As Friday is a public holiday, Canberrans and people across the country are getting three days off this long weekend, 26-28 January.

A number of events around the Canberra region are marking Australia Day; we’ve compiled a list which you can find here.

An incredible first-of-its-kind spectacular with light up the skies above Lake Burley Griffin in FLIGHT: Drone SkyShow & Night Markets.

Want to play a game? Cancon returns to Exhibition Park with an enormous selection of board, card and tabletop games.

We farewell several exhibitions this week. Why not use the extra day to see them while you still can!

EVENTS

FLIGHT: Drone SkyShow & Night Markets: A first-of-its-kind drone show flies to the skies above Lake Burley Griffin for this free community event. There will be markets, food and drink vendors, live entertainment and three nightly shows, at 8.30pm, 9.30pm and 10.30pm. Commonwealth Place, 25-27 January 5-11pm daily; eventbrite.com.au

Cancon: Canberra’s biggest board, tabletop and card game convention returns with events, competitions and goodies in abundance. Exhibition Park, 26-28 January; cgs.asn.au

Grapes of Mirth: Australia’s largest touring wine and comedy festival returns with some of the best in comedy accompanied by the finest drops at Contentious Character Winery, Saturday 27 January 2pm; grapesofmirth.com.au

Nefarious Australia Series: A journey into the darker side of Australian films – from haunting murders to crime thrillers and revenge comedies. National Sound and Film Archive of Australia, until 31 January; nfsa.gov.au

Back to School Series: Head back to the hallways and classrooms with a collection of classic teenage-centered classics. National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, until 3 February; nfsa.gov.au

LIVE PERFORMANCES

Australia in Harmonie: Reflect, respect and celebrate Australia with a great lineup of homegrown talent at Harmonie German Club, Narrabundah, Friday 26 January 6pm; eventbrite.com.au

EXHIBITIONS

VIEW2024: PhotoAccess starts the year with a showcase of emerging artists focusing on photography’s role in mirroring societal phenomena. PhotoAccess, Manuka, 25 January – 9 March; photoaccess.org.au

M16 Artspace: Showcases Trans(ap)parencies by Anthea da Silva, un/spoken by Saskia Haalebos, Glyph by Clare Martin, and There Is No Lead Mine Here by Andrew Robards, Gus Armstrong, Jo Albany. 26 January – 18 February; m16artspace.com.au

BLAZE: The emerging artists showcase by the Canberra Contemporary Art Space with bold and challenging works as curated by Alexander Boynes. CCAS Parkes, until 27 January; ccas.com.au

Personal Mythology: A look into the past, current and future myths by the young artists in the Messengers non-clinical support program. Tuggeranong Arts Centre, until 27 January; tuggeranongarts.com

Capturing Canberra: A display of Canberra Museum and Gallery’s recently acquired Press Photography Collection with over 3,500 images telling the story of our region. Canberra Museum and Gallery, Civic Square until 28 January; cmag.com.au

The ballad of sexual dependency: Nan Goldin’s career-defining work captures the intimate lives of a community of friends in the 1970s-1980s in these raw and captivating shots. Viewer discretion advised. National Gallery of Australia, until 28 January; nga.gov.au

Grit & Gold: Tales from a Sporting Nation: Relive the highs and lows of Australia through our rich sporting history. National Library of Australia, until 28 January; nla.gov.au

Archie 100: A Century of the Archibald Prize: Nearly 100 works share the rich history of the competition, now on display at the final destination of its three-year tour. National Portrait Gallery, until 28 January; portrait.gov.au

On the Move: This new child and family exhibition takes you on a journey through different modes of transport in an interactive space. Canberra Museum and Gallery, until 28 January; cmag.com.au

Australians & Hollywood: A celebration of the Australian contributions to the history of the silver screen with costumes, behind-the-scenes footage, props and more. National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, until 28 January; nfsa.gov.au

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