What not to miss in Floriade’s final week

Posted on 2 October, 2026

Floriade’s last week is packed with experiences to feast on.

From matcha masterclasses and cooking demonstrations to dog-friendly fun, creative kids’ activities and one last chance to explore the blooms, here’s what not to miss as Floriade heads towards its grand finale.

One last weekend with the blooms – and the dogs

Sunday 11 October is the final day of Floriade, and it’s also Dogs’ Day Out. Bring your four-legged friends along to Commonwealth Park for a day among the blooms, with dedicated dog-friendly activities, live programming on stage and retail vendors offering dog treats, accessories and more.

It’s also the last chance to explore the gardens before The Great Big Bulb Dig from 11 am to 3 pm on Monday 12 October. Held the day after Floriade closes, the Great Big Bulb Dig gives visitors the chance to dig up and collect bulbs and annuals from the display beds to replant at home. Make sure to buy a bag online today as your entry ticket and raise funds for charity too.

Sip, stir and savour

For matcha lovers, Teddy’s Matcha Masterclasses are a chance to learn how to make better matcha at home. The one-hour beginner-friendly workshop covers choosing quality matcha, preparation, whisking, ratios and flavour pairings, including a special floral syrup created for Floriade.

Guests will make an iced matcha latte together and take home a complete matcha kit, including a bowl, whisk, whisk holder, bamboo spoon and sifter. Sessions run at 11am on Thursday 8 and Saturday 10 October at The Garden House by Bunnings Warehouse.

Award-winning chef Malcolm Hanslow will also be at Floriade for a Such and Such and Pilot Cooking Demonstration, creating a seasonal dessert inspired by the fresh produce and colours of spring. The free demonstration runs from 1 pm to 2 pm on Tuesday 6 October. Seated tickets have sold out, but standing room is available and visitors are welcome to attend. Join the waitlist if you’d like to be notified if seated tickets become available.

Rounding out the festival on Sunday 11 October, Around the Table – A Lunetta Trattoria Cooking Demonstration will bring Italian neighbourhood dining to Commonwealth Park. Head Chef Will Moyle and the Lunetta Trattoria team will demonstrate simple Italian cooking, with guests taking home a recipe card. The free demonstration runs from 1 pm to 1.45 pm – it’s sold out, but you can join the waitlist to be notified if tickets become available.

And if you’d rather make something yourself, Build & Bloom | Groovy Grazing Workshop is a hands-on grazing box workshop inspired by Floriade’s Feast of Flowers. Participants create their own grazing box using seasonal produce and floral touches, then take home their creation, a grazing guide and a gift. The next session is Saturday 10 October from 1.30 pm to 3.30 pm – grab your tickets here.

See what’s growing

The Majura Valley Farm Kitchen Garden is a working seasonal garden planted and cared for by the Majura Valley Farm team throughout Floriade 2026. Wander through beds of spring vegetables, edible flowers and herbs and find out how the crops grow, when to harvest them and how to eat them.

On Monday 5 October, the Majura Valley Farm – Cut Flower Workshop offers a more hands-on experience, with the team showing visitors how to grow snapdragons, zinnias or cosmos from seed. Each participant takes home a custom Floriade seed packet ready to plant.

Keep the kids entertained

There’s still plenty happening for younger visitors during the final school-holiday stretch.

And for something with a little more wow, Warehouse Circus Street Theatre is bringing world-class street theatre to Commonwealth Park every day. Look out for the Absolutely Unicycle Show, The Great Escape Magic Show, Sven from Sweden and Canberra’s own Wham Glam Circus Man. It’s free, there’s no ticket required, and show times change daily – so check the signs when you arrive to see what’s on.

Garden Magic Balloon Twisting will also be at Floriade on Monday 5 October from 1 pm to 4 pm, transforming balloons into flowers, bees, butterflies and ladybugs inspired by the gardens.

Gnome Knoll is another Floriade tradition worth squeezing in, with Basil and Sage, Truffle the pig and larger feature gnomes available to paint. Prices start at $10 for a roaming gnome, with painting supplies included. During the school holidays, Gnome Knoll is open on weekdays as well as weekends from 10 am to 3.30 pm.

There’s also the Kids Potting Up Workshops at Floriade Sprouts where children can learn about planting seeds and seedlings – and take some plants home to grow in their own gardens. The free workshops run from 10 am to 1 pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

For a quieter creative activity, DIY Floral Bookmarks invites kids to colour a flower-themed bookmark, then finish it with a colourful tassel. The free workshop is at Floriade Sprouts on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October from 1 pm to 4 pm.

Take Floriade to town

Floriade About Town is still in full bloom beyond Commonwealth Park.

At Haig Park Village Markets, Floriade-inspired spring school holiday workshops on Sunday 4 and 11 October include magical potion-making, nature-play sensory stations and floral-themed arts and crafts.

At Midnight Bar, a limited-edition Floriade Cocktail Collection created with Underground Spirits features four spring-inspired pours: the floral Violet Affair, tropical Island in the Sun, fruit-forward Shiraz Gin Sling and elegant Velvet Orchid.

Over at Pollen in the Australian National Botanic Gardens, there’s a garden-to-plate picnic among the blooms, with just 39 keepsake picnic baskets available to celebrate 39 years of Floriade in bloom. The basket includes Australian artisan cured meats and cheeses, chicken with Kipfler potatoes, seasonal accompaniments, baguette, butter and Pollen’s cake of the day.

Continue the Floriade experience above the city at The Howling Moon, where flowers meet cocktails, woodfired pizza and panoramic Canberra views.