Things to do in Canberra this week (5 to 11 May)

Two festivals are here this week for Canberrans to choose from, one celebrating the NSW South Coast’s signature rock oyster and the other celebrating European cultures.

There’s also no shortage of local arts and culture, with a legendary Agatha Christie show, exhibitions at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre and a special Autumn Art Fair.

Plus, for families with kids, there’s free tennis coaching and activities at the Jerrabomberra Tennis Club, the St Anthony’s Primary School fete and more!

Friday to Sunday

Narooma Oyster Festival

When: Friday 5 May to Sunday 7 May; see the full program here
Where: Quota Park, Narooma, NSW
Cost: From $15; book here.

Celebrate the rock oyster on the NSW South Coast, the only place in the world where the delicacy naturally grows. The three-day program features a blend of food experiences and entertainment, beginning with a twilight affair and fireworks on Friday, a day of tastings, exploring and competition on Saturday, rounded out with a Sunday brunch at the Hangtown Fry at Club Narooma.

Saturday

Jerrabomberra Tennis Club Open Day

When: Saturday 6 May, 12 pm to 3 pm
Where: Jerrabomberra Tennis Club, Coral Drive, Jerrabomberra
Cost: Free; no booking required.

Parents are invited to bring their kids to an afternoon of free tennis coaching and fun-filled activities, including a craft table for the little ones, delicious barbecued treats and a prize raffle. Attendees will also have the opportunity to support Jerrabomberran Luke Bradley’s 24-hour tennis marathon to honour the legacy of his friend Connor and to raise important funds for schizophrenia.

St. Anthony’s Primary School Fete

When: Saturday 6 May, 10 am to 3 pm
Where: St Anthony’s Primary School, 161 Wheeler Crescent, Wanniassa
Cost: Free, no booking required.

St Anthony’s Primary School fete is back for the first time since 2018! Families can expect amusement rides, live performances and activities, including face painting, glitter tattoos and crazy hair. Plus, you’ll also have a chance to pick up a Mother’s Day hamper or other gift from the market stalls, which will be selling plants, clothes, books, homemade items and food and drinks.

The Autumn Art Fair at the Little Burley Markets

When: Saturday 6 May, from 9 am
Where: Queen Elizabeth Terrace in Commonwealth Place, Canberra
Cost: Free, no booking required

The Autumn Art Fair promises to showcase the best from local artists, photographers, ceramicists, sculptors and makers. Canberrans are invited to browse and purchase the local art, as well as take part in an event program beginning at 10 am with a free sketch masterclass and children’s face-painting, followed by So Samba dancers, a free cocktail masterclass and more.

Sunday

European Multicultural Festival

When: Sunday 7 May, from 10 am to 3 pm
Where: 68 McCaughey Street, Turner
Cost: free (donations appreciated).

Celebrate European cultures with a selection of traditional foods and drinks, song and dance and other activities from all across the continent. The event is co-hosted by the Australian Croatian Club, the Alliance Francaise of Canberra and the White Eagle Polish Club, which will all be showcasing their unique cultures. The event organisers will also be collecting donations for Ukraine.

Tuesday

Female Founders: Media Myths

When: Tuesday 9 May, from 12:15 pm to 1:30 pm
Where: Canberra Innovation Network, 5/1 Moore St, Canberra
Cost: $16.42; book here.

Learn how best to cut through the noise, make headlines and tell your story from a panel of guest speakers. The two expert guests are Karyn Starmer, a senior journalist with Region Group, publishers of Riotact and a range of other digital mastheads, and Kate Freeman, a registered nutritionist and the founder and CEO of Ayla Health and The Healthy Eating Hub.

Thursday onwards

Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap

When: Thursday 11 May to Sunday 21 May, various times
Where: Canberra Theatre Centre, Civic Square, London Circuit, Canberra
Cost: $69 to $159 plus transaction fee; book here.

Agatha Christie’s genre-defining murder mystery, The Mousetrap, is coming to Canberra to celebrate the long-running West End show’s 70th Anniversary. The story follows seven strangers, one of whom is a killer, who become stranded at Monkswell Manor during a snowstorm. The show has a surprise finish which the audience is traditionally asked not to reveal after leaving the theatre.

All week long

Exhibitions now showing at Tuggeranong Arts Centre

When: Showing until Saturday 3 June, open Tuesday to Saturday, from 10 am
Where: Tuggeranong Arts Centre, 137 Reed Street, Tuggeranong
Cost: Free; no booking required.

Several artists’ exhibitions are in full swing at Tuggeranong Arts Centre. These include a series of cartographic collages by printmakers John Pratt and Peter McLean, an installation of screens displaying unconventional short films and animations by Nicci Haynes, and a series of paintings and works on paper of landscapes created on-site at different Australian places by Mark Dober.

Coming up

Terralympics

When: Friday 12 May, from 11 am to 4 pm
Where: Canberra Deakin Football Club, 3 Grose Street, Deakin
Cost: From $24.49; book here.

This one-day mini Olympics hosted by Terracon Legal will pit local athletes against each other in horizontal bungee, tug-o-war, a hot dog eating competition, inflatable soccer, a relay and more. Sign up with a team of six or come along and spectate, with proceeds going towards Roundabout Canberra, a charity that provides safe and clean baby and children’s items to families in need.