Post-impressionist art lovers will be excited to see 140 pieces by Carrick, in the first retrospective of her work for nearly half a century.
What’s even better? Entry is free, so you can visit as many times as you want!
Until Sunday 27 April | National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place East, Parkes | More information here.
20 Years of Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year
Experience the wonder of two decades of award-winning nature photography as a new exhibition opens at the National Archives of Australia. 20 Years of Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year celebrates the winning entries from each year since its inception.
Conceived in 2004 by Dr. Stuart Miller AM, the competition aims to stoke the public’s fascination with the natural world and provide a platform for emerging and established photographers alike to showcase the remarkable flora, fauna, and landscapes of Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica, and New Guinea.
Until Sunday 27 April | National Archives of Australia, Kings Avenue, Parkes | More information here.
Pompeii
If seeing Pompeii in Italy is on your bucket list, mark your calendars for this one! The National Museum of Australia is showing its Pompeiiexhibit, featuring over 90 discovered objects from the ancient city before Mount Vesuvius erupted. This display in Canberra will be the first time some of these objects have been seen outside Europe!
Visitors will be taken into the exhibit with an engaging atmosphere created by large-scale digital projections and captivating soundscapes. Expect to see recovered jewellery, sculptures, pottery, frescoes, and other objects once used by this civilisation.
Until Sunday 4 May | National Museum of Australia, Lawson Crescent, Acton Peninsula, Acton | Book here.
Lindy Lee
Lindy Lee is one of Australia’s most accomplished contemporary artists. This exhibition brings together highlights from across the artist’s career as well as a monumental new installation and works on paper.
Exploring themes of ancestry, spirituality, the environment, and the cosmos, this display of new and recent works will shed light on Lee’s ever-evolving and ambitious practice.
Until Tuesday 1 July | National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place East, Parkes | More information here.
Sport
UC Capitals v Adelaide Lightning
The Retro Round is coming to Canberra! In celebration of their 40th anniversary, the UC Capitals will be debuting their first-ever retro jersey inspired by the 1999/2000 bodysuit uniforms worn in their first-ever championship.
Be there as Jade Melbourne takes on her Olympic teammate, Izzy Borlase, and the Lightning at the AIS Arena.
Saturday 11 January, 3.30 pm – 5 pm | AIS Arena, 26 Leverrier Street, Bruce | Book here.
Yoga in the Gardens
Looking for a moment of zen? The Hyatt Hotel is holding yoga in the Lavender Courtyard every Saturday morning.
You can relax and stretch in the peaceful surroundings of their elegant gardens (which are located off The Tea Lounge) as senior yoga instructor, Nandhini Nagaratnam takes you through a class that focuses on strength, flexibility, health, and wellbeing.
Just make sure to bring your own mat!
Until Saturday 25 January, 7 am – 8 am | Hyatt Hotel, Commonwealth Avenue, Yarralumla | Book here.