A new month comes with new fun-filled events to look forward to. This weekend, 5-7 August, offers plenty to keep you entertained.

Locals have two opportunities to hear The Whitlams front man Tim Freedman perform this Friday night: An intimate acoustic performance at the National Film and Sound Archive celebrating 25 years of the Eternal Nightcap album kicks off at 6pm; then from 8pm he will head over to The Royal Hotel Queanbeyan to perform with newly formed The Whitlams Black Stump Band.

Possible showers can’t hold us back from enjoying all the market goodness that is happening this weekend. Hartley Hall markets return for their monthly appearance while locals are spoilt for fresh produce with a number of markets boasting to have the capital’s finest.

Events

EV Expo: Learn all about sustainable cars at the Australian Electric Vehicle Association’s conference and expo at EPIC, 5-7 August. Conference fee applies for Friday; Saturday-Sunday expo is free with registration required; theevexpo.com

Music in the Fields: Canberra Symphony’sChamber Ensemble performs winter-themed classics while guests indulge in a seasonal menu at Pialligo Estate, Saturday 6 August 2pm and 6.30pm; cso.org.au

Canberra Blues Society: Celebrates 25 years and International Blues Day with live music, hot rods, markets and more at Harmonie German Club, Saturday 6 August 12pm; events.humanitix.com

Comedy Open Mic: Every first Sunday of the month from 7pm, people are given the chance to make the crowd laugh at Smith’s Alternative; smithsalternative.com

Markets

Night Markets: The community-run event runs every Friday 4-8pm at Anktell Street, Tuggeranong.

Capital Region Farmers Market: The early bird gets the produce at this morning market. EPIC Showground, every Saturday 7-11.30am; capitalregionfarmersmarket.com.au

Old Bus Depot Markets: The much-loved markets are back at the Old Bus Depot in Kingston, Sundays 9.30am-2.30pm; obdm.com.au

Bric-a-Brac Rummage: Hunt for second-hand treasures in front of South.Point mall, Tuggeranong every Sunday 9am-3pm.

Hartley Hall Markets: One of the country’s largest homemade and home-grown goods markets comes to the Hall Showground on the first Sunday of every month 10am-3pm; hartley.org.au

Trash and Treasure: Fresh produce, second-hand goods, and tasty delights cooked to order can be found at the Jamison Centre Carpark every Sunday 7am-12.30pm; trashandtreasuremarketjamison.com.au

Haig Village Park Market: A vibrant farmers market with a diverse range of produce every Sunday 8.30am-2pm Haig Park; haigparkvillagemarkets.com.au

Live Performances

Tim Freedman: The Whitlams front man in conversation and an acoustic performance at the National Film and Sound Archive, Friday 5 August 6pm; nfsa.gov.au

The Whitlams: Black Stump Band features some original members joined by a few of the country’s finest country musicians, Royal Hotel Queanbeyan, Friday 5 August 8pm; royalhotelqueanbeyan.oztix.com.au

Smith’s Alternative: The Dan Hanrahan trio from 7pm then from 9.30pm Sydney’s On the Stoop take the stage, Friday 5 August; smithsalternative.com

The Beanies: The ABC Kids trio bring their live show Egg-straordinary Day to Canberra Theatre, Saturday 6 August 10am and 12pm; canberratheatrecentre.com.au

The Ten Tenors: Back in Australia after a 40-city return tour to the USA, The Ten Tenors bring The Highway Man tour to Canberra Theatre, 6 August; canberratheatrecentre.com.au

Dirrum Festival: This year’s theme ‘Illuminate’ features an afternoon of influential speakers, food and music, Radford College, Saturday 6 August 4pm; dirrumfestival.org

ACO: Australian Chamber Orchestra presents The Crowd & I: A cinematic meditation on our crowded planet, Llewellyn Hall, 6 August 8pm; aco.com.au

Rose Coloured Everything: Bring their indie-post-rock acoustic album tour to Smith’s Alternative, Saturday 6 August 6pm; smithsalternative.com

Richard Clapton: One of the country’s foremost singer songwriters plays Tallangandra Hill Winery, Gundaroo, 6 August 7pm; eventbrite.com.au

Hetty Kate + Creswick: Join forces in a double bill of contrasting jazz styles and storytelling at The Street Theatre, 6 August 8pm; thestreet.org.au

Exhibitions

Val Johnson: Explores our region with oil and mosaic in her newest exhibition, Here’s Looking at You Canberra, Strathnairn Art, Holt, until 21 August; strathnairn.com.au

Inside Out: The latest original artworks by Mick Doust at Bungendore Fine Arts Gallery, 6 August-31 September; bungendorefineart.com.au

Botanical Illustration: Cheryl Hodges explores the beauty of the eucalypt in watercolour in this instalment of No Place Like Home, Gungahlin Library, Saturday 6 August 9.30am; belcoarts.com.au

Canberra Calligraphy Society: The Way of the Pen, produced by various artists and scribes, 6 August-7 September, The Oaks Brasserie, Yarralumla; canberracalligraphysociety.org.au

Lisa Cahill: Presents her new exhibition If not now, when? – a call to action in response to 2019/20 bushfires at the COX Gallery, Kingston, until 19 August.

Craft ACT: Two exhibitions – Confluence, the annual artists in residence program featuring work by Valerie Kirk and Harriet Schwartzrock, and Beeing by Dr Julie Bartholomew on the continuing survival of bees – on display until 27 August; craftact.org.au

Connection: An immersive journey through Indigenous culture at the National Museum of Australia, until 9 October; nma.gov.au

Significant Others: Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns collapsed the distinction between life and art with their New York love story, at the National Gallery of Australia until 30 October; nga.gov.au

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