A Roaring ‘20s Banquet and Duntroon Dairy Open Day: 150+ reasons to explore The Canberra and Region Heritage Festival 2022

Posted on 5 April, 2022

The Canberra and Region Heritage Festival is back for 2022, and by Gatsby, it’s going to be a big one.

With three packed weeks of activities, events and exhibitions for all ages and interests, The Canberra and Region Heritage Festival is just as much a celebration of our shared cultural heritage as it is a platform to raise awareness for the ongoing need to conserve our natural, historic and Aboriginal heritage.

Now in its 39^th year, the festival will take place from 9 April to 1 May with an enormous line up (over 150 events, activations and activities in total!) that reflect the theme of ‘Curiosity’—a new lens through which to see new ideas, creativity and innovation when it comes to the way we each experience heritage. Naturally, the Heritage Festival has been organised with COVID safety in mind and there are COVID safety plans in place for each event.

Aside from headline events (which we’ll get to in a minute!) this year’s festival sees the introduction of Kids Week, which will kick off on World Heritage Day (18 April). A week of kid-friendly activities and events that are fun for the whole family, Kids Week will be held during the autumn school holidays. This is on top of oodles of unique insights into the Canberra region’s rich history.

So, what do you need to put in your diary?

Party like Gatsby

The 2022 Heritage Festival offers you not one, but two ways to party like its 1929 with the Roaring ‘20s Banquet Dinner at the Mercure Canberra on Saturday 16 April and The Roaring Twenties in Reid at Dirrawan Gardens, Reid on Sunday 10 April.

For the Roaring ‘20s Banquet Dinner, dress to impress (yes, we mean in costume!) for a night of well-mannered frivolity that Jay Gatsby himself would be proud of. With a welcome drink on arrival, a three-course banquet dinner and (naturally) music and entertainment that will take you back to the ‘20s, it’s sure to be a night to remember.

For a midday foray into the same era, head to the Dirrawan Gardens in Reid on Sunday 10 April for guided walk, The Roaring Twenties in Reid. Time-travel with guides dressed in their glad rags and end the journey with a BYO picnic while you listen to the Tilt Trio jazz band and peruse a display of classic cars. You’ll even get the chance to learn the Charleston with instruction from Savoy Dance. Prizes for those who “enter the spirit of the times”, which we assume means dress up!

And speaking of learning from the past, the National Trust of Australia’s afternoon tea and talk, There’s History in the Bottom Drawer, will chart the lives of women from that era and their roles as wives, mothers and home makers. Presenter Elizabeth Burness will surprise and delight with her 20 years of experience—and who can say no to an afternoon tea from Mercure Canberra?

Roaring ‘20s Banquet Dinner | Saturday 16 April from 6 pm | Mercure Canberra, 39 Limestone Ave, Braddon | $120 | mercurecanberra.com.au

The Roaring Twenties in Reid | Sunday 10 April, 12 pm–3 pm | Dirrawan Gardens, Reid | $10 per person or $15 for a family | TryBooking

There’s History in the Bottom Drawer | 12 April 2–4 pm | Mercure Canberra | $45 | TryBooking

Explore and celebrate First Nations language and culture

Of course, the Canberra region’s original culture was that of the Indigenous peoples who have lived here for millennia. To give you a deeper understanding of this connection to country, why not attend Ngunnawal Night Tales on Saturday 23 April where you’ll hear the tales of the Ngunnawal People.

Language is an intrinsic connection to culture and country for First Nations people, and you can experience that firsthand at a Ngunnawal language talk on 12 and 20 April. Join members of the Winanggaay Ngunnawal Language Aboriginal Corporation to learn Ngunnawal greetings and children’s songs.

Another highlight is Namarag on Saturday 23 April where you can join Elder Wally Bell at Namarag (‘wattle’ in Ngunnawal), the newest park within the Molonglo River Reserve, to hear him talk about how this nature space came about through collaboration with the Ngunnawal Community. You’ll also be able to enjoy Mulleun Dreaming’s Justine Brown dance performance.

Find the full program here.

Explore Duntroon Dairy at its Open Day

Duntroon Dairy perched above the Molonglo River and on the 1800s main road from Yass to Queanbeyan was perfectly positioned to pick up your dairy products. It’s the oldest standing European building In the ACT dating from 1832 and the clever engineering kept the produce cool.

Learn about Duntroon Dairy’s fascinating history (did you know it’s named after a Scottish castle?) at the Duntroon Dairy Open Day on Saturday 9 April) and enjoy a day of activities in one of Canberra’s oldest European buildings. There will be tours, talks, refreshments, classic cars, stalls and entertainment.

Saturday 9 April | Duntroon Dairy, Campbell | Find out more here.

Railways, a fire museum, and croquet—oh my!

There are plenty of other open days to spark your curiosity. Why not head along to the Cuppacumbalong, Railway Museum to step back in time, or the Canberra Fire Museum to learn how locals have tackled blazes across history (the museum will also have a special children’s trail for Kids Week!).

If you’re feeling outdoorsy, head to the Croquet Club next to the picturesque Hyatt Hotel for their ‘Come and Try’ day or don your sunscreen and hat (loafers optional) for the Canberra Classic Boatfest in nearby Yarralumla.

Find the full program here.

Kids Week

During Kids Week there’s plenty to keep little minds curious, including a Curio Treasure Hunt (20 April), Spear throwing and tool making (21 April), a Weaving the Bush story interactive talk and walk (20 April), a Kid’s Archaeology field day at Crinigan’s Hut (23 April) and a Itty Bitty City workshop (22 April) where little ones will learn how to create their own miniature landmark models.

Find the full program here.

Get outta town!

Of course, the festival has ‘region’ in the title for a reason, and there are plenty of great excuses to explore further afield.

Why not Fossick for Fossils near Yass (16 and 30 April) where you’ll explore the world of fossils with an experienced guide, or take a drive up the Hume for Bungonia’s Heritage Weekend (30 April and 1 May) where you can tour historic sites, take in gorgeous scenery, roam the outdoor market, feast on village café delights, and enjoy various exhibitions—did we mention there’s a bush dance!?

Feeling a bit steamy? Head to Goulburn on Sunday 17 April to witness the majesty of two operational 1800s stationary steam engines housed in the historic, Victorian Georgian-style Waterworks Pumphouse on the banks of the picturesque Wollondilly River.

Find the full program here.

Need somewhere to stay and soak up the action?

Stay in heritage-listed accommodation and be central to the festival in Braddon’s Mercure Canberra, which has tailored packages for out-of-towners and Canberrans alike looking to soak up the festival.

See mercurecanberra.com.au

Feature image: Swing Dancers at Lanyon. Image supplied.