15 November 2018

Nine things to do around Canberra this weekend (16–18 November)

| Zoe Pleasants
Start the conversation
people in a crowd.

Celebrate the first anniversary of the Yes vote to marriage equality in Australia’s most LGBTQI-friendly city this Saturday. Photo: SpringOUT website.

The DESIGN Canberra and SpringOUT festivals continue this weekend. DESIGN Canberra will have a focus on the contribution of architect Enrico Taglietti to Canberra’s built environment and SprintOUT is celebrating the first anniversary of Australia voting Yes to marriage equality this Saturday at Yes! Fest. Rather than a theatre, The Australian Dance Party has chosen a solar farm as the venue for its latest production, Energia. And for an international flavour this weekend, the Iranian Film Festival is on at the National Film and Sound Archive, and on Saturday the Alliance Française is having its Christmas Fair and the Indonesian Embassy is celebrating Indonesian culture.

All weekend

DESIGN Canberra Festival

Where: Various venues
When: Friday, Saturday & Sunday
DESIGN Canberra continues this weekend. Highlights include Aubergine in Griffith hosting Eat Drink DESIGN Canberra on Friday, a one-night-only dinner celebrating the best of local food and design with locally-sourced produce and contemporary designers. Also on Friday, the National Gallery of Australia is hosting a symposium celebrating the work of architect Enrico Taglietti and his contribution to Canberra’s built environment. Speakers will include international and national architects and designers, architectural historians and scholars, and some of the many people who have been touched by Taglietti’s designs—school children, designer-makers, home owners and more. Then on Saturday, Sensing Space; a three hour workshop with contemporary artists Genevieve Swifte and Feldenkrais practitioner Eva Culek discussing the multi-sensory experience of geometry will take place at the Gorman House at 12 pm. Also on Saturday at 2:30 pm, the National Gallery is hosting The Alchemy of Things, an exploration with Karen McCartney of the homes of 18 global creatives who take an eccentric, whimsical, curated and clever approach to their living space. On Sunday, explore the interior of some of Enrico Taglietti’s iconic buildings, in Living Rooms: Taglietti. Check out the full program of events for the DESIGN Canberra festival here.

ENERGEIA

Where: Mount Majura Solar Farm
When: Friday, Saturday & Sunday 7:30 pm
The Australian Dance Party will be performing its latest production ENERGEIA at the Mount Majura Solar Farm this weekend. ENERGEIA will be an immersive dance and music experience that considers the wasted and untapped power in ourselves and our environment. The performance will run entirely on battery, solar and kinetic (human) power and it will be performed by Stephen Gow, Alana Stenning, Olivia Fyfe, Alison Plevey and Adam Deusien. Tickets are $35, book here.

Iranian Film Festival

Where: National Film and Sound Archive
When: Saturday 2 & 6 pm, Sunday 4 & 6 pm
The National Film and Sound Archive is hosting a short festival of contemporary Iranian films this weekend, proving that despite the obstacles filmmakers face to make films in Iran, it has a robust and exhilarating film industry. NFSA will screen four films as part of this festival:

  • Tale of the Sea – about a writer who breaks down after witnessing a murder and spends three years in a mental institution—Saturday 2 pm.
  • Pig a social satire about a filmmaker who is banned from making films and is wondering why he is being ignored by a serial killer who is beheading Iran’s finest filmmakers!—Saturday 6 pm.
  • Rona: Azim’s Mother – is about the dilemma facing Azim, an Afghan refugee living in Iran, and his relationship with his mother. It will be be screened with Lunch Time, a short film—Sunday 4 pm.
  • 3 Faces – features actress Behanz Jafrai and filmmaker Jafar Panahi playing themselves. It tells the story of a journey they take to the rural northwest of Iran to help a girl who is being prevented by her family from attending the prestigious drama conservatory in Tehran—Sunday 6 pm.

Tickets for each session are $15 for adults and $13 for concession, book here.

Saturday

Native Pollen—Pure Pod 18/19 Summer Collection

Where: Jindii Eco Spa at Australian Botanic Gardens
When: 6 – 8:30 pm
Pure Pod is a local ethical fashion label and it is launching its 18/19 summer collection—Native Pollen—this Saturday night at Jindii Eco Spa in the Australian Botanic Gardens. It will be an evening of ethical fashion, bees, bio-dynamic champagne, live music and inspiring speakers. Tickets are $61, book here.

Indonesian Festival

Where: Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, Darwin Ave, Yarralumla
When: 11 am–4 pm
The Indonesian Embassy is having a festival this Saturday with cultural performances, Indonesian culinary treats and Indonesian music. There will also be a kids corner, photo booth and free Javanese and Balinese gamelan—a traditional musical ensemble—workshops.

Christmas Fair

Where: Alliance Française de Canberra
When: 10 am – 3 pm
Get your Christmas shopping done early at the Alliance Française’s Christmas market this Saturday. There will be stalls selling handcrafted gifts, Christmas decorations, french clothes, cheeses, wines, bread and pastries. There will also be street food, live music and activities for the kids to enjoy.

Party at Downer Shops

Where: Downer Shops
When: 10 am–2 pm
Downer Shops is celebrating the official unveiling of its renovated square this Saturday! There will be food, drinks, a suitcase sale, a Canberra Metro information stall and a See-Change stall.

Yes! Fest

Where: Lonsdale Street, Braddon
When: 3 pm Saturday – 2 am Sunday
Celebrate the first anniversary of the Yes vote to marriage equality in Australia’s most LGBTQI-friendly city. Yes! Fest is part of the SpringOUT Festival and will take over Lonsdale Street this Saturday with dancing, music, drag, street art, food, drink and glitter. The party will start with a family-friendly event at the Rainbow Roundabout at 3 pm, and then when the sun drops in the evening, so will the beats at the Hopscotch stage. For more SpringOut events, check the festival program here.

Sunday

Torana Nationals Canberra

Where: Viking Park, Erindale
When: 9 am – 3 pm
The iconic Australian car from the 70’s, the Holden Torana, is being celebrated in Canberra this weekend. On Saturday a parade of Toranas will travel from Tuggeranong to the Hall Showgrounds and then on Sunday there will be hundreds of well polished Toranas on display at Vikings Park, Amsinck Street, Wanniassa. Entry will cost a gold coin donation and as well as the cars, there will be jumping castles, face painting, food and drink. Proceeds from this event will go to the Canberra Hospital Foundation and Beyond Blue.

Start the conversation

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.