As the spring weather starts to warm up on some days, why not head outdoors in Canberra this weekend, 27-29 September.

If you’re keen to be out in the sun, head to the Capital Region Farmers Market’s Market in Bloom to find the perfect plant to have at your garden or home.

You can also check out the Open Gardens Canberra event My Place, which has views of Mount Taylor or visit Cuumbeun Nature Reserve, a five-acre native eucalypt open forest.

If sport is more your thing, the Australian National Skipping Championships will run at the Australian Institute of Sport across four days.

If you would prefer to escape the outdoors, there are a few exhibitions on including Ever Present: First Peoples Art of Australia at the National Gallery of Australia and witness, collector, archivist, narrator at the Canberra Contemporary Art Space.

EVENTS

Floriade: Australia’s biggest celebration of spring returns with the theme of Art in Bloom with countless bulbs and plenty of stalls and entertainment lined up. Commonwealth Park, 14 September-13 October; floriadeaustralia.com

Happy Mardi Gras: Join distinguished Australian photographer William Yang for a special evening at the National Library of Australia on 27 September at 6:30pm. He will share insights on his work and current exhibition at the library William Yang’s Mardi Gras. nla.gov.au/whats-on

Touch of Bridgerton charm: A ball fit for Bridgerton fans is coming to Canberra. Unleash your inner regency wear at the First Ball of The Season: Unveil the Secrets of Regency Glamour at this extravagant cocktail party at Contentious Character on 28 September from 6-11pm. contentiouscharacter.com.au/Events

Celebrating culture: Multi-Cultural Spring Fest runs at the Canberra Islamic Centre on 28 September from 11am-9pm. The event features food, clothing, jewellery, accessories, music, toys and more.

The best blooms for the capital: The flower season is upon us with the spring edition of the Capital Region Farmers Market’s Market in Bloom on 28 September. Local growers will showcase a variety of natives to bulbs, trees, herb and vegetable seedlings, rare and hard-to-find plants, suitable to Canberra’s climate to purchase. The market runs at Exhibition Park from 7-11:30am. capitalregionfarmersmarket.com.au

Open Gardens Canberra
My Place and Cuumbeun
28 and 29 September, 10am till 4pm
My Place is a front and back garden featuring spring flowering shrubs, annuals and trees, with framed views of nearby Mount Taylor. Cuumbeun is a five-acre native eucalypt open forest.  landscaping and a large plant nursery surround the home. Free for members, $10 entry for those 18 years and over.
My Place, 44 Brookman Street, Torrens and Cuumbeun, 24 Severne Street Greenleigh, Queanbeyan
Opengardenscanberra.org.au

LIVE PERFORMANCES

Free-Rain Theatre Company
The Boy From Oz
1-20 October 2024
A jukebox musical, The Boy from Oz is the extraordinary biography of legendary singer/songwriter Peter Allen. It weaves many of his most famous and beloved songs into his life story – exploring all the highs: entertainer, pop-star, meeting Judy Garland, marrying her daughter Liza Minnelli, Oscar winner, Broadway performer, and all the lows.
The Q
253 Crawford Street, Queanbeyan
theq.net.au

Jeonghwan Kim Piano Concert
Friday 11 October 2024, 7:30pm
At just 23, Jeonghwan Kim won First Prize at the 2023 Sydney International Piano Competition, stunning audiences with his “deeply impressive performances”. Now, he’s back in Australia, ready to dazzle once again. Don’t miss the chance to experience this remarkable talent live for one night only in Canberra.
Wesley Music Centre, Canberra
Bookings via Sydney Opera House box office 
(02) 9250 7777
Booking link: sydneyoperahouse.com/piano-plus/jeonghwan-kim

EXHIBITIONS

Ever Present: First Peoples Art of Australia: Check out Ever Present: First Peoples Art of Australia returns to Kamberri/Canberra for its final showing at the NGA. The exhibition showcases more than 260 historical and contemporary works of art by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, also exploring Australia’s complex histories. The exhibition runs until 24 August 2025.

Witness, collector, archivist, narrator: An opening for the witness, collector, archivist, narrator exhibition at the Canberra Contemporary Art Space will run on September 27 at 6pm. The exhibition runs until 19 October.

Exhibition openings:  Landscape and Memory a retrospective and LOOKS will both open at Rusten House Art Centre on 27 September from 2-4pm. Both exhibitions run from 28 September to 20 October.

SPORT

Australian National Skipping Championships: Running at the Australian Institute of Sport, Basketball Stadium in Canberra, from 27-30 September, this tournament serves as a qualifying event for the International Jump Rope Union World Championships in Japan in 2025

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