Fun, laughs and activities that bring joy are in abundance across the Canberra region this weekend, 15-17 March.
If you’re into sustainability, check out the Community Clothes Swap at Belconnen Community Centre. Find a new outfit or discover treasures at the ACT Seasonal Antique and Collectible Fair at Albert Hall.
After a five-year break, Skyfire is back, showcasing live entertainment, a variety of food trucks, and spectacular aerial displays.
If you haven’t seen them already, this weekend is your last chance to catch the aircrafts take off in the Canberra Balloon Spectacular.
Talented creatives share their work across the weekend highlights include Stunt Double at Canberra Theatre Centre, Eulogiser Bunny at The Q- Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre and the Canberra Comedy Festival spreading laughs across stages around the region.
EVENTS
Taste Local Week: The beloved verity lane vendors infuse their offerings with the flavours of local businesses. Verity Lane Market, 14- 23 March; veritylanemarket.com.au
ACT Seasonal Antique and Collectable Fair: Uncover unique treasures from up to 30 local and interstate dealers presenting a blend of antiques, old-world nostalgia, books, jewellery, everyday older items and collectables that are certain to catch the eye. $12 entry, $10 concession with donations going to the Early Morning Centre and local rotary charities. Albert Hall, Yarralumla, 15-17 March; mc-rotary.org
The Good Earth Psychic Fair: The chance to get hands-on in free workshops and medium demonstrations, there will be psychic readers, stall holders and more. Exhibition Park, 16-17 March; exhibitionparkincanberra.com.au
Government House Open Day: Tour the house and gardens, learn about the work of organisations Their Excellencies are Patrons of, enjoy a picnic or buy a bite. Parking available on Dunrossil Drive, 16 March 10am-2pm.
Community Clothes Swap: A sustainable fashion initiative invites you to connect with others in the community while refreshing your wardrobe. Belconnen Community Centre, Saturday 16 March 10am; humanitix.com
Canberra Craft Beer & Cider Festival: Try drops from breweries, cideries, distilleries and wineries from across the country, grab a bite from one of the gourmet eateries and enjoy the live entertainment. Mercure Canberra, Saturday 16 March 11am; canberrabeerfest.com.au
Acute Misfortune + Q&A with Erik Jensen: This film details the final years of controversial, Archibald Prize-winning artist Adam Cullen, as portrayed by Australian journalist and author Erik Jensen, the young man Cullen recruited as his biographer. National Film and Sound Archive, Saturday 16 March 2pm; nfsa.gov.au/events
Skyfire 2024: Returning after a 5-year hiatus, the beloved firework spectacular returns with live entertainment, food trucks, aerial displays in this family-friendly free evening out. Shores of Lake Burley Griffin, 16 March from 5pm; visitcanberra.com.au
Raiders vs Tigers: The Canberra Raiders host their first home match of the season when they take on the Wests Tigers at GIO Stadium on Saturday 16 March, 3pm. ticketek.com.au
Canberra Balloon Spectacular: Incredible hot air balloons float across our skies, inflating from 6am each morning, weather permitting, with a selection of breakfast treats for sale. Patrick White Lawns, until 17 March; enlightencanberra.com
Dahlicious: A festival of design, colour and dahlias jam-packed with exciting events such as workshops on growing and displaying the blooms, yoga in the field and a guided morning tour. Beltana Road, Pialligo, until 31 March; bisonhome.com
French Film Festival: Alliance Française presents an extensive program of some of the best films that capture French culture and storytelling. Palace Electric Cinema, until 2 April; affrenchfilmfestival.org
LIVE PERFORMANCES
Stunt Double: Step onto the step of a 1970s action film in this innovative new work that explores power dynamics and the unsung hero. Canberra Theatre Centre, 14-16 March; canberratheatrecentre.com.au
Peter Garrett & The Alter Egos: The Aussie music icon celebrates the launch of the new album The True North with a few Midnight Oil classics also on the set list. Canberra Theatre Centre, Thursday 14 March 8pm; canberratheatrecentre.com.au
Wilco: After a long ten years, the music chameleons return to theatres and concert halls around the country. Stopping in at Canberra Theatre Centre on Friday 15 March 7:30pm; canberratheatrecentre.com.au
Bring It On the Musical: Based off the beloved film that sees rival high schools battle it out at the national championships. Erindale College Theatre, until 16 March; philo.org.au
The Gadflys: The next edition of Smith’s@Belco welcomes the Aussie roots rock group supported by The Cashews. Belconnen Arts Centre, 16 March 7pm; belcoarts.com.au
Eulogiser Bunny: The next Q The Locals puts the fun in funeral with this quirky quasi-realistic funeral service. The Q- Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre, Saturday 16 March 7:30pm; theq.net.au
Canberra Comedy Festival: Join some of the biggest and brightest names in comedy for a celebration of laughter at various locations across Canberra, 13-24 March; full program at canberracomedyfestival.com.au
MARKETS
Night Markets: The community-run event runs every Friday 4-8pm at Anketell Street, Tuggeranong.
Capital Region Farmers Market: Celebrate 20 years of fresh produce and gourmet food with cake, competitions and live entertainment. EPIC, Saturdays 7-11.30am; capitalregionfarmersmarket.com.au
The Little Burley Market: Bringing gourmet food and artisan handicrafts lakeside each week. Queen Elizabeth Terrace, Parkes, Saturday 9am-1.30pm; thelittleburleymarket.com.au
Kippax Marketplace: Indoor market at Kippax Uniting Church Community Centre on the 3rd Saturday of the month 8am-12pm; free entry.
Community Market: Monthly market at Calwell shopping centre on the 3rd Saturday of the month 9am-3pm and Queanbeyan Park on the 3rd Sunday 9am-2pm.
Trash and Treasure: Hunt for second-hand goods, fresh produce and homewares every Sunday at the Jamison Centre, 7am-12.30pm; trashandtreasuremarketjamison.com.au
Bric-a-Brac Rummage: Hunt for second-hand treasure in front of South.Point, Tuggeranong, Sundays 9am-3pm.
Old Bus Depot Markets: The much-loved markets continue at the Old Bus Depot in Kingston, Sundays 9.30 am-2.30pm; obdm.com.au
EXHIBITIONS
Body, Space and Place: A group exhibition by the 2023 winners of the ANCA Emerging Artist Support Scheme Exhibition Award exploring the concepts of presence, location, context, memory and identity. ANCA Dickson, 13-28 March; anca.net.au
PhotoAccess: Welcomes two new exhibitions- Volver (The Return) by Judith Martinez Estrada and Poison Berries: Janhavi Sharma. PhotoAccess, Manuka, 14 March- 27 April; photoaccess.org.au
Hilary Wardhaugh: Presents Monachopsis, an exhibition exploring the tension between the human influence on nature and nature’s resilience. CCAS Manuka, 15-24 March; ccas.com.au
Megalo Print Studio: Celebrates our history of political and social activism with Presents Cause and Effect: Politics and Protest from the Megalo Archives, until 16 March; megalo.org
Craft + Design Canberra: Presents three exhibitions- Seeing and Knowing: New Perspective in Furniture, Wilding Whitlam and 2024 Emerging Contemporaries. Until 16 March; craftanddesigncanberra.org
The Bald Archy Prize 2024: The whimsical take on the more serious competition invites artists of all kinds to unleash creativity on portraits with humour, dark satire, light comedy or caricature. Canberra Potters, until 17 March; canberrapotters.com.au
M16 Artspace: Presents five exhibitions- New Work by Martin Paull, Absurd Frontier by Nathan Hughes, CAPTCHA by Matthew Francis, Cold Collations by Susan Chancellor and Pixel Panel III by Karen Milder. Until 17 March; m16artspace.com.au
Alchemy Exhibition: The final coming together of the 15 Project Alchemy artists presents a series of cross disciplinary art projects in response to the Black Summer fires. The Queanbeyan Hive Gallery, until 17 March; rebustheatre.com
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