Fetes, festivals and a whole lotta fun: 25+ things to do in Canberra this weekend
Posted on
Wondering what’s on in Canberra this weekend? The answer is a whole lotta fun.
Think: festivals, fetes, and 25+ other things to fill your days. Read on and get excited!
Special Events and Festivals
Canberra Symphony Orchestra Fundraising Gala
Don your best dress and get ready for a very glamourous evening filled with music. Raising much needed funds to help bring the next concert season to life, you’ll enjoy canapés, a three-course dinner and drinks, networking opportunities, and the chance to take home exceptional prizes and money-can’t-buy experiences (including performances by CSO ensembles and the Kingsland Strings).
Friday 3 November | Gandel Hall, National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place East, Parkes | Book here.
Rock-A-Rokie
Ever dreamed of hitting the stage to sing your heart out, backed by an awesome professional band in front of lots of people? Well, now’s your chance! Rock-a-Rokie is here to level up your karaoke experience, complete with a cheering crowd, a hilarious emcee, a bangin’ setlist, and a live backing band. Whatever happens, it looks like it’ll be tonnes of fun.
Friday 3 November | The Zeppelin Room, 49 Jerrabomberra Avenue, Narrabundah | Book here.
CIT Floral Showcase
The Canberra Institute of Technology’s Annual Floristry Showcase is on again and this year you can find it at the expansive Vintage Emporium at Dirty Janes! Responding to the treasure trove of vintage inspiration throughout Dirty Janes Canberra, designs include theatrical wearables like gowns, headpieces and floral jewellery. Jarochos Mexican and BZBurgers will also be onsite from 3 pm with tacos and THICC Cookies to help celebrate the floral masterpieces!
Friday 3 November | 80B Collie Street, Fyshwick | More information here.
Community Toolbox Second Birthday Open Day
Community Toolbox Canberra is celebrating its second birthday with an open day and everyone is invited to come along. Offering their normal tool library operations for extended hours on that day, they will also be throwing open their doors for everyone to enjoy tool demonstrations and expert advice. You can also bring your tools from home if you need some guidance on how to use them!
Saturday 4 November | 76 Federal Highway, Watson | More information here.
La Grande Fête 2023
This year Telopea Park School celebrates its 100-year anniversary. What better way to celebrate than at La Grande Fête!? There’s something for everyone – with a diverse mix of stalls, amusement rides, entertainment, and activities! Get dizzy on the supa-cha ride, flip out on the bungee trampoline, get the kids face painted, eat and drink your way across many cultures whilst being serenaded by the Telopea talent. Don’t forget to pick up some bargains at the second handbook stall or the French bookshop van, and on your way out grab some plants to brighten your home.
Saturday 4 November | Telopea Park School, 25 New South Wales Crescent, Barton | For more information email telopeaevents@gmail.com
Fraser Primary Fete 2023
It’s been many years since the last Fraser Fete, so this one is sure to be a special event! This year’s theme is ‘Around the World’ which celebrates the many cultures represented within the Fraser Primary Community. Showcasing food from around the world (think: Asian dumplings served alongside the Aussie snag), there will also be side show alley, showbags, pony rides, plant stalls, community stalls (with nothing over $5) and Reptile wildlife displays! A great event for all ages and interests, all money raised will be channelled back into community initiatives.
Saturday 4 November | Fraser Primary School, 177 Tillyard Drive, Fraser | facebook.com/fraserfete
Canberra Nara Candle Festival
This is one of Canberra’s most stunning festivals. See the Nara Peace Park at Lennox Gardens light up with thousands of candles to celebrate the Canberra Nara Sister City relationship and experience Japanese cuisine, music, dance and demonstrations (including Taiko drumming, martial arts, and more). This year marks the 30th anniversary of the sister city relationship, so don’t miss out on this free event.
Saturday 4 November | Canberra Nara Peace Park, Flynn Drive, Capital Hill | More information here.
The Southern Highlands Arts Trail
Immerse yourself in the creative environment that is the Southern Highlands. Renowned for its strong community of artists who are drawn to the region for the fresh air and natural beauty. During November, over 60 artists will open their studio doors for the annual Arts Trail. Giving the public for a unique opportunity to meet artists and see inside their creative spaces. And if you fall in love with their art, you will have the opportunity to purchase and take home!
Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 November | Various locations | More information here.
Megalo Fundraising Auction and Artist Party
Some of Australia’s leading print artists are coming together for an important cause: to support Megalo Print Studio’s Artist Residency program. Artworks for auction include work by some of Australia’s most renowned print artists, all of whom have enjoyed a Megalo residency in the past, think: Annika Romeyn, Trevor Dickinson, Naomi Zouwer and more. An exhibition of works for auction will be open for viewing.
Saturday 4 until Friday 20 October | 21 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston | More here.
Canberra SpringOUT Pride Festival
Canberra’s month-long pride festival is back with a bang! Celebrating our LGBTQIA+ community in all its fabulous diversity, this year there will be a diverse array of more than 40 events, ranging from workshops to exhibitions, tours, comedy shows, and more. From starting your day with the Big Gay Breakfast to celebrating at the ‘I should be so Kylie’ launch party with STUN Magazine, there’s something for everyone.
Until Sunday 3 December | Various locations | More information here.
Sport
A-League Women: Canberra United vs Perth Glory
Canberra United is aiming to bring another trophy home this season. Playing the Perth Glory, expect a match packed with goals and entertainment!
Saturday 4 November | Mckellar Park, Walkley Place, Mckellar | Book here.
Canberra Times Fun Run
It’s time to start training to join over 5,000 runners challenging themselves to be their best. The Canberra Times Fun Run is once again taking over the streets with pounding feet and laughter for the annual event. Once again offering the half marathon after the immense success last year, choose from four distances (21.1K, 10K, 5K or two kids run) and get going!
Sunday 5 November | Rond Terrace, Parkes, Parkes Way, Acton | More information here.
UC Capitals Game Day
Watch the UC Capitals as they fight for their tenth Championship this Women’s National Basketball League season. Playing at both the National Convention Centre and Southern Cross Stadium Tuggeranong across the season, you’ll see some entertaining talent and amazing games.
Saturday 4 November until Sunday 24 February 2024 | National Convention Centre Canberra, 31 Constitution Avenue, City | Tickets and more information here.
Stage and screen
She
Direct from a successful season at the Sydney Fringe Festival, Katherine Wolfgramme will be telling her the extraordinary experience of living as an ordinary transgender woman over the last three decades. Inspiring, educational and entertaining, this unique form of storytelling will see Katherine tell her story with humour and honestly with an hour long performance and Q&A session post show. Presented in association with the SpringOUT Festival, she ultimately hopes “the story and stats of my three-decade journey leaves your mind a little wiser and your heart a little bigger.”
Saturday 4 November | The Street Theatre, 15 Childers Street, City | Book here.
Shakespeare Rocks
This is Shakespeare’s Henry Sixth Part One as you’ve never seen it, or heard it. Welcome to the Rockspeare universe where the history plays are recast as political plays and epic text is combined with an epic soundscape. Normally a play presented as an uncompromising celebration of early English nationalism, this portrayal is bold, cheeky and fun with a non-binary and female cast taking you to a different universe. Whether you were a star pupil or failed Shakespeare in your English class, you will love this.
Until Saturday 4 November | Mill Theatre, Dairy Road, Building 3.3, 1 Dairy Road Fyshwick | Book here.
Bollywood Film Festival
This is a brand new film festival that’s not to be missed. Curated from a selection of new and classic Bollywood titles in the lead up to Diwali, this weekend long festival highlights the cultural significant of India through a cinematic lens. It’s the perfect opportunity for a night out to enjoy some blockbuster films!
Until Sunday 5 November | Dendy Cinemas, Bunda Street, City | More information here.
The Wharf Revue: Pride in Prejudice
The Wharf Revue is back with another hilarious show! In their own words: reputations may be questioned, political careers damaged and some sacred cows slaughtered. Due to public demand, full-frontal nudity will not be included. Any similarity to public figures living or dead is entirely intentional.
Until Sunday 5 November | Canberra Theatre Centre, London Circuit, City| Book here.
Music
An Afternoon of Baroque
Musica da Camera is directed by Baroque specialist John Ma and with Ariana Odermatt on harpsichord. Playing a program of Baroque delights for string orchestra, Musica da Camera will recreate the “pop” music of an era 400 years before iPhones.
Saturday 4 November | Holy Covenant Anglican Church, 89 Dexter Street, Cook | Book here.
Soweto Gospel Choir: Hope
A brand new concert from the three time Grammy®-winning Soweto Gospel Choir, this special event celebrates songs and anthems from the Freedom movement of Nelson Mandela’s South Africa, back to the Civil Rights Movement of Martin Luther King’s 1950’s America. Receiving much critical acclaim and audience adoration for their powerful renditions of African American spirituals, gospel and folk music, this is one unique and inspirational concert.
Sunday 5 November | Llewellyn Hall, 100 William Herbert Place, City | Book here.
Exhibitions
On Fire: Works from the Strathnairn Arts’ Wood Firing Group
From raw clay forms with wood ash effects, large sculptural forms, to glazed pieces utilising ash effects from the long firing process, this exhbition will display a stunning range of works from the Strathnairn Arts’ Wood Firing Group. Head along to see what beautiful results from hours of preparing wood, work, packing, firing and unpacking.
Saturday 4 until Sunday 26 November | Strathnairn Arts Association, 90 Stockdill Drive, Holt | More information here.
Voyage
Showcasing animated watercolours from Southeast Asia, Voyage: Experience the William Farquhar Collection of Natural History Drawings of Southeast Asia is a digital installation bringing to life a stunning selection of botanical and zoological watercolours from the National Museum of Singapore. The best part? This exhbition is free!
Until Sunday 5 November | National Museum of Australia, Lawson Crescent, Acton | nma.gov.au
Truth & Beauty by Penelope Boyd, Colleen Stapleton and Narelle Zeller.
From the colourist hues of Collen Stapleton’s alla prima portraits, to the hyper-realism of internationally acclaimed Narelle Zeller and the magical realism of Canberra artist Penelope Boyd’s mischievous beauties, this exhbition is a stunning display of works from adored figurative realists. Running until Sunday 5 November, make sure not to miss it!
Until Sunday 5 November | Grainger Gallery, Bldg 3.3, 1 Dairy Road, Fyshwick | More information here.
Guns & Flowers: Ex de Medici
Ex de Medici grew up and lives in Canberra and is one of Australia’s leading contemporary artists. In this exhbition at the Canberra Museum and Gallery, audiences will have the opportunity to see Medici’s earliest works, made when she was part of the energetic first wave of independent artist-activists in Canberra in the early 1980s, to some of her most recent, travelling from her acclaimed retrospective at the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art.
Until early 2024 | Canberra Museum and Gallery, Corner London Circuit and Civic Square, Canberra City | More information here.
Canberra Potters 2023 Members’ Exhibition
Featuring ceramic works created over the past 12 months by Canberra Potters’ members, this exhibition is a celebration of some fantastic local works. From delicate porcelain vessels to bold, hand-built sculptures, and everything in between, you can explore the ever-evolving world of contemporary ceramics through the diverse displays that push the boundaries of pottery.
Until Sunday 3 December | 1 Aspinall Street, Watson | More information here.
Archie 100: A Century of the Archibald Prize
The National Portrait Gallery is hosting the Art Gallery of NSW’s touring exhibition Archie 100: A Century of the Archibald Prize. Celebrating 100 years of Australia’s oldest and most-loved portrait award and reflects upon the changing face of the nation, this exhbition delves into the controversies and the commonplace, the triumphant and the thwarted, and honours the artists who have made the Archibald Prize the most sought-after accolade in Australian art today.
Until early 2024 | National Portrait Gallery, King Edward Terrace, Parkes | More information here.
Markets
Little Burley Markets
Offering a diverse array of multicultural foods, much-loved beverages and brunchables, beautiful blooms, locally made art, fashion, photography and homewares, artisanal bread, delectable pastries, seafood, smoked charcuterie, truffles, meats, puppy treats, and much more, you’ll be able to find plenty of goodies at this bespoke lakeside market
8 am – 1 pm Saturday | Queen Elizabeth Terrace, Parkes | thelittleburleymarket.com.au
Haig Park Markets
Moments away from Lonsdale street’s boutiques and cafes, the Haig Park Village Markets will delight your senses with delicious cuisines, tasty treats, beautiful blooms, fresh produce, delectable charcuterie and artisan products. It’s a lovely place to enjoy a picnic whilst feasting your senses on the culinary delights on offer or to browse the fabulous local handmade design stalls.
8:30 am – 2 pm Sunday | Haig Park, Girrahween Street, Braddon | haigparkvillagemarkets.com.au
Southside Farmers Markets
This village market is located at Canberra College, making it the perfect place to duck in to grab what you need (and maybe a few things you don’t). Order an egg and bacon roll to start the morning as you explore the best of fresh seasonal veggies, handmade pasta and pet treats.
8 am–11.30 am Sunday | 2 Launceston Street, Phillip | facebook.com
Old Bus Depot Markets
With more than 100 stalls (including your old favourites), you’ll have the chance to shop for a brilliant variety of Australian-made, handcrafted and premium products. Sneak a walk around the foreshore while you’re down there.
9.30 am – 2.30 pm Sunday | Wentworth Avenue, Kingston | obdm.com.au
