Ten things to do in Canberra this week (12 - 18 November)

Summer is fast approaching, but there is still time to take care of that spring cleaning you were going to do.

It turns out there has never been a better time to clear out your premises. The Garage Sale Trail is running this week, providing the opportunity for you to register your garage sale online for all to see and visit. The benefit of this is that attendance won’t be wholly based on how good your signwriting skills are on old moving boxes.

For those items that are beyond selling, maybe have a crack at fixing them at the Canberra Repair Cafe.

The British Film Festival kicked off last week and continues to screen cracking and smashing films every day.

Unearth your inner potter in Murrumbateman, get your dose of live music at the fresh food markets and The Boardwalk Bar and Nightclub in Belconnen, and try out your Spanish moves at Smith’s Alternative.

The National Library also opens for the first time this week since lockdown, so be sure to check out their exhibitions.

All week

British Film Festival

When: 10:50 am, Friday 12 November to 11:15 am, Thursday 18 November
Where: Palace Electric, 2 Phillip Law Street, Canberra
Cost: $11.50 to $22.00; book online.

The British Film Festival returns to Palace Cinemas for its ninth year, celebrating the finest filmmakers and acting talent British cinema has to offer. The 2021 line-up features 31 of the most anticipated films of the year – from powerful true stories and literary adaptations to biographies and documentaries.

All weekend

Garage Sale Trail

When: Saturday 13 to Sunday 14 November
Where: Online and in your neighbourhood
Cost: Free to register; find out more here.

Garage Sale Trail is Australia’s festival of pre-loved stuff, happening online and in the community. Host a garage sale either online or in your, um, garage this weekend, or shop at the more than 10,000 garage sales happening online and in the community.

This year’s sale will see local partners ACT NoWaste and online environmentally-driven marketplace Rosella Street participate.

Unearth your local potter

When: Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 November, 10 am to 4 pm
Where: Win’s Creek Meadery, 18 East Street (Barton Hwy), Murrumbateman
Cost: Free; no booking required.

Maryanne Devey from Win’s Creek Pottery and Alexander De Vos from Flaming Gargoyle Pottery will have a hands-on display for you at the Win’s Creek Meadery, Murrumbateman. There will also be a selection of works from both artists for sale.

Live music at Belconnen Fresh Food Markets

When: 11 am to 1 pm, Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 November
Where: Belconnen Fresh Food Markets, 10 Lathlain Street, Belconnen
Cost: Free.

Live music is back at the Belconnen Fresh Food Markets. Join Lucky Jim and friends for family entertainment every Saturday from 11 am to 1 pm. Then, kick back to some sweet jazz with The Belco Jazz Band on Sundays from 11 am to 1 pm.

With songs including Grandma Made Good Compost, Don’t Put Your Fingers in the Butter and The Mysterious Fox of Fox Hollow, everyone is guaranteed to crack a smile while shopping this Saturday.

Friday

Karaoke

When: 9 pm, Friday 12 November
Where: The Boardwalk Bar & Nightclub, 11/114 Emu Bank, Belconnen
Cost: $10, tickets TryBooking.

Karaoke is back at The Boardwalk Bar in Belconnen, so look forward to smashing out a few tunes for the glorious applause. Registration from 8 pm. Karaoke starts at 9 pm.

Saturday

Canberra Repair Café

When: 10 am to 1 pm, Saturday 13 November
Where: Canberra Environment Centre, Lawson Crescent and Lennox Crossing, Acton Peninsula
Cost: Free; see Facebook for more details.

Bring along your broken items and volunteers will help you learn how to repair them, whether it’s jewellery, clothing, small appliances, wooden objects, bicycles or more.

The event is entirely volunteer-run and self-sufficient, so if you have tools or materials you can use for your own repairs or share with others, you’re invited to bring them along.

Sunday

Binalong Community Markets

When: 10 am to 2 pm, Sunday 14 November
Where: Café on Queen, 13 Queen Street, Binalong
Cost: Free entry.

If you haven’t been to Binalong for a while, why not stop by and check out their beautiful town and the unique and creative markets held every second Sunday of the month?

Located at the Café on Queen with great stalls to keep you busy!

Pachamama

When: 12 to 2 pm, Sunday 14 November
Where: Smith’s Alternative, 76 Alinga Street, Canberra
Cost: Free; register online.

Local band Pachamama is having a Latin American Jam Session at Smith’s. Open to all ages and levels. Learn to sing in Spanish, play some hand percussion, or join in with your own instrument.

Monday

Reopening of National Library of Australia

When: 9 am, Monday, 15 November
Where: Parkes Place, Canberra
Cost: Free

The National Library of Australia looks forward to welcoming everyone back as they reopen on Monday, 15 November. The staged reopening will start with the Exhibition Galleries and NLA Bookshop on 15 November. These will both reopen seven days a week from 9 am to 5 pm.

This includes their new exhibition, ‘Illustrating the Antipodes: George French Angas in Australia and New Zealand 1844-1845’. Entry is free and you do not need to book a ticket.

Wednesday

Scattered People – film fundraiser for Operation Not Forgotten

When: 6 to 8 pm, Wednesday 17 November
Where: Kambri Cinema, Ground Floor, Cultural Centre, University Avenue, Kambri ANU, Acton
Cost: $11.64; book tickets on Eventbrite.

Through the eyes and hearts of two Iranian musicians, Scattered People is a story about the healing power of music, bringing together people, cultures and countries. It follows a band of kindred spirit musicians in Brisbane who play, write and record the music and stories of asylum seekers they encounter in detention and community centres.

The film screening will be followed by a Q&A session with the filmmakers.

All money raised by the screening will be donated to Operation Not Forgotten, the Canadian community sponsorship scheme providing a lifeline to Manus and Nauru refugees.