The third week of Floriade: Reimagined will see locals enjoy Canberra’s biggest NightFeast, donut puffs by the lake, a chat with Adam Shipp and CW gardening writer Tracey Bool about bush food and foraging, a podcast guiding you through how to create a native fauna friendly habitat in your backyard, gnomes galore and more.
Floriade: Reimagined continues to support local businesses, makers and artists with a virtual marketplace and workshops run by Canberra creatives.
NightFeast – one night only Friday 2 October
This year Floriade’s dark side, NightFest, has been transformed into NightFeast on Friday 2 October. For one night only, Canberrans will enjoy a feast with a mouth-watering difference as restaurants and eateries across the capital dish up spring-inspired meals and deals, plus bespoke packs to enjoy at home.
Foodies will be treated to a plant-based burger high tea at Beef & Barley, flower-based desserts from the creative minds at Frugii, a four-course dinner that embraces NightFest by getting progressively darker with every dish at Monster Kitchen & Bar.
Canberrans ordering packs to enjoy at home can choose between Lazy Grazer packs full of everything you need to make a delightful grazing table, curated cocktail kits from Underground Spirits and Gourmet By Design goodie packs featuring everything you need for a great evening including Capital Brewing tinnies, a bottle or two from Contentious Character and chocolate treats.
NightFeast wouldn’t be complete without those treats that NightFest is famous for – entertainment and lights. Try your hand at making one of the festival’s signature lanterns and enjoy a curated Spotify playlist featuring artists from past festival to bring a fun-sized taste of NightFest into your home.
Donut puff food truck
In true Floriade: Reimagined style, you can buy your cinnamon donut puffs from the Clayridge Honey food truck during the school holidays. Nestled in between two tulip trail plantings, the food truck will be positioned to overlook Lake Burley Griffin. Indulge in a delicious treat from the Clayridge Honey food truck at Regatta Point 9am-5pm from 26 September until 11 October.
Freshen up your walls with nature-inspired art
Stock up on locally designed products and support small Canberra businesses at Floriade: Reimagined’s virtual marketplace. Art lovers will be able to bring a taste of Floriade into their home with nature-inspired art, including scenes that capture the spirit of Canberra’s landscapes by Glenn Martin Photography. Pick up an artwork inspired by Australia’s flora and fauna from Joseph Austin Art and Treasure Inventory.
Souvenirs include mugs, caps, bags and posters from the Floriade Shop to remember the year that Floriade was reimagined.
Enjoy the style of Canberra’s spring celebration delivered straight to your door until Sunday 11 October at floriadeaustralia.com.
Learn about bush food, medicinal plants and foraging
Dan Bourchier is joined by Adam Shipp, a Wiradjuri man from Yurbay, and Tracey Bool, a local horticulturalist and Canberra Daily’s gardening writer, in the latest episode of the Let’s Talk series. This conversation will teach you about the amazing bush and wild food in your local area, as well as the medicinal and health benefits bush food offers.
Join the audience for the live taping of Let’s Talk with Dan Bourchier – Bush food, medicine and foraging in your local area at 11am on Saturday 26 September. Book you free ticket now as spots are limited. If you miss the live event you can enjoy the episode on demand for free until Sunday 11 October at floriadeaustralia.com.
Gnomes galore
Learn about the secret life of gnomes with Canberra’s musical trio, The Beanies. Tune in to the third of four interactive Floriade Sprouts with The Beanies episodes that are sure to inspire young Floriade fans with big imaginations.
Challenge your family to a city-wide gnome hunt decoding clues to help you find their secret hiding spots. There are easy, medium and hard clues to guide gnome hunters of all ages.
Fans can also create their own gnome hunt in their backyard with Floriade: Reimagined’s Gnome at Home kits featuring printable fold-a-gnomes. All these children’s activities are available for free until Sunday 11 October at floriadeaustralia.com.
Snap a selfie in front of the Canberra Centre’s spring-inspired art installation which features thousands of handcrafted tulips and bees decorating a 2.5-metre-high ‘Floriade’ display. Floyd, Floriade’s larger than life iconic pink gnome, may make a sneaky visit to see this Instaworthy artwork. Follow the trail of honeycomb bees for your chance to win prizes.
Grow your own veggie workshops
A wide range of Floriade Life workshops to keep gardens green and minds inspired are on offer, teaching everything from composting to flower arranging.
Ever wondered how to create a water efficient wicking bed? Join Canberra’s own ‘Wicking Witch of the West’, Cally Brennan from Canberra Permaculture Design, to learn how easy it is to make your own wicking garden bed or plant pot. Watch on demand workshops for free until Sunday 11 October at floriadeaustralia.com.
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Capture spring through your camera lens
Capture the colours and beauty of spring with Floriade: Reimagined’s photography workshops. Learn how to capture the delicate nature of flowers, capture the morning light and compose the perfect scene.
Run by leading Canberra photographers, Geoff Comfort and Ben Kopilow, this year’s workshops will be delivered in small, in-person groups and are available at two different Canberra venues – Cockington Green Gardens and Lanyon Homestead.
Held every Saturday during the festival from 7am to 9am. Workshops are $55 per person – book online here.
See how the tulip trail transforms
Flowers fans have enjoyed seeing how the tulip trail transforms over the month-long festival, according to head gardener Andrew Forster.
“The tulip trail features a mix of flowers that bud at different times. Our pansies, poppies and daffodils have been adding pops of colour to our city and now Floriade’s signature tulips are blooming to life. Experience a touch of Floriade: Reimagined at 130 locations along the tulip trail when you’re on your way home, grabbing a coffee or reconnecting with friends and family.”
Explore the tulip trail with Floriade: Reimagined’s interactive map until Sunday 11 October.
Explore the full Floriade: Reimagined program, which features a wide range of on-demand content, at floriadeaustralia.com
Floriade organisers remind visitors and participants “it is everyone’s responsibility to follow the health advice and do what we can to ensure we keep ourselves and the community safe. All Floriade and NightFest fans are asked to avoid large crowds, keep 1.5m apart whenever possible, maintain good hand and respiratory hygiene”.
