22 November 2018

Eleven things to do around Canberra this weekend (23–25 November)

| Zoe Pleasants
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Paint Glebe Park red and every other colour of the rainbow this Sunday at the SpringOUT Big Community Picnic. Photo: SpringOUT website.

It is a huge weekend of wine and festivals. The SpringOUT festival finishes up this weekend with a rainbow coloured picnic in Glebe Park this Sunday, the DESIGN Canberra Festival continues, Questacon is celebrating its 30th birthday with a festival this Saturday and SouthFest is celebrating life in Tuggeranong also this Saturday. Enjoy Canberra wines at the Canberra Wines Laneways Festival this Friday and Saturday nights or the best of Australian wines at the National Wine Experience this Saturday afternoon. For a bit of foreign culture, the Greek Film festival is on at Palace Electric all weekend, Madiba the Musical is playing at the Canberra Theatre and the Scandinavian Christmas Bazaar is on this Sunday.

All weekend

DESIGN Canberra

Where: Various venues
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday
The DESIGN Canberra Festival continues this weekend. Highlights include:

  • Living Rooms: Inner North—visit homes with architecturally intriguing living rooms in the inner north this Sunday.
  • Sunset in Turrell’s Skyspace Days—Canberra musician Jess Green will be performing in Turrell’s Skyspace at the National Gallery this Sunday at 8 pm.
  • The Geometry of Democracy tours at Parliament House—take a behind-the-scenes tour of Parliament House and admire the geometric brilliance of this iconic building. Tours are on Saturday and Sunday at 11:30 am and 2 pm. Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for concession, book here.
  • Undercurrent MarketThe Curatoreum at the National Portrait Gallery will be hosting Undercurrent, a market featuring original and contemporary Australian design and craft all weekend. Open Friday 5-8 pm, Saturday 10 am-5 pm and Sunday 10 am-3 pm.
  • Meraki: One Night Only—Mocan and Green Grout is hosting a Meraki night this Sunday at 5 pm. Meraki is the spirit or love that you put into the work you create. The night will feature a small collection of local designer and craftspeople who will exhibit and sell their tablewares, textiles and woodwork.

Frock Up Canberra Christmas Event

Where: Griffith Neighborhood Centre
When: Friday 6-9 pm & Saturday 10 am-4 pm
Frock up Australia is hosting another vintage fashion fair this weekend at the Griffith Neighborhood Hall. There will be racks of antique, vintage and retro fashion, and tables of textiles, jewellery, accessories, fashion books and magazines. Embrace the slow fashion movement with some guilt-free shopping. Entry is $2.

Greek Film Festival

Where: Palace Electric
When: Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Palace Electric is hosting the Greek Film Festival this weekend. Six films will be screened as part of this festival: Jamaica; Loafing and Camouflage; Polyxeni; Smuggling Hendrix; The Bachelor 2; and The Last Note. Check out the program here. There are also a number of special events on as part of the festival including an opening night gala, a Greek flavour to New Acton Cellar Door Market this Saturday afternoon and a closing night celebration at the Hellenic Club.

Madiba the Musical

Where: Canberra Theatre
When: Friday & Saturday 7:30 pm
Madiba the Musical, an epic musical about Nelson Mandela is coming to Canberra this weekend. It celebrates the life of this great activist and leader and tells the story of the struggles, racial conflicts and divisions within South Africa. The show features pulsating African dance, drama, stunning visuals and inspiring songs. Tickets from $49, book here.

Canberra Wines Laneways Festival

Where: Tocumwal Lane, off Bunda Street, Civic
When: Friday & Saturday, 5 pm
Over two nights, the Canberra Wine Laneways Festival will bring the best of Canberra district’s wine to Civic’s laneways. Enjoy your wine while listening to local musicians performing and eating delicious street food. Sample and purchase wine by the glass, or buy a bottle to take away. There will be also special offers from local traders. This is a family-friendly event, tickets are $30 (covers you for both nights) for adults and kids under 18 are free. Book here.

Saturday

Festival of Questacon

Where: Questacon
When: 8:30 am-5:30 pm
Questacon is turning 30 and to celebrate it is having a festival this Saturday. There will be science shows, food stalls, science busking and interactive science activities for everyone. Check out the program of events here.

SouthFest

Where: Tuggeranong Town Centre
When: 11 am-6 pm
Celebrate life in Tuggeranong at SouthFest this Saturday. There will be over 180 stalls, food vendors, community art, a sports hub, a youth hub, an area for young kids (0-5 years), five performance areas, inflatables and more. The Etsy Made Local Canberra will also be at SouthFest featuring local handmade and vintage artisans and sellers.

National Wine Experience

Where: Exhibition Park
When: 3–5 pm
The National Wine Show of Australia is on at Exhibition Park this weekend. The show judges and promotes the best of Australian wines, with the wines in the show having qualified through a regional or capital city wine show. There are tasting opportunities for exhibitors, winemakers and others in the industry but then on Saturday afternoon, the show will be opened up to 300 members of the public. Ticket-holders will receive a Results Catalogue, which includes an overview of the judging from the judging chairman, a Riedel wine glass and the opportunity to sample from over 1000 wines. The catalogue is a great buying guide! The wine will be accompanied by food from Pialligo Estate and Meredith Cheese. Tickets are $120, book here.

Sunday

Scandinavian Christmas Bazaar

Where: Albert Hall
When: 11 am-4 pm
Celebrate Christmas in Scandinavian style this Sunday at the Albert Hall. There will be Christmas markets, Scandinavian food, a Lucia procession—a traditional candle-lit parade featuring girls and boys clad in white full-length gowns singing songs together—Swedish folk dancing, a raffle and more.

Michelle Simmons: 2018 Australian of the Year in conversation

Where: National Museum of Australia
When: 12-1 pm
Listen to quantum physicist and science advocate Professor Michelle Yvonne Simmons reflect on her time as Australian of the Year at the National Museum this Sunday. One of the world’s top scientists, Michelle received the award for her contributions to quantum computing. Michelle’s work is at the forefront of what she calls the ‘space race of the computing era’, and her aim is to build a quantum computer which is able to solve problems in minutes that would otherwise take thousands of years. This work has the potential to revolutionise drug design, weather forecasting, artificial intelligence and more. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for concession and $7.50 for Museum Friends, book here.

The SpringOUT Big Community Picnic

Where: Glebe Park
When: From 11 am
It is the last weekend for the SpringOUT festival and it is finishing this Sunday with an inclusive picnic celebrating the diversity of Canberra’s LGBTIQ community. Paint Glebe Park red and every other colour of the rainbow! Join in a game of tug-o-war or handbag tossing. Pack a picnic or buy food from one of the stalls. There will also be a family area with arts and crafts, a jumping castle and face-painting. Check out the full program of SpringOUT events here.

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