The Weekend Edit
Posted on
YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO WHAT’S ON IN CANBERRA THIS WEEKEND!
Every Monday for more than eight years, we’ve published This Week in The Can, our comprehensive guide to everything happening around the city this week – but sometimes it’s just too epic to get through!
That’s why each Friday we publish our Weekend Edit—a curated selection of events we think you’ll love!
ABSOLUTELY 80S CONCERT
Amp up your evening to 11 with a rocking 80s dance party starring Brian Mannix (Uncanny X-men), Scott Carne (Kids in the Kitchen), Sean Kelly and the sensational Ally Fowler (Chantoozies).
See 80s rock legends performing their hits then experience the ultimate Aussie super group as they join forces in a high octane two-hour concert. Grab a friend and dance the night away in awesome 80s style. Make sure to raid the back of your closet for the perfect outfit. There will be prizes for best dressed.
This is a stand-up-and-dance concert with limited seating. There will be a cash bar and light food available for purchase.
Parking is available free of charge on weekends, or grab an Uber or taxi.
Want the VIP experience? Meet the stars whilst enjoying a complimentary drink on arrival before they perform. Limited spots, so get in fast.
Tickets: $60 VIP, $35 adult, $30 concession, $30 Museum Friends.
Happening Saturday 18 May from 7.30–9.30 pm (doors open at 6.30pm for a 7.30pm start) in the Gandel Atrium, National Museum of Australia.
See the website for tickets and more information.
COCKTAILS FOR A CAUSE
Enjoy a relaxing evening to unwind and mingle after work in support of Vikings Group Charity of the Year, Marymead – providing hope and change for kids and families in need and at times of crisis.
Featuring live music, cocktails, a grazing table almost too good to eat and fundraising.
Cost: $50 per person with all proceeds going to Marymead.
Ticket Includes:
- Cocktail on arrival
- Grazing table
- 2-hour drinks
Happening Friday 17 May from 6 pm at Badger & Co. in the Health & Well-being Centre 156-11 Joplin Lane, Kambri Precinct @ ANU, Acton.
See Eventbrite for tickets and more information.
RIVER OF ART FESTIVAL – THE ART IS FLOWING
Wendy Sharpe in her studio.
Conversations with renowned Australian artists, a fabulous burlesque show, a Japanese drumming workshop and an exhibition of exquisite woodwork – these are just a handful of the 120 events which next month’s River of Art Festival will have on offer.
Running from 17 – 27 May, this south coast festival celebrates art in all its forms from Durras in the north to Bermagui in the south.
Wendy Sharpe, one of Australia’s most awarded and accomplished artists, will officially open the festival and the ‘River of Dreams’ exhibition at the Basil Sellers Exhibition Centre (the BAS) in Moruya on Friday 17 May.
The festival will feature an Art Trail with 30 Open Studios where you can meet artists in their own spaces and see or purchase their work. A further 30 artists have partnered with local businesses to be part of Art on Parade, showcasing their work in shop-fronts.
A highlight of the festival will be the burlesque and cabaret show, Kinema Kabaret, on Saturday 18 May. There will also be another 17 or so musical events throughout the Festival including the Busking Championships in Narooma.
Artists in Conversation is a new event this year giving festival-goers an opportunity to hear artists talk about their work over a delicious food. Archibald prize winner, Wendy Sharpe, will be in Conversation at The River restaurant, Moruya on Sunday, 19 May. Graham Fransella, a four-time winner of the Wynne watercolour prize will be in Conversation at the Sandbar, Batemans Bay, on Saturday, 25 May.
Happening 17 – 27 May across various locations on the South Coast.
The full festival program and booking details for each of the events can be found on the River of Art Festival website.
FRIDAY NIGHT DRINKS AT PIALLIGO ESTATE
Pair delectable charcuterie and a selection of incredible wines on Fridays at Pialligo Estate.
Let the stunning views sweep you away while relaxing with friends tasting wine from the vineyard and sampling award-winning smoked meats.
Be amongst the first to enjoy the comfort and intimacy of the new extended garden pavilion or find some space on the lush grass listening to live entertainment and challenging your colleagues to a lawn game or two.
For the more adventurous, the Estate’s Horticulturalist and Sommelier will take small groups on tours of the vineyard, providing guests with a close-up of this year’s grapes and an understanding of what can be expected in the next Vintage.
Once you’ve worked up an appetite select from the generous charcuterie and cheese boards, share-plates or small meals from the Head Chef matched with wines of your choice from the Sommelier.
If it’s been a hectic week and you are after something with a bit more kick, try one of the Estate’s signature cocktails made straight from the fruits off the Estate’s very own orchard!
Call 6247 6060 to book a table in advance or just arrive on the day.
Happening every Friday except for public holidays from 4 – 8.30 pm (happy hour from 5 – 6 pm) at Pialligo Estate, 18 Kallaroo Road, Pialligo.
See thepialligoestate.com.au/whats-on/friday-night-drinks for more information.
ELECTION DAY FESTIVAL AT MOAD
Credit: Adam McGrath.
Want more than long queues and a sausage sizzle on Federal Election Day?
On Saturday 18 May, MoAD (Museum of Australian Democracy) will transform into an Australian Electoral Commission super booth for local and interstate voters. Because what makes more sense than having your say on the future of Australia in the very place where so many decisions that shaped our nation were made–Old Parliament House?
On your way to the voting booths, take part in an interactive game inspired by the unsung heroes of when Old Parliament House was home to Australia’s parliament.
Little ones will love taking part in a mini-election in PlayUP or they can ask themselves how they will change the world in MoAD’s new interactive exhibition, DressUP. And the best part? It’s all free. Who said casting your vote had to be boring?
Don’t worry – you can still get your democracy sausage as your second biggest decision for the day will be whether you’re having onion on top or underneath.
Entry: Free.
Happening Saturday 18 May from 8 am – 6 pm at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House, 18 King George Terrace, Parkes.
For more information visit moadoph.gov.au/election.
WINE PLAYGROUND
The Fruitful Pursuit’s famous freewheeling wine extravaganza – Wine Playground – is finally coming to Canberra.
Hosted by the bright souls at Highroad on Saturday 18 May, Wine Playground brings together a selection of Australia’s most soulful winemakers for your tasting indulgence.
Enjoy 70+ wines with food by Highroad (optional).
Happening Saturday 18 May from 2 pm until late at Highroad, 1 Woolley Street, Dickson.
See Facebook for more information.
RSPCA ACT MILLION PAWS WALK 2019
RSPCA ACT’s Million Paws Walk will be taking place on Sunday 19 May at Patrick White Lawns.
Show your support for the thousands of abused, neglected and abandoned animals that come into the RSPCA shelter at Weston every year by taking part in this fantastic dog’s day out!
Plus if you enter the code HER10 when checking out you will receive 10% off your ticket purchase!
Be one of thousands of people and their pooches walking together to fight animal cruelty.
Happening Sunday 19 May from 9 am – 2.30 pm (walk starts at 11 am) at the Patrick White Lawns, Parkes.
PAWchase your tickets today: millionpawswalk.com.au
Feast High Country Festival 2019
Pull up a chair and join Victoria’s High Country’s best producers, chefs, winemakers and brewers at a mouthwatering, region-wide Feast Festival this May.
The very best of the High Country’s renowned food and drinks will be showcased in a packed program of events that will celebrate both the outstanding natural beauty of the mountains, valleys, vineyards and villages of the region and the incredibly talented folk who bring it to your table.
Feast High Country Festival is in its seventh year in 2019, offering a perfect excuse for a road trip.
Ride a horse, pedal a bike, take a hike and even paraglide to more than 40 delicious events at cellar doors, village cafes, Hatted restaurants, amongst the vines and by the light of blazing bonfires from Mansfield to the King Valley, Beechworth to Bright, Rutherglen to Mount Beauty, Corryong to Falls Creek.
Highlights of this year’s Feast Festival program around the region include:
- Patrizia’s Harvest Forage with foodie royalty, Patrizia Simone. Take an early morning walk around Bright foraging for ingredients for your lunch then get the lowdown from this celebrated High Country chef on how to turn your found produce into a five Italian course feast.
- Fermentation Degustation: Bridge Road Brewers Beechworth founders Ben and Maria Kraus host a four-course matched dinner with a difference, where fermentation is the hero of the night. Each course made by and introduced by local experts: Louise Ritchie (Silver Creek Sourdough), Kimchi from Hatted chef, Michael Ryan (Provenance of Beechworth), incredible, authentic Austrian strudel from Maria Kraus and of course Ben’s own lovingly brewed beer.
- In Merrijig, join winemaker David Ritchie in a toast to the 50th anniversary of Delatite Wines, including a five-course degustation dinner paired with some very special wines from the depths of the cellar.
- Lunch With Three Italians at Pizzini Wines in the King Valley. Italian food, wine and opera are on the menu with food by Adam Pizzini of Rinaldo’s Casa Cucina, Pizzini’s own Italian varietal wines, and opera courtesy of the amazing Catherine Pendelich and Ced Le Medelo.
- Back by popular demand! The Tweed Ride in Rutherglen, where the theme is vintage – clothes, bicycles and wines and the easy pedal includes outstanding food and wine experiences along the way including lunch at Stanton & Killeen.
Happening 3 – 19 May across High Country Victoria (about a 4 hour drive from Canberra).
See feasthighcountry.com.au for more information.
THE DRESSMAKER COSTUME EXHIBITION
Kate Winslet as Myrtle ‘Tilly’ Dunnage. Image supplied.
From 1950s Dungatar to 2019 Canberra, the original costumes from the hit film The Dressmaker will be on display at the NFSA from 18 April 2019.
Audiences will be able to go ‘behind the seams’ of a diverse range of elegant vintage fashion worn by Hollywood stars and home-grown acting talents including Kate Winslet, Liam Hemsworth, Hugo Weaving, Sarah Snook, Judy Davis, Rebecca Gibney and more.
The exhibition, designed by Marion Boyce, features a spectacular range of haute couture worn by the film’s stars.
The Dressmaker Costume Exhibition celebrates the artistry of the film’s sumptuous designs, as well as the transformational power of fashion.
Showing from Thursday 18 April until Sunday 18 August from 10 am – 4 pm at the National Film and Sound Archive, McCoy Circuit, Acton.
See nfsa.gov.au for more information.
SKATE JAM AT CANBERRA CENTRE
Canberra Centre has partnered with leading streetwear and skateboarding store Trilogy Skateboards to bring you an action-packed afternoon full of kickflips, noseslides and half pipes.
Pro skaters will make Canberra Centre their personal skate park between 12 pm–1 pm this Saturday 18 May, with the event running until 3 pm.
Some of Australia’s best skaters will be demoing the crazy tricks that took them to the top of Australia’s skateboarding scene. Amateurs will also have the chance to learn the tricks of the trade with free lessons from Canberra Skateboarding Association.
There’ll be free food on offer for both spectators and skaters, music from the on-site DJ to get you in the mood, and for the little kids (and big kids alike), Gecko Gang will be offering temporary glitter tattoos and face paints!
So, whether you’re an amateur just trying to communicate with your inner skater kid, or just there to get inspiration from the pros (and to eat some free food!), this event is for you!
Happening Saturday 18 May from 12 – 3 pm at Canberra Centre, Bunda Street, Civic.
The Historical Expression of Chinese Art: Calligraphy and Painting from the National Museum of China
Calligraphy and painting are two treasures of traditional Chinese culture. For thousands of years artists have produced works that have sustained the practice of China’s most revered art and provided cultural nourishment for the Chinese people.
This Australian-first exhibition explores the breadth and tradition of Chinese calligraphy and painting through artworks from the National Museum of China’s collection. See exquisite paintings by three Chinese modern artists — Xie Yun, Xiao Lang and Wang Naizhuang —and an extraordinary 20-metre-long replica 18th-century scroll documenting Emperor Qianlong’s 1751 tour to the southern provinces.
A mesmerising and immersive animation brings the story of the scroll and its historical figures to life in intricate three-dimensional detail.
The National Museum of Australia’s Harvest of Endurance pictorial scroll, painted in the traditional gong bi style and representing two centuries of Chinese contact with, and migration to, Australia forms a companion element of the exhibition, with eight of its 50 metres on display.
This exhibition is part of a cultural exchange with the National Museum of China.
Free entry.
Showing until 28 July 2019 at the National Museum of Australia, Lawson Crescent, Acton.
See nma.gov.au/chinese-art for more information.
CELLAR DOOR
Cellar Door is a wine market for Canberra’s wonderful wine scene happening every Saturday from 3-6 pm. Buy wines from local makers every Saturday afternoon in the iconic Nishi Grand Stair, NewActon Precinct.
Grab a souvenir glass, taste the latest drops, and buy at cellar door prices.
Wine stalls rotate each week with complementing stalls like flowers, cheese, chocolate and books.
Make a day of it with a film at Palace Electric Cinema and NewActon’s leading food and drink destinations.
Happening every Saturday from 3-6 pm on the Nishi Grand Stair, inside the Nishi Building, Philip Law Street, NewActon.
See the website for more details.
CARRIBERRIE – INDIGENOUS SONG AND DANCE VR EXPERIENCE
Put on your virtual reality headset and let David Gulpilil and Jack Charles guide you on a journey of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander song and dance.
You’ll encounter the contemporary dancers of Bangarra performing at the Sydney Opera House, The Lonely Boys rocking out in Alice Springs, and performers of songs and dances used to share knowledge and culture for thousands of years.
From Uluru to Cairns and the Torres Strait, this is an intimate and immersive experience unlike any other.
Happening now until Saturday 1 June from 11 am – 2 pm at the National Film and Sound Archive.
See nfsa.gov.au for more information.
MONSTER’S AFTERNOON DELIGHT
Serene, methodical and exceptionally Monster.
Presenting a new Sunday afternoon blend, Monster Kitchen and Bar is adding a little extra flavour to your signature lazy day with its very own High Tea…
Amidst the hand-crafted furniture, bespoke artwork, and ambient lighting you will find the familiar flavours you have come to appreciate from the team at Monster with a range of exclusive tea flavours by Tea Garden co, tea-inspired cocktails, Champagne all complemented by black and gold fixtures.
Tickets $70 to $120.
Happening every Sunday from 1 pm at Monster Kitchen, Ovolo Nishi.
See Facebook for more information.
AUTHOR TALK: SUMMER LAND
Gen Y’s answer to Bill Bryson and Amy Schumer, Summer Land hilariously details her journey from American expat to Australian citizen.
From ruminations on the Royal Family to wearing Uggs in public, I Now Pronounce You Husband and Expat is a rollicking romp through cultural misadventures.
Filled with warmth and self-deprecating humour, Summer often guided by Donna, her widowed mom (or “Mum”), leaves you feeling inspired and ready to take a chance on yourself. A delightful, generous and brutally honest voice in the not-so-serious memoir realm, Summer is the best friend you always wished you had.
Summer will be signing books after the event. Books will be available for purchase.
Please note this program is suitable for adults aged 16+. All programs are free. Bookings are essential.
Happening Saturday 18 May from 2-3 pm at Belconnen Library, 12 Chandler Street, Belconnen.
See Eventbrite for more information.
Inked: Australian Cartoons
Inked features a selection of the best cartoons from the National Library of Australia’s extensive collections.
The exhibition draws from over 14,000 cartoons by dozens of artists, from before the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788 up to the present. Each work is a time capsule, offering a snapshot of Australian life.
Visitors will be captivated by the works on display by many greats of Australian cartooning, including Will Dyson, Judy Horacek, Michael Leunig, David Low, Phil May, Alan Moir, Bruce Petty, Martin Sharp, Cathy Wilcox and many more.
INKED: PLAY
Come and see the famous Gumnut Babies going off to war. Create your own cartoon or draw a protest sign to hang on our display wall. Get stuck into a book. Find all the hidden Inkie the Echidnas and explore whether the world is doomed or domed.
Inked Play is open daily as part of Inked: Australian Cartoons. Find it by following Inkie the Echidna.
Open 10 am to 5 pm every day until 21 July 2019
LOSER: URZILA CARLSON
Loser is almost always negative, I’ve lost my keys, a relative, my mind, money, dignity… it’s only positive when you lose some weight. WHY?
If you meet someone awesome would you not want there to be more of them? Why can your friends not see your fatness but your family and doctor can see nothing but your fatness? Why is losing so hard?
Happening Saturday 18 May and Sunday 19 May from 7:30 – 8:30 pm at the Canberra Theatre.
See canberratheatrecentre.com for more information.
Leave a Reply