Grab your friends and family - weekend sessions have landed lakeside

Canberra vocalists Natalia and Anastacia Blaskovic do things a bit differently at their Snapper & Co weekend gigs.

The duo, better known as The Prettirinas, often comes to shows with a setlist, but say the relaxed vibe and diverse patronage of the celebrated Yarralumla lakeside venue call for a more flexible approach.

“Some gigs, you’re trying to fade into the background. At Snapper & Co, we’re a bit more performative; we want to add something to the atmosphere they’ve created,” Anastacia says.

“We find the audience can be quite attentive, too,” adds Natalia. “They’ll often have requests. So we come with a repertoire, scope out the people in the crowd and play for them specifically.”

Though still true to its roots as a purveyor of crunchy, golden, fresh fish and chips in a magnificent lakeside setting, Snapper & Co has evolved over the years, and the latest iteration has established a weekend music scene.

Friday nights, there’s a DJ, and Saturday and Sunday afternoons bring in live acoustic music from a range of local performers to cater to a mixed crowd.

“Some days, there are a lot of young families, and we’ll play a lot of Top 40. Kids will often run up and request a bit of Taylor Swift, and Ed Sheeran is big. If it’s an older crowd, we might get more requests for classics – everything from the husky rock and roll vibes of Fleetwood Mac to Frank Sinatra and his contemporaries,” Natalia says.

“People love hearing music they recognise. They want songs they can sing along to, and we love that,” Anastacia says.

But music is only part of the picture for Snapper & Co’s new ‘weekend sessions’ series. The restaurant has also upped the ante on its food offering.

Juliana Reischak from Snapper & Co operators Canberra Southern Cross Club says the menu has been designed to encourage a “settle back and enjoy” approach to weekend dining by the lake.

“We serve award-winning fish and chips. It’s the best, and that will never change. But there’s a lot on the menu that you can take out onto the lawns and share with the whole family,” she says.

“People love to share our cheese platters, charcuterie boards, chilled seafood platters and pizzas.”

These can be enjoyed in The Courtyard, on The Deck or, in fair weather, on The Lawn overlooking the sparkling lake.

“We have such an incredible space in one of the best locations in Canberra,” Juliana says.

“We have enclosed spaces with fantastic views so people can enjoy the food and music even when the weather isn’t cooperating.”

Juliana says both menu and music have been selected to cater to the entire Canberra community, with a focus on supporting local businesses.

“We’re curating a lineup of talented established and emerging local artists who can help us achieve our vision for weekends at Snapper & Co,” she says.

“Fridays tend to attract a young crowd, and we cater to them with DJs, and on weekends, you get a wide cross-section of the community that come to Snapper & Co, and for them, we have lovely acoustic music they can soak in, but still be able to have a conversation.”

Over the summer, Snapper & Co will also host a number of events, including the Tipsy High Tea – a relaxed afternoon by the lake with bottomless prosecco and three signature cocktails paired with a grazing station of traditional finger sandwiches and a selection of desserts.

To book a spot for lunch or a Tipsy High Tea, or to check out the schedule of live music artists, including The Prettirinas, visit Snapper & Co.

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