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Want to keep the whole family busy this weekend? We’ll just leave this here.
From a hit musical to markets and a very hands-on exhibition, it’s time to hit the town—here are 20+ events to choose from.
Special Events and Festivals
Come From Away
The worldwide smash hit, Tony and Olivier award-winning musical Come From Away, is coming to Canberra. Sharing the remarkable true story of the small town that welcomed the world, Come From Away follows the incredible real-life journey of 7,000 air passengers who became grounded in Gander, Newfoundland in Canada in the wake of the September 11 tragedy. Telling a story of unity and kindness in adversity, capturing the generosity and hospitality of the small community of Gander, who invited the “come from aways’” into their homes, this musical is not to be missed.
Until Sunday 9 July | Canberra Theatre Centre, London Circuit, Canberra City | Book here.
Poetic City
A poetry festival taking place until Friday 14 July, Poetic City will encompass a wide variety of poetry-centric events and I invite you to come along and find out what poetry might mean for you. From workshops to drop-in writing sessions, listening to performance or slam or taking the kids to school holiday workshops and activities, get ready for a serious, fanciful, sly, fun, witty, elaborate, blunt, silly entertaining, dark and hilarious time.
Until Friday 14 July | Various locations | poeticcitycbr.com
Fungi Feastival
The inaugural Fungi Feastival is a series of events celebrating the science, food and art of fungi. Head along to enjoy science events such as mushroom growing workshops, and truffle hunts, food events (including fungi-themed dinners) and even a fungi cooking class at Eastwoods in Bermagui! If that’s not enough fungi art includes fungi photography workshops and fungi movies at Narooma Kinema.
Friday 16 June until Sunday 16 July | Location varies for each event from Batemans Bay to Eden | Book here.
National Photographic Portrait Prize 2023
The National Photographic Portrait Prize is back for 2023. Selected from a national field of entries, the exhibition reflects the distinctive vision of Australia’s aspiring and professional portrait photographers and the unique nature of their subjects.
Saturday 17 June until Monday 2 October | National Portrait Gallery, King Edward Terrace, Parkes | portrait.gov.au
Hawker Community Repair Café
Have something you want to fix? The Hawker Community Repair Café is back! Volunteers will be available to help repair small electrical items, small pieces of furniture, toys, clothes and other textiles, leather goods, bicycles, lawn mowers and other garden equipment, tool sharpening and costume jewellery. There will also be hot drinks, a sausage sizzle and market stalls by local makers. All you need to do is donate a gold coin and enjoy.
Sunday 18 June | 45 Walhallow Street, Hawker | facebook.com/Hawker-Community-Repair-Cafe
How Cities Work
From sewers to skyscrapers, this interactive family exhibition reveals the secret workings of our busy urban centres. Bringing to life the best-selling book of the same name, visitors big and small will be able to traverse a spectacular cityscape full of tactile and sensory activities, including a lively hands-on construction site, a futuristic design station and a towering two-metre-high cityscape.
Until Sunday 8 October | Canberra Museum and Gallery, Corner London Circuit and Civic Square, Canberra City | Book here.
Food and Wine
ABBA Dancing Queens Drag Lunch
Giving us all of the ABBA vibes and the best moves, you’ll need to brush up on your lyrics to Voulez Vous, Dancing Queen, Does Your Mother Know and S.O.S before heading to this lunch. Full of lashes, lipstick and dancing queens, you’re highly encouraged so come as a Dancing Queen, Disco Divas, or even Drag Queens for this two-hour immersive experience.
Saturday 17 June | The Clubhouse Kaleen, 16 Georgina Crescent, Kaleen | Book here.
Harmonie German Club’s Winter Solstice Bier and Schnapps Expo
It’s a German tradition to celebrate the winter solstice in fine style, so it feels only right to taste some German biers and Schnapps this weekend. And with stalls, merchants, music and a whole lot of beautiful beverages for you to try, an afternoon of winter-warming German delights sounds perfect.
Saturday 17 June | 49 Jerrabomberra Avenue, Narrabundah | harmonieclub.com.au
Stage and screen
HSBC Spanish Film Festival
Here to spice up winter with award wining films, the HSBC is kicking off in June. Showcasing comedies, thrillers, documentaries and more, it’s the ultimate celebration of film and culture from Spain and Latin America.
Until Wednesday 5 July | Palace Electric Cinema, 2 Phillip Law Street, Canberra City | Book here.
Systems and Sanity
A theatrical journey through the mental health system by people who have travelled there (or got lost along the way) Systems and Sanity is a devised theatre exploration that comes out of nearly two years of discussion, workshopping, writing, and rehearsal by people with mental health challenges. A must-see for theatre enthusiasts, mental health advocates, policymakers, and anyone interested in exploring the experience of human distress, and how we best respond to it, this show promises to be a journey travelled with pathos, poetry, music and laughter.
Until Monday 19 June | Gorman Arts Centre, 55 Ainslie Avenue, Braddon | Book here.
Home, I’m Darling
Judy is on a quest to be the perfect 1950s housewife to her husband Johnny. The problem is it’s 2018 and being a domestic goddess isn’t as easy as following a manual. This Olivier-winning contemporary British satire pulls back the gingham curtains, making sharp observations about responsibilities, nostalgia, and choice in a marriage that is unravelling at the tightly sewed seams. See you there?
Until Saturday 1 July | Canberra REP Theatre, 3 Repertory Lane, Acton | Book here.
Music
Coming Home
In this program of exquisite choral music, you’ll be treated to the world premiere of Dan Walker’s beautiful The Last Migration, Ola Gjeilo’s sonorous and uplifting Sunrise Mass for choir and string orchestra, and two poignant and evocative choral works by Sally Whitwell, Lux Aeterna and Home. This is sure to be a heartwarming and uplifting evening.
Saturday 17 June | Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest | Book here.
BKBB and Lucy Ridge—Live at the Polo
On Saturday 17 June, two of Canberra’s powerhouse, horn driven bands will come together for a night of big sounds at the Polo. Trust us when we say you won’t want to miss out on seeing Brass Knuckle Brass Band and Lucy Ridge in the powerful performance.
Saturday 17 June | 38 David Street, Turner | Book here.
Exhibitions
Ji + Senapati: Duo Porcelain Exhibition
The joint winners of 2022 ceramics category, the works of Sandy Ji and Roshni Senapati are finally being shown to Canberra audiences. Both artists have created a new body of work each which means audiences will have access to new and exciting pieces to kick off their art collection.
Until Sunday 18 June | Gallery of Small Things, 27 Wade Street, Watson | galleryofsmallthings.com
Kathleen Potts: Gather In The Scene
In this solo exhibition presented at Strathnairn Arts, Kathleen Potts showcases a body of new work in paint and drawings. Exploring impermanency and using landscapes familiar to the residents of the ACT (such as Shepherds Lookout, Uriarra Crossing, and Dickson Wetlands), through her artwork Potts investigates how personal narrative is influenced by the subjective memory of place. Her goal? To evoke curiosity and stir emotion.
Until Monday 25 June | 90 Stockdill Drive, Holt | strathnairn.com.au
Banksia Views
A showcase of works from the Painting with Parkinson’s program, this exhibition will reflect on member’s experience with the Australian National Botanic Gardens and the Banksia Centre over the Painting with Parkinson’s 25-year history (as well as featuring recorded soundscapes from the Canberra Symphony Orchestra).
Until Thursday 29 June | Visitor Centre Gallery, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Clunies Ross Street, Acton | parksaustralia.gov.au
Fiona Richmond: Revival
In her inaugural exhibition, artist Fiona Richmond explores a dimension of her inner world that “has been unattended to during all the conventional diversions of life.” Using medium to large formats, Richmond’s art is all about creating joy with bold colour in the simple forms of everyday objects and plant life.
Until Sunday 2 July | 90 Stockdill Drive, Holt | More information here.
Bushranger Blue
We all know the legend and lore of bushrangers. Evolving from a personal exploration of isolation and grief, that surfaced during Rory King’s travels of remote Australia; ‘Bushranger Blue’ is an inquiry into the perennial themes of loneliness, death, and longing. Making no attempt to paint an accurate narrative of the history of the Australian bushranger, instead the exhibition see’s images that speak of a yearning for deep connection in the face of isolation.
Until Sunday 2 July | M16 Artspace, 21 Blaxland Crescent, Griffith | m16artspace.com
Mutual acts: ecologies of a garden
Created by Lani Shea-An, this series of works employ abstract and figurative painting processes, collage, and printmaking to explore the connections and emotions that the plant kingdom evokes. It depicts her own experiences of joy and wonder in nature, particularly in reference to what she has learned through gardening.
Until Sunday 2 July | M16 Artspace, 21 Blaxland Crescent, Griffith | m16artspace.com.au
Professor Hyatt’s Tarot Exhibition
Featuring unique and original artwork by artist John Hyatt (Professor of Contemporary Art at John Moore University), this exhibition will highlight the often-overlooked status of tarot cards as art pieces in their own right, and explore an art form that is truly interactive with the viewer by its very nature. The best part? Full tarot decks will be available to buy and two local Tarot readers will be dropping in throughout the exhibition to do Tarot readings.
Until Tuesday 4 July | Smiths Alternative, 76 Alinga Street, Canberra City | hyattstarot.weebly.com
Sea Poems
Including two styles of Jane Millington’s artwork, this exhibition is a must see. The first part of the exhibition focuses on soft blending to create the liquid undulations of the ocean while the second is more linear, using strong lines that run off the canvas edge to create a sense of boundlessness. Freeform and curved lines lead through both these styles, communicating the flow and direction of both the water and our emotional response to it.
Until Sunday 9 July | Aarwun Gallery, Shop 11, Federation Square, O’Hanlon Place, Nicholls | aarwungallery.com.au
Del Amor Y Los Animales
The artworks in this exhibition have been chosen by artist Carlos Barrios, who was studio assistant to the late artist John Olsen for many years. Reminding us to be present in the moment, this exhibition explores the feeling of loving another, expressions of love for animals and nature. These works are offerings and studies of moments where people, places and animals coexist.
Until Sunday 9 July | Aarwun Gallery, Shop 11, Federation Square, O’Hanlon Place, Nicholls | aarwungallery.com.au
Our Coloured Earth – Abstract Impressions
The first solo exhibition in Canberra of New Zealand born artist Lisa Taylor King, in this exhibition you will feel the pull, the sense of awe and power, in our landscape and nature. We won’t say anymore—you’ll have to go see if for yourself.
Until Sunday 9 July | Aarwun Gallery, Shop 11, Federation Square, O’Hanlon Place, Nicholls | aarwungallery.com.au
Sport
Canberra Duathlon
Run, ride and race in the Canberra Duathlon. Choose from the Standard, Sprint or Super Sprint distance events or head along to watch some great racing on the day.
Saturday 17 June | Rond Terrace, Shores of Lake Burley Griffin, Parkes | Register here.
Loop The Lake Running Festival
As apart of Canberra Duathlon, this brand new running event will feature three race distances (perfect for everyone). Get ready to race and test yourself on the new courses in the nation’s capital.
Saturday 17 June | Rond Terrace, Shores of Lake Burley Griffin, Parkes | Register here.
Markets
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.
Every Sunday, 8:30 am – 2 pm | Haig Park, Girrahween Street, Braddon | haigparkvillagemarkets.com.au
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
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
Feature image: James Horan.