Ten things to do in Canberra this week (25 September - 1 October)

School holidays are back! From racing model cars to racing around the Tough Nutterz Inflatable Course, there’s plenty on in Canberra this week.

Music is back as well.

The Rodeo Clowns are playing the Austrian Australian Club on Friday night, and Canberra Uncut at Sideway on Sunday afternoon. An exquisite look at botanical art at the National Botanic Gardens is on all week in their new exhibition ‘The Legacy of Banks and Solandar’, and the National Gallery of Australia is presenting their Thursday Art Talk on ‘Belonging: Stories of Australian Art’.

The Handmade Markets are going online this Saturday, and there’s trivia night at PJs on Monday. For something new – who doesn’t want to learn to swing dance? There’s a beginner’s class on Tuesday night.

The ACT Rotary Emergency Community Service Awards will be live-streamed on Wednesday, so be sure to tune in as your local heroes are acknowledged formally for going above and beyond their service.

Have a great week Canberra!

All weekend

Tuff Nutterz Inflatable Course: Canberra Parliamentary Triangle

Where: Parliamentary Triangle
When: 26 September to 4 October
Cost: $25 to $30, bookings essential

Occupy the kids these holidays with the Tuff Nutterz inflatable course at the Parliamentary Triangle. The course is 270 metres long and consists of 30 individual obstacles, creating a fun and challenging continuous course.

There are three sessions times a day, each one lasting 2 hours. Food and drinks are available on location. Book online in order to secure your spots.

Friday

Rodeo Clowns Live at the Austrian Australian Club

Where: Austrian Australian Club, Heard Street, Mawson
When: 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm
Tickets: $10 available from the club

Toe-tapping to heartbreaking, it’s all here. Rodeo Clowns were established in 2001 as a vehicle to support and play with acts coming through Canberra such as Bill Chambers and Kevin Bennett. The Rodeo Clowns is built around the vocal and songwriting prowess of Bob Rodgers. Bob’s songs have won local awards and accolades and draw from a broad canvas of styles from bluegrass to country rock.

Saturday

Handmade Spring Virtual Market

Where: Online
When: 9:00 am to 9:00 pm
Cost: Free

The Spring Virtual Handmade Market is the perfect chance to shop for Australia’s best homemade products, in the comfort of your home. The market has everything needed to refresh your wardrobe, decor, or pantry.

It’s a great opportunity to support small Aussie businesses while having fantastic homemade products and produce delivered straight to your home.

Sunday

The Legacy of Banks and Solander

Where: Australian National Botanic Gardens, Clunies Ross Street, Canberra
When: 9:30 am to 4:30 pm
Cost: Free

The Legacy of Banks and Solander is an exhibition of botanical art focusing on plants collected by Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander on their discovery voyage of Australia. The exhibition coincides with the 250th anniversary of Cook’s first voyage to Australia and on banksias for the Gardens 50th Anniversary.

Canberra Uncut: Sideway

Where: Sideway (Bar & Music Venue)
When: 5:00 pm
Cost: Free

The Canberra music scene has established itself and grown a lot in the last few years and SubTerra wishes to put more of a spotlight on the scene by pairing Canberra locals with interstate acts, bring some of Canberra’s big names into one place and to create a night that the community will remember forever. Performing are Paint Store, Deputy Chief Wardens and Kilroy.

To find out more, visit Canberra Uncut.

ACT Model Car Racing Club Meeting

Where: Kett St, Kambah
When: 10:00 am
Cost: Free to watch, entry fees listed here

Take the kids out for some model car racing on Sunday, as the ACT Model Car Racing Club meet to race remote-controlled electric-powered on-road cars.

Everybody is welcome to come along and have a go. You can bring your own car, or hire a club car. They will place drivers into groups to ensure you are racing against people with similar abilities and equipment.

Monday

Monday Trivia at PJs in the City

When: Monday, 28 September, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Where: PJ O’Reilly’s Irish Pub
Cost: Free

With jugs of beer and a weekly jackpot up for grabs, Monday Night Trivia at PJs is a great night out with friends with great food, cold drinks and lots of laughs.

Bookings are essential, to book a table go to www.pjoreillys.com.au.

Tuesday

Swing Katz Beginners Course

Where: Majura Hall, 2 Rosevear Place, Dickson
When: 7:30 pm
Cost: $13 for one class, bookings essential

It’s time to get your dancing shoes on and give swing dancing a go! Get fit, meet new friends and have a ball in this fun, no-pressure environment.

Run by Canberra Swing Katz, a young bunch of fun people who love to bring the dances, music and style of the 1920s to the 50s to today. They’re known for their high energy, high flying performances and super fun classes, and they specialise in the Charleston, Lindy Hop and related swing dances.

Wednesday

Rotary Clubs of ACT Emergency Services Community Awards

Where: YouTube
When: 2:30 pm
Cost: Free

The ACT Rotary Emergency Community Service Awards are designed to recognise the emergency service personnel who have gone above and beyond their call of duty. The RESCA is a community-nominated award, therefore it is based on the reputation of the personnel from their local communities viewpoint.

Thursday

Thursday Art Talks – Belonging: Stories of Australian Art

When: 12:45 pm to 1:30 pm
Where: National Gallery of Australia
Cost: Free, bookings essential

The Australian National Gallery presentation on this collection recasts the story of nineteenth-century Australian art. Informed by the many voices of Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultures and communities, the display reconsiders Australia’s history of colonisation.

Join Shona Coyne, a Senior Curator at the National Museum of Australia, as she discusses the work of Christopher Pease on display in Belonging: Stories of Australian Art.