29 September 2022

Things to do in Canberra (30 September - 6 October)

| Evelyn Karatzas
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Ferris wheel at Floriade

NightFest at Floriade offers more than a spectacular display of nature. Photo: Supplied.

There’s so much to do this weekend in Canberra. There’s the theatre, the National Portrait Gallery or the National Film and Sound Archive, foodie festivals, or visiting Canberra’s premiere floral festival during the day or even at night, and that’s just the beginning.

Blurry face smiling and girl in the background

The Comedy Of Errors is on 30 September to 8 October at the Canberra Theatre Centre. Photo: Canberra Theatre Centre.

The Comedy Of Errors

When: Friday 30 September to Saturday 8 October
Where: Canberra Theatre Centre, Civic Square London Circuit
How much: $58 to $98 plus transaction fee. Tickets at Canberra Theatre Centre.

Shipwrecked and separated 33 years earlier, two sets of long-lost twins miraculously find themselves in the same city on the same day. What could possibly go wrong?

At the Canberra Theatre is The Comedy of Errors – a hilarious romp of swapped identities, misguided love, mistaken imprisonment and chaotic mishaps, leading to an unbelievably crazy day for bumbling twins.

At the heart of this tale of comedic misfortune is an old man searching for his lost children. He finds himself in a hostile land, in the fight of his life. As far-fetched coincidences unfold, chaotic hilarity ensues and a man’s life could be saved – if only everything would go to plan.

Directed by long-time Bell Shakespeare collaborator Janine Watson, this is a beautiful story about the reunion, wrapped up in an evening of entertainment and laughter.

Floriade ferris wheel

NightFest is back after a two-year hiatus. Photo: Floriade.

NightFest

When: From Thursday 29 September to Sunday 2 October, from 6:30 pm each day
Where: Commonwealth Park
How much: Tickets from $15, and can be purchased here.

After two Floriade-free years, NightFest has finally returned to Commonwealth Park.

This unique night-time spring celebration of flowers will offer two distinct moods, ‘Unwind’ and ‘Invigorate’, and have three stages to showcase live music acts, contemporary dancers, roving performers and more across the four days.

Today (29 September) and Sunday (2 October) the chilled-out session Unwind will take place, and then on Friday, 30 September and Saturday, 1 October, Invigorate will take over with an electric and energetic vibe.

The Friday night will feature performances by Alinta Barlow and Ernest Aines Band, as well as a working hands massage workshop. Jumptown Swing, Lolo Lovina, Punch Joy, Will Campbell, The Sunbears and Rio Samba Shows will be on stage on Saturday.

To end NightFest, Kopasetic, Muesli, Super Massive, The Decideds and Aya Yves will perform.

Jackie Weaver

Australians and Hollywood are on this October at the National Film and Sound Archive. Image: NFSA.

Australians and Hollywood: A tale of craft, talent and ambition

When: Friday 30 September to Saturday 8 October. Open 10 am – 4 pm daily, Fridays, 10 am – 8 pm.
Where: National Film and Sound Archive, McCoy Circuit, Acton
How much: Tickets from $7.50, book here.

Australians and Hollywood at the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia embraces and showcases iconic moments in contemporary Australian film and the people and stories that brought them to life.

This blockbuster exhibition by the NFSA features beloved cinema moments, rare behind-the-scenes footage and costumes and props from the NFSA collection on display for the first time.

Book your tickets now as you won’t want to miss out on this opportunity to get up close and personal with treasures from some of Australia’s most celebrated creatives in cinema, including Eric Bana, Paul Hogan, Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin, David Michôd, George Miller, Norma Moriceau, Mia Wasikowska and more.

You’ll also get the opportunity to see the customised steering wheels from Mad Max: Fury Road (George Miller, 2015), costumes from Moulin Rouge! (Baz Luhrmann, 2001) and The Sapphires (Wayne Blair, 2012), plus Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin’s art concept books for Romeo + Juliet (Baz Luhrmann, 1996) and the clapperboard from the 2021 sci-fi epic, Dune (Denis Villeneuve, 2021).

People sitting at a table in a vineyard

Are you more of a savoury or sweet person? Photo: Murrumbateman Moving Feast.

Murrumbateman Moving Feast 2022

When: Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 October
Where: Murrumbateman
How much: Bookings are required with individual venues. More info on the website.

For the first time in two years, the largest food and wine festival in the Canberra wine district is returning to Murrumbateman to serve the best food, finest wine and freshest produce the region has to offer.

READ MORE The Canberra wine district’s largest food and wine festival returns to Murrumbateman

First held in 2006, the Murrumbateman Moving Feast will be set across a wide selection of wineries and artisan venues to offer a roving degustation of perfectly paired foods that matches the nationally and internationally recognised wines and regional products.

Each venue will present a tasting plate “signature dish” matched to one of their wines ($30 for savoury fare and $20 for desserts). Wines are presented in a complimentary Riedel wine glass valued at $20.

National Portrait Gallery

Maria, 1986 (printed 2013) Michael Riley. Photo: Michael Riley/Copyright Agency, 2022.

WHO ARE YOU: Australian Portraiture

When: Saturday 1 October to Sunday 29 January 2023
Where: National Portrait Gallery, King Edward Terrace, Parkes
How much: Free, bookings not required.

Taking place at the National Portrait Gallery from 1 October is the exhibition Who Are You: Australian Portraiture. It features 130 works across painting, film, photography, screen printing, and sculpture, and explores our inner worlds, outer selves, intimacy, isolation, celebrity and more.

You’ll see an array of artists such as Patricia Piccinini, Atong Atem, Howard Arkley, Vincent Namatjira, John Nixon and Tracey Moffatt on display and superstar sitters like Albert Namatjira, Cate Blanchett, Queen Elizabeth II, David Gulpilil and Jeff the Wiggle.

Hotel dining room

Floriade Afternoon Tea at The George Bar & Grill. Photo: Rydges.

Floriade Afternoon Tea at The George Bar & Grill

When: Saturday, 1 October 2022 from 2 pm to 4 pm
Where: The George Bar & Grill, Rydges Canberra, 17 Canberra Avenue
How much: From $48.56 – $80.21. Tickets available at the website.

What if your spring afternoon tea could come with a twist? How about Asian flavours, inspired by spring and served in one of Canberra’s newest dining spaces?

The George Bar & Grill, located in the heart of the newly developed Rydges Canberra is offering diners a unique Asian Fusion-themed afternoon tea with delicious sweet and savoury morsels from all corners of South East Asia complemented by a delightful selection of organic teas for one weekend only.

If you love your savoury snacks and dishes, there’ll be rice paper rolls, green papaya salad and chilli prawns, Chang’s lettuce chicken salad, Peking duck spring rolls, roast pork bao and Asian slaw, king prawn tempura, spiced zucchini fritters, Asian lamb kofta sliders, Sui Mai mushroom and vegetables on the menu.

If you’re a sucker for sweets, there’s green tea cake, coconut and lime panna cotta, coconut rice pudding, five spiced chocolate cake, sesame ginger rice balls, Gulab Jamun, chocolate dipping fortune cookies, green tea jelly with lime and lychees, coconut crème brûlé and Chinees custard tarts.

RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under - Live On Stage

RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under – Live On Stage on 1st October at Canberra Theatre Centre. Image: Canberra Theatre Centre.

RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under – Live On Stage

When: Saturday 1 October, 7:30 pm
Where: Canberra Theatre Centre, Civic Square London Circuit
How much: $102.30 – $289.35 plus transaction fee. Tickets at Canberra Theatre Centre.

Get ready, Canberra, RuPaul, the world’s most famous drag queen, has brought her popular competition franchise to the capital for RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under.

With tours across the nation in September and across October, RuPaul’s Drag Race celebrates the art of drag and puts an emphasis on the LGBTQIA+ network, and has since influenced and attracted talented artists, fashion designers and many more.

Head into Canberra Theatre this Saturday to catch all the action live.

Cruel Intentions

Cruel Intentions: The 90’s Musical on 5 to 8 October at the Canberra Theatre Centre. Image: Canberra Theatre Centre.

Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical

When: Wednesday 5 October to Saturday 8 October, 2:30 and 7:30 pm
Where: Canberra Theatre Centre, Civic Square London Circuit, Canberra
How much: $79.00 – $119.00 plus transaction fee. Tickets at Canberra Theatre Centre.

Cruel Intentions, a new hit musical based on the Hollywood film, is coming to Canberra early next week!

It features over 21 iconic ’90s songs, including ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ (The Verve), ‘Bye Bye Bye’ (*NSYNC), ‘Sometimes’ (Britney Spears), ‘Genie In A Bottle’ (Christina Aguilera) and more.

Being both funny and nostalgic, this musical showcases the best of the 90s.

Two actors on stage holding books

Roald Dahl and the Imagination Seekers. Photo: Canberra Theatre.

Roald Dahl and the Imagination Seekers

When: Thursday 6, Friday 7 and Saturday 8 October, at 11:30 and 3 pm.
Where: Tuggeranong Arts Centre – 137 Reed St N, Greenway
How much: $30 for adults, $20 for kids and $90 family tickets. More info and tickets are on the website.

If you’re looking for something to do with the kids, look no further than the Tuggeranong Arts Centre.

From next Thursday, a mischievous, inventive and interactive performance will take the stage and showcase some of the children’s author Roald Dahl’s best stories, including The BFG and The Twits.

This show is aimed at six to 10-year-olds and will involve fun and interactive games, immersive storytelling and imaginative play for everyone to enjoy.

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