8 January 2025

Things to do in Canberra this week (10 January to 16 January)

| John Murtagh
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A UC capitals fan signing something for a young fan

Catch the pride of Canberra, the UC Capitals, as they duke it out with Adelaide. Photo: Events Canberra.

Though the sound of fireworks and Christmas crackers is long gone, there’s still heaps to do in the capital this coming week. Catch the circus, check out some cinematic classics at the NFSA, or visit one of Canberra’s fascinating art shows – and if you need something for the kids, we’ve got plenty of workshops and classes to keep their minds and hands occupied until they head back to school.

Check out what’s happening this week and start the new year right!

Multiple Days

Three people on stage in red lighting during the warehouse circus school holiday program

Move, twist and jump like the pros at the Warehouse Circus. Photo: Events Canberra.

Warehouse Circus School Holiday Programs

When: 8 January to 14 January
Where: Warehouse Circus, Chifley & Kaleen, 70 Maclaurin Crescent, Chifley
Cost: Prices vary depending on classes.

Every week of the school holidays, Warehouse Circus is bringing a selection of programs for your kids to spin, jump and twist in the magical spirit of the circus. The programs range from three to six hours to help kids spur their creativity, build confidence, and have fun in a welcoming environment bursting with the energy and joy of the circus.

Courses vary in age range, skill level and price, so there’s a little something for everyone. Let Warehouse Circus show you the weird and wonderful world of high-flying acrobats and dazzling stunts.

Children at the museum of Australian democracy doing holiday activities

There’s plenty to keep kids busy at Old Parliament House these school holidays. Photo: MOAD.

School holiday activities at MoAD

When: 8 January to 14 January
Where: Learning space, Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House, 18 King George Terrace, Parkes
Cost: Some workshops are free, some cost $10.

School holiday activities are on at the Museum of Australian Democracy, and they’re more than you expected!

On Thursday at 10 am, bring a mat for the Yoga for Kids class. Aimed at 2 to 10-year-olds, this class will teach kids to stretch, relax, pose and move in a way they may never have considered. It’s a great way to introduce a rewarding exercise to kids in a safe place (tickets are $10).

But if you want something more creative, they have free drop-in craft classes from 10 am to 4 pm where kids will create kindness-themed art and self-portraits.

On the 14th, from 10 to 11 am, the museum hosts a cartooning workshop for 5 to 12-year-olds for $10. In this session, kids will learn from a real cartoonist the basics of an amazing art form.

An artwork from the Oikos exhibition by Peter McLean

Landscapes, the natural world and humanity in Peter McLean’s exhibition Oikos. Image: Belco Arts.

Oikos at the Belconnen Arts Centre

When: 8 January to 14 January
Where: Belconnen Arts Centre 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen
Cost: Free.

Peter McLean was inspired by the Greek word Oikos when creating this exhibition, meaning both a physical house and the members that make up the household.

In this vein, McLean explores the relational aspect of nature and humanity, contextualising people within landscapes as places they belong to, not places they are separate from. This creates an intimate connection between people and the world they live in. It’s an amazing exhibition you won’t forget in a hurry.

A still from the Hayao Miyazaki film "The Wind Rises"

Japanese animated masterpieces, 50s comedy classics and 90s Disney nostalgia all at the NFSA’s Arc Cinema. Image: NFSA.

Summer films at the NFSA

When: 9 January to 11 January
Where: Arc Cinema, 1 McCoy Circuit, Acton
Cost: Prices from $10 to $16.

The NFSA bring you some great flicks to keep you going as the summer holidays sadly come to a close. A young designer explores his love for aerospace engineering in wartime Japan in Miyazaki’s modern classic The Wind Rises, a Russian princess falls victim to the schemes of a Faustian villain during the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Anastasia, or why not catch a time capsule all the way from 1959 with Billy Wilder’s hit comedy Some Like It Hot starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon?

The NFSA is also showing Ice Age for the young and Dirty Dancing for the young at heart.

A banner for the circus of Illusion

Magic and Illusions abound at the Circus of Illusion. Image: Canberra Theatre Centre.

Circus of Illusion

When: 10 January 6:30 pm and 11 January 2 pm
Where: Canberra Theatre, Civic Square, London Circuit
Cost: Tickets range from $47.25 to $79.90.

Showgirls, illusionists and world-class circus performers are putting on a real show this Friday and Saturday. Fall into a world of tricks, magic and illusions that will tie knots in your brain.

Marvel at floating showgirls in dazzling outfits and watch death-defying shows of balance and coordination through gritted teeth. It’s a two-night extravaganza of fun and entertainment.

Let the ringmaster take you somewhere spectacular to cap off the week.

a group of people walking in the National Portrait Gallery

Looking for something to do with the kids these school holidays? Portrait Play is perfect for those budding creatives. Photo: National Portrait Gallery.

Portrait Play

When: 13 January to 17 January, 11 am to 12 pm
Where: National Portrait Gallery, King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Cost: $7 per child, bookings and more information via National Portrait Gallery.

The National Portrait Gallery loves sharing the stories of Australian people through their portraits. This summer, join them on an adventure through the galleries as you make, move and explore, connecting your own stories and discovering the ones waiting for you on the walls.

All materials provided. For children aged 4 to 8 to enjoy with their grown-up.

Thursday

banner for a canberra cavalry game

The last home game of the season for the Cavalry. Image: Vivenu.

ROUND 9: Canberra Cavalry v Perth Heat

When: 9 January 6:30 pm
Where: Canberra Calvary, Kyeema St, Narrabundah
Cost: Tickets start at $12.

Canberra Cavalry and Perth Heat are going head-to-head. In the last home series for the Canberra Cavalry this season, see capital talent go up against the best of the west at the Narrabundah ballpark. Food and drinks are available for purchase on-site – and if you haven’t seen baseball up close and personal, you’re missing something special.

Saturday

Learn how the pros make cocktails in this interactive course. Photo: High Jinks.

Cocktail classes at High Jinks

When: 11 January, 3 pm
Where: 15 Edinburgh Avenue, Canberra
Cost: $75.

Watch and learn as the pros at High Jinks give you an exclusive show on how they make their delicious boozy creations. Your ticket will grant you this great opportunity to see how trained mixologists and bartenders work, as well as a chance to up your own mixology game.

The ticket gets you a drink on arrival, an antipasto platter that serves two and the chance to get behind the bar and make your own signature cocktails. Or watch as the pros make three specialty cocktails, as well as get the basics of liqueurs, flavours and spirits.

two WNBL players on court

The city of Churches and the Bush Capital battle it out this Saturday. Photo: UC Capitals.

UC Capitals v Adelaide Lightning

When: 11 January, 3:30 pm
Where: AIS Arena, Canberra
Cost: Tickets from $30 to $40.

Spend this Saturday cheering on the Capitals as they face the challenge of Adelaide Lightning. There’s no better way to spend a weekend than getting fired up and watching some world-class basketball with our very own local talent. Get out to AIS, check out the new arena and cheer till your lungs give out!

Tuesday

A banner of people making kites

The National Arboretum invites your kids to craft their own kites. Image: National Arboretum ACT Government.

Kite Making – Summer Sessions

When: 14 January, sessions at 9:30 am and 10:30 am
Where: Terrace Room, National Arboretum
Cost: $15 per child.

Come to the National Arboretum and check out this workshop where your kids will design and fly their own kites. Their imaginations can run wild as they build, decorate and personalise their very own airworthy kite, which they’ll then fly in one of the most beautiful places in the city. Children of all ages are welcome, but a parent or guardian must accompany them. Please ensure that children have a water bottle and hat and are dressed for the weather.

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You missed Snakes Alive, held at The National Botanic Gardens by the ACT Herpetological Association, from Monday 13 Jan to Sunday 19 Jan.

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