30 January 2020

Nine things to do around Canberra this weekend (13–15 July)

| Zoe Pleasants
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No need to hibernate this weekend. The World Curry Festival is on at the Wintervention in the city along with the ice skating rink and circus shows in the mini Spiegel Tent. Questacon is celebrating Mid-Winter Nights with science shows, fire twirling, stargazing, and food; and Sound and Fury are hosting another performance art party this Saturday in NewActon. NAIDOC week continues with events at the National Gallery, and the Belconnen Art Centre’s NAIDOC in the North event this Sunday. And with France in the World Cup final, it should be a huge Bastille Day this Saturday.

All weekend

World Curry Festival

Where: Garema Place
When: Friday 12:00 – 9:00 pm, Saturday 11:00 am – 10:00 pm & Sunday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
As part of the City Renewal Authority’s Wintervention program, the World Curry Festival is on again this weekend. Warm up your insides with a curry, enjoy cultural performances, and if you’re game, take part in a chilli eating competition! There are two opportunities with competitions on Saturday and Sunday at 1:00 pm. To enter, register here. And while you are at the Curry Festival, go ice skating on the pop-up skating rink, enjoy a circus show at La Petite Grand theatre tent, and listen to live music while sipping on mulled wine on Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoon. Check out the line-up here.

Lifeline Bookfair

Where: Southern Cross Stadium, Tuggeranong
When: Friday 9:00 am – 6:00 pm, Saturday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm & Sunday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
It’s the perfect time of year to curl up on the couch with a good book, so why not stock up on supplies at the Lifeline Bookfair this weekend? There will be fiction and non-fiction books, rare and collectible books, foreign language books, textbooks, children’s books, magazines, comics and talking books. There will also be records, DVDs, CDs, games, jigsaws and more. Entry to the Bookfair costs a gold coin with all proceeds going to support Lifeline’s Canberra crisis support and suicide prevention telephone service. Saturday is Family Day with activities for the kids. Also, bring an item of non-perishable food to donate to the Communities@Work food drive. Click here for some ideas on what to donate.

Mid-Winter Nights@Questacon

Where: Questacon
When: Friday & Saturday 5:30 – 9:00 pm
Questacon is staying up late over the school holidays. There will be tasty food, stargazing, winter crafts and science shows, in addition to access to Questacon’s galleries.

  • Create your own personal flurry of snowflakes and add it to the swirling storm inside the Questacon foyer.
  • Gaze at the stars with the Canberra Astronomy Society—be sure to rug up for this activity.
  • Watch synchronised fire twirling.
  • Make a snow dome or paper lantern (gold coin entry required for each activity)
  • Explore the science of friction, gravity and inclined planes by building and racing model bobsleds in The Shed.
  • Indulge in an over-the-top hot chocolate at Questacon’s Mega Bites Café.

Food and drink will be available from local vendors including La Empanada, Wandering Wood Fire Ovens, La Petit Breton, Loose Gourmet Churros, Quarry Hill Winery and Capital Brewing Co., as well as Mega Bites Café. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for concession and free for kids under 4 and Q Club members. Book here.

Friday

Art Explorer: Woven Adornment

Where: NGA Play, National Gallery of Australia
When: 10:30 am – 4:00 pm
Worimi artist Krystal Hurst from Gillawarra Arts will be helping kids create woven pieces to wear or to decorate their homes with, using native fibres, seeds and shells. Suitable for kids over eight. Cost is $60 for kids and $55 for mini-Gallery members—all tools and materials will be supplied—book here.

Saturday

Jane Rutter: Les bijoux de la flûte Française

Where: James O Fairfax Theatre, National Gallery of Australia
When: 2:00 – 3:00 pm
To celebrate Bastille Day, the Gallery is hosting a concert by Australian flautist, Jane Rutter, performing music by Debussy, Marais, Ravel and Aznavour. Jane will also perform popular French classics—Edith Piaf’s La Vie en Rose and Cole Porter’s I Love Paris. Tickets are $50 for adults, $45 for concession and $40 for members. Book here.

NAIDOC in the North

Where: Kingsford Smith School, Holt
When: 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
This year, the Belconnen Arts Centre is moving its NAIDOC Week celebrations from the shores of Lake Ginninderra out into the community at Kingsford Smith School. The NAIDOC in the North event which will celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture with art and craft workshops, live performances, ceremony and fun family activities. The event will feature performances by Belle Whyte, Monica Moore Trio, Alinta Barlow, Wiradjuri Echoes, Rachel Armstrong and Johnny Huckle.

Bastille Day

Where: La Baguette, ANU School of Art
When: 7:00 pm
The Alliance Française is celebrating Bastille Day with a three-course meal French at La Baguette Cafe in the ANU School of Art. The menu includes Witlof salad, boeuf bourguignon and tarte poire chocolat with Lerida Estate providing the wine. Tickets are $99 and $85 for Alliance members and their guest. Book here.

Sound and Fury: Cold Winter. Hot Party

Where: Makeshift, NewActon
When: 8:00 – 11:00 pm
Sound and Fury turns performance art into a party. Curated by Chenoeh Miller, this event features music, dance, performance art and theatre performed on a stage, on a bar, and in a little back room. After an acclaimed season at NZ Fringe and a sell-out event at Art, Not Apart earlier this year, Sound and Fury is back to warm up your winter blues. Tickets are $35 + bf if you book online or $45 on the night if there are any left. Book here.

Sunday

Endangered Trees Walk

Where: National Arboretum
When: 9:30 – 11:30 am
Take a guided walk through several forests of endangered species at the Arboretum and learn about why the species are classified as endangered and how the Arboretum is working to conserve them. The walk is free but you need to book. Also, check out the Arboretum’s Warm Tree knitting installation while you are there—the world’s largest knitting installation—and join a knitting circle between 10:00 am – 12:00 pm each day.

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