Eight things to do around Canberra this weekend (6–8 April)

With the Canberra Walking Festival and Ignite Walk on this weekend, there are plenty of opportunities to get out and about and appreciate the beauty of Canberra in autumn. If appreciating food and wine is more your thing, the Canberra Wine Week kicks off, The Forage returns this Saturday afternoon and, for something different, the Jerrabomberra Wetlands are hosting an outdoor dinner this Friday night. It is Canberra Airport’s ever-popular Open Day this Sunday, and the National Dinosaur Museum is celebrating its 25th birthday all weekend.

All weekend

Canberra District Wine Week

Where: Various venues
When: 6–15 April
Canberra Wine Week kicks off this weekend and its program of events includes wine tastings, dinner events and themed events in restaurants and bottle shops around Canberra and at vineyards in the Canberra wine region. Check out the program here. Highlights for this weekend include:

• A wine tasting dinner at A.Baker this Friday night featuring wines from Tallagandra Hill, The Vintner’s Daughter, Dionysus, Sholto and Mount Majura and a five-course degustation meal;
• The Canberra Wine Week’s launch event this Saturday, 12–4pm in the courtyard of New Acton where you can taste more than 60 wines;
• Lunch at The Loft at Duxton this Sunday, 1–4 pm with Monica Gray, Assistance winemaker at Mount Majura Vineyard;
• A celebration at Four Winds Vineyard this Saturday and Sunday which along with wine includes games and activities for the kids and music and food; and
• Vintage Flights with paired food plates by Contentious Character on Saturday and Sunday, set to take you on a wine-soaked journey with quality vintages, funky tunes, and delicious morsels. For bookings, email info@contentiouscharacter.com.au stating your preferred date, time slot, preferred variety (Shiraz or Riesling) and your mobile number.

Canberra Walking Festival

Where: Albert Hall
When: Friday, Saturday & Sunday
The Canberra Walking Festival is on this weekend. It is a non-competitive, International Volkssport Verband accredited walking event for participants of all ages—running is not permitted! It is held on Saturday and Sunday, with pre-festival walks on Thursday and Friday. The distances of the walks range from 5 km to 42.2 km with routes passing national buildings, circumnavigating Lake Burley Griffin and passing through Canberra’s bushland. The festival’s program includes:

• Capital Walk (11 km) on Friday morning and Welcome Walk (5–6 km) on Friday afternoon;
• Loop the Lake walks (with loops of 42.2 km, 21.1 km, 11 km & 5 km) on Saturday morning; and
• Centenary Trail walks (point-to-point walks of 26 km, 21 km, 10 km & 5 km) on Sunday morning with bus transport to the start.

Registration is $25 a day and you can register at the Albert Hall on Friday afternoon between 2–6 pm or before the walks on Saturday and Sunday. Walks start between 7:30–10:15 am on Saturday and buses leave Albert Hall for the Centenary Trail walks between 8–10:10 am on Sunday. Check out the program here.

National Dinosaur Museum 25th Birthday Celebration

Where: National Dinosaur Museum, Gold Creek Rd, Nicholls
When: Saturday and Sunday
The National Dinosaur Museum opened its doors 25 years ago, just five months before the first Jurrasic Park film was released, and it is celebrating its birthday with a party all weekend. There will be extended opening hours, free entry for children and exciting activities including the Questacon DinoScience show. But it’s not all about the kids, the museum is having an adults-only night on Saturday with tours, food vans, music and drinks. Book here.

Saturday

Ignite Walk

Where: Patrick White Lawns
When: From 4 pm
Rug up in brightly coloured clothes, accessorise with neon face paint and anything that glows, and take an evening walk around Lake Burley Griffin for Ignite Canberra and raise money for the Cerebral Palsy Alliance. There will be two walks this year with a family-friendly 5 km course around central basin starting at 7 pm, and a dusk-to-dark half marathon starting at 4:30 pm. The Neon Ignite Party starts at 4 pm with food stalls, glow in the dark fairy floss and neon face painting. Individual registration is $40 for the 5 km walk and $60 for half marathon. Family registration (2 adults and 2 kids under 16) is $110 for the 5 km walk and $160 for the half marathon. Children under 6 are free. Register here.

 

Taste of the Wetlands

Where: Jerrabomberra Wetlands
When: 5–8 pm
The Jerrabomberra Wetlands is hosting an evening to feed your soul. Take a walk through the Wetlands before sitting down to a dinner prepared by George Prasad from Homegrown Me and Jenni Gough from A Forager’s Heart with a sunset view. The dinner will feature produce from local farmers and producers. Tickets are $95, book here.

The Forage

Where: Little National Hotel
When: 2–7 pm
The Forage is back this Saturday to showcase food from local cafes, food trucks, wineries and breweries. Food will include Bratwurst sausages from Brathaus; slow-cooked meat from The One; Indian cuisine from the Tikka Stand; Filipino cuisine from Kusina and Lolo & Lola; Asian street food; wood-fired pizzas; vegan food from Sweet Bones; chocolate from Jasper and Myrtle; Peruvian food from Mr Papa and more. Drinks from Bentspoke brewery, Shaw Vineyards, the Canberra Distillery; Six 8 coffee roasters and others. Tunes provided by Minh Ha.

Flying Fruit Fly Circus

Where: The Canberra Theatre
When: 11 am & 2:30 pm
Australia’s National Youth Circus, the Flying Fruit Fly Circus is bringing its latest show, Junk to Canberra this weekend. The show tells the story of a modern-day boy exploring a junkyard inhabited by the spirits of children from the 1940s who use their imagination to play and invent. The cast is comprised of ‘fruities’ aged 10–18 years who perform acrobatics, shadow puppetry and other circus stunts. Tickets are $35 or $30 if you book four or more, book here.

Sunday

Canberra Airport Open Day

Where: Canberra Airport, Catalina Drive
When: 9 am–3 pm
Canberra Airport is opening its hangar doors this Sunday to give you a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes. Climb aboard a plane or helicopter, enjoy a display from the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society and watch a thrilling aerial display by Matt Hall. There will be kids rides, food and entertainment for the whole family. The Open Day is free but entry is limited so you need register here. Entry to the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society display will cost $5 for adults, $2 for children and $10 for a family (pay on the day). There will be free shuttle buses departing from the city and Russell to reduce parking congestion. For more information about the Open Day including what to, and what not to bring, check out the details here.