Bunnies and tunes are taking over the Canberra region this Easter long weekend, 6-10 April.
The beloved National Folk Festival returns to Exhibition Park in Canberra for the long weekend, bringing big-name acts like Billy Bragg and The Waifs. Nearly 1,000 performers share their talents over the four days, and there will also be workshops, stalls, food and drinks.
Canberra’s home of all things prehistoric turns 30 on Saturday and the dinos are down to party at the National Dinosaur Museum’s 30th Birthday. There will be activities for kids during the day, live music, and food and drinks, then after hours the Dirty-Thirty adult-only entertainment kicks off.
Hop into the Easter spirit with one of the eggciting events planned around town – from religious observances to crafts, egg hunts, breakfast with bunnies – you name it, Canberra has it!
EVENTS
National Folk Festival: Brings music, culture, dance, workshops and big names like Billy Bragg, The Waifs and more to Exhibition Park this Easter long weekend, 6-10 April; folkfestival.org.au
Land Rover 75th Anniversary: A gathering of Land Rover owners and enthusiasts in Cooma NSW, with special guests from the UK, 6-10 April. Full program: landrover75thanniversary.com.au
Tuff Nutterz: The country’s biggest inflatable obstacle course returns with a fun day out for the whole family. Parkes Place Lawns, 7-23 April; eventbrite.com.au
Easter Steam Excursions: Hop on board the Picnic Train and take a return ride from Canberra to Bungendore on one of two historic locomotives. Canberra Railway Station, 7-10 April; picnictrain.com.au
Ecumenical Way of the Cross: Good Friday brings different Christian denominations together to follow Jesus’s journey to the crucifixion. Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, Barton, 7 April 11am.
Salsa Night: A night of Latin culture and music with a salsa DJ and dance floor. Old Canberra Inn, 7 April 7pm; oldcanberrainn.com.au
Canberra Miniature Railway: Hosts the Easter Egg Hunts & Night Trains extravaganza across two nights with rides, and hunts of over 4,000 eggs to find. Canberra Miniature Railway, Symonston, 8-9 April; canberramodelengineers.org.au
Questacon: Canberra’s favourite home of science is extending their hours over Easter with hands-on experiments and activities. Questacon, 8-9 April 9am-6pm; questacon.edu.au
Easter Bunny Hunt: Each child is given a bag to decorate before heading off to hunt for eggs with the Easter Bunny, three sessions daily. Gungahlin Marketplace, 8-9 April; marketplacegungahlin.com.au
Sweet Factory: The free activity station invites children to participate in a range of craft acitivites. Canberra Outlet, Fyshwick, 8-23 April. Full program: canberraoutlet.com.au
Easter Bunny Breakfast: The Easter Bunny is inviting kids to join them for a tasty breakfast and special performance. Westfield Woden, Saturday 8 April 9am & 10.30am; events.humanitix.com
National Dinosaur Museum 30th Birthday: Canberra’s favourite prehistoric haunt celebrates the big 3-0 with a day full of dinosaur encounters, fossil talks, workshops, and more – plus a special adult-only evening tour. National Dinosaur Museum, Saturday 8 April 10am; nationaldinosaurmuseum.com.au
Foreshore Ghosts and Tales: Walk around Kingston Foreshore and The Causeway and hear stories from what used to be the most notorious area of Canberra. Norgrove Park, 8 April 7pm; trybooking.com
Easter by the Shores: A morning of activities on Easter Sunday including breakfast, crafts, face painting and an egg hunt. Walt & Burley, Sunday 9 April 9am & 10am; waltandburley.com.au
Playful Endeavour: Encourage your child to use their imagination through engagement and exploration in the loose-parts play set-up. Glebe Park, 10-23 April; events.canberra.com.au
Chocolate Factory Craft Village: Free exciting and engaging activities for kids to let them live their Willy Wonka dreams. South.Point, Tuggeranong, 10-21 April; southpointcanberra.com.au
LIVE PERFORMANCES
Pirritu: Brings his folk band to share their new album Fire When The Sun Goes Down with audiences at Canberra Theatre Centre, Thursday 6 April 8pm; canberratheatrecentre.com.au
Willie and the Correspondents: The local folk/roots/country band returns to the National Folk Festival, after a seven-year hiatus, with shows and a workshop. 7-10 April. For set and workshop times: folkfestival.org.au
Jesus Christ Superstar Singalong: Join the live band and relive the music of the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice masterpiece. Smith’s Alternative, 7 April 9pm; smithsalternative.com
360 Allstars: The worldwide smash hit comes to Canberra Theatre Centre, until 8 April; canberratheatrecentre.com.au
Shiny Bum Singers: The music group share their parodies and satires of politics, public service and everyday life. Smith’s Alternative, 8 April 4pm; smithsalternative.com
UROC: The Ukulele Republic of Canberra brings ten years of experience to their show at Smith’s Alternative, Monday 10 April 2pm; smithsalternative.com
MARKETS
The Little Burley Market: Bringing gourmet food and artisan handicrafts lakeside each week. Queen Elizabeth Terrace, Parkes, Saturday 9am-1.30pm; thelittleburleymarket.com.au
Canberra Small Business Market: The markets return just in time for Easter gift shopping, there may even be a special visitor hopping in for the day, entry donations go to Canberra Pet Rescue. The Fitters Workshop, Kingston, 7 April 3pm; the-canberra-small-business-market.square.site
Trash and Treasure: Hunt for second-hand goods, fresh produce and homewares every Sunday at the Jamison Centre, 7am-12.30pm; trashandtreasuremarketjamison.com.au
Old Bus Depot Markets: A special Easter edition of the beloved markets where attendees will get a chance to meet the Easter Bunny! Old Bus Depot Markets, Kingston, Sunday 8 April 9.30am-2.30pm; obdm.com.au
EXHIBITIONS
The Essence of Space: The harmonics of space and light come together in abstract paintings by Magda Cebokli, at Nancy Sever Gallery until 9 April; nancysevergallery.com.au
All Fours: Drawing-based artworks and paintings by Lucy Chetcuti explores mark making and animating surfaces. Canberra Contemporary Arts Space, Manuka, until 9 April; ccas.com.au
Locations: Bernard Ollis brings works inspired by pre- and post-pandemic travels and encounters to Aarwun Gallery, until 16 April; aarwungallery.com.au
Viewfinder: Photography from the 1970s to now exhibition at the National Library of Australia, until 20 April; nla.gov.au
Threads of Being: The Emerging Artists Support Scheme exhibition for 2023 shows works from previous students of ANU School of Art & Design. Canberra Potters, Watson, until 23 April; canberrapotters.com.au
Haunting: Vic McEwan explores the difficult history of objects and place in his photographic exhibition at the National Museum of Australia, until 30 April; nma.gov.au
Somewhere here: A print exhibition by artist collective, nowhereprint, shows works inspired by lutruwita/Tasmania’s unique ecosystem and cultural history. Megalo Print Studio, until 13 May; megalo.org
Craft ACT: Presents three exhibitions – Homage, Boundaries, and Two Tones – showcasing the inaugural Indigenous artist in residence program, the national artist in residence program, and a collaboration of two glass artists, respectively. Craft ACT, until 13 May; craftact.org.au
Belconnen Arts Centre: Hosts three new exhibitions – Broads at Belco, a collection of works by women; A little bird told me by Nichola Leeming; and Staying with the trouble by a collective of artists. Belconnen Arts Centre, until 14 May; belcoarts.com.au
Nurturing Nature: An exhibition of small-scale woodcut prints by Canberra artist Heather Groves from observing her surroundings at home and in nature. Rusten House Art Centre, Queanbeyan, until 27 May; qprc.nsw.gov.au
Light, Colour, Humanity: The Legacy of Alastair Swayn, presented by Alastair Swayn Foundation 2023 Showcase explores how the three concepts were reflected in the architect’s works. Canberra Museum and Gallery, until 28 May; cmag.com.au
Disrupt, Persist, Invent: Discover the stories of the many ways Australians have achieved social change in this exhibition at the National Archives of Australia, until 12 June; naa.gov.au
Portrait23 Identity: Portraiture leaves the canvas and becomes 3D in this new experimental exhibition. National Portrait Gallery, until 18 June; portrait.gov.au
Settled/Unsettled: The universal language of art explores the personal and shared issues faced by Australia’s refugees, migrants and asylum seekers. Canberra Museum and Gallery, until 25 June; cmag.com.au
Feared and Revered: Explore feminine spiritual power through the ages in this exhibition on loan from the British Museum, National Museum of Australia, until 27 August; nma.gov.au
MoAD: Home to a host of exhibitions at Old Parliament House. Free entry; bookings encouraged. Book at moadoph.gov.au
Canberra/Kamberri, Place & People: Discover the story of Canberra as the place where nationhood found a home – the people, places and history that make up this city and region. Canberra Museum and Gallery, ongoing; cmag.com.au
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