31 August 2023

Things to do in Canberra this week (1 - 7 September)

| Travis Radford
Start the conversation
The Little Burley Market

This year’s the last winter without the Little Burley Market – it’s going to be here all year! Photo: The Little Burley Market.

The Little Burley Market returns from its winter-time hiatus this Saturday, with more than 50 stallholders and a line-up of live music, dance and activities for the little ones.

Two festivals are also coming to town, one showcasing the best of Korean film and the other revealing how Australia’s best gins and spirits are made.

Plus, Canberra’s best beard will be crowned, a new WWI-themed musical and Darren Criss are both at Canberra Theatre Centre, and much more.

Friday and Saturday

Romeo + Juliet.

Don’t miss a nostalgic Friday night screening of Baz Luhrmann’s iconic adaptation of this Shakespearean classic, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. Photo: NFSA.

Now showing at the National Film and Sound Archive

When: Friday 1 September and Saturday 2 September, various times
Where: National Film and Sound Archive, McCoy Circuit, Acton
Cost: Various prices; book tickets for Vinyl Lounge, Romeo + Juliet and Behrouz.

Lovers of vinyl are invited to bring along their favourite records, share their music stories and hear what’s spinning on the NFSA’s turntables this Friday. Also on Friday, a nostalgic screening of Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of Romeo + Juliet. Plus, on Saturday, the Canberra premiere of the feature documentary Behrouz about a Kurdish journalist who fled the Iranian regime and a live Q&A.

Friday to Sunday

2023 Korean Film Festival

When: Friday 1 September to Sunday 3 September, various times
Where: Palace Electric Cinema, 2 Phillip Law Street, Canberra
Cost: Various prices; book tickets on the Korean Film Festival website.

The vibrant and diverse world of Korean cinema will be celebrated across three jam-packed days in the capital. From gripping dramas to heartwarming comedies, breathtaking romances to adrenaline-pumping thrillers, the selection of six films promises to encompass the very best of Korean cinema. Don’t speak Korean? Don’t worry – every film presented at the festival will be screened with English subtitles.

Saturday

The Little Burley Market

This year’s the last winter without the Little Burley Market – it will be here all year! Photo: The Little Burley Market.

The Little Burley Market relaunch

When: Saturday 2 September, 8 am to 1 pm
Where: Queen Elizabeth Terrace, Lake Burley Griffin
Cost: Free entry; no booking required.

The lakeside foodies and makers market returns weekly from this Saturday. Visitors to the first market this spring will be greeted by a mix of new and old stallholders selling multicultural eats, hot beverages, art, jewellery, fashion, pottery and more homewares. Entertainment kicks off at 8 am and features live music and dance, free children’s arts and crafts, and face painting.

Saturday and Sunday

illustration of woman tasting gin

Botanica is an immersive gin, food and spirits festival at the Australian National Botanic Gardens. Photo: Botanica Spirits & Food Festival.

Botanica Spirits & Food Festival

When: Saturday 2 September and Sunday 3 September, 1 pm to 5 pm
Where: Australian National Botanic Gardens, Clunies Ross Street, Acton
Cost: $89 to $125; tickets at the Botanica Spirits & Food Festival website.

Taste, smell and learn about the botanicals used to craft some of Australia’s best gins, spirits and other products at Botanica Spirits & Food Festival. More than 20 curated Australian distillers and botanical crafters will share samples of a range of spirits. When not sampling, guests can take a break and immerse themselves in masterclasses, demonstrations and talks on the main stage.

Monday

Darren Criss

From Broadway to Glee, Darren Criss will perform his biggest hits live on stage. Photo: Canberra Theatre Centre.

Darren Criss comes to Canberra

When: Monday 4 September, from 8 pm
Where: Canberra Theatre Centre, Civic Square, London Circuit, Canberra
Cost: $89.90 to $159.90; book tickets on the Canberra Theatre Centre website.

Emmy, Golden Globe, Critics Choice and Screen Actors Guild award-winner Darren Criss is coming to Canberra! You may recognise the multi-faceted artist from film, music and stage. Along with his lead role in Glee, Criss has also had great success on Broadway and has three EPs under his belt. Criss will perform his hits from Glee to Broadway and more with his own four-piece band.

Tuesday

promotional image for The Great Debate: Does sport unite or divide us?

Does sport bring us together or push us apart? This is the question the night’s speakers will discuss and debate. Photo: Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia.

The Great Debate: Does sport unite or divide us?

When: Tuesday 5 September, 6 pm to 8:30 pm
Where: National Library of Australia, Parkes Place West, Canberra
Cost: $30; book tickets on the event booking website.

Dr Andrew Leigh MP and Emeritus Professor David Rowe will take the stage for a lively evening of discussion and debate about the power of sport to bring us together or push us apart, moderated by Seriously Social podcast host and journalist Ginger Gorman. Tickets also include access to the Grit & Gold: Tales from a Sporting Nation exhibition, drinks and canapes, followed by the debate.

Tuesday and Wednesday

Melbourne Cup

The Melbourne Cup will tour Canberra this September, with special public stopovers in Woden and Kingston. Photo: Supplied.

The 2023 Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour

When: Tuesday 5 September and Wednesday 6 September, from 5 pm
Where: Canberra Southern Cross Club Woden, 92-96 Corinna Street, Phillip and The Dock, 7/81 Giles Street, Kingston
Cost: Free; registrations required for the Canberra Southern Cross Club.

The Melbourne Cup is coming to Canberra! The $600,000 trophy will be in the capital for two days. Canberrans are invited to Woden on Tuesday to get their photo taken with the cup, alongside a phantom call, sweepstake, best-dressed prizes and more. Then, in Kingston on Wednesday, there’ll be a Greatest Melbourne Cup Never Run Charity Sweep, sports trivia and more.

Thursday

promotional image for King O'Malley's Annual Beard Competition

Do you have Canberra’s best beard? Throw your name in the King O’Malley’s Annual Beard Competition hat this Thursday. Photo: King O’Malley’s.

King O’Malley’s Annual Beard Competition

When: Thursday 7 September, from 6 pm
Where: King O’Malley’s, 131 City Walk, Canberra
Cost: Free; no booking required.

King O’Malley’s Pub is looking for the best beards in Canberra in support of Skin Check Champions. Free skin checks will be held and barbers will be on hand to give tips throughout the day. Competition winners, including Canberra’s best beard, will be announced in the evening. Special guests include the Member for Hunter Dan Repacholi (and his pretty spectacular beard) and Skin Check Champions founder Scott’ Jimmy Niggles’ Maggs.

Thursday onwards

The Hello Girls

When: Thursday 7 September to Saturday 9 September, various times
Where: Canberra Theatre Centre, Civic Square, London Circuit, Canberra
Cost: $60 to $86; book tickets on the Canberra Theatre Centre website.

The Hello Girls is a contemporary new musical brimming with folk and pop earworms, charting the journey of a feisty bunch of trail-blazing women who turned the US Army on its head and made history. The musical brings to life the story of the US Army failing at the front lines in 1918 due to poor switchboard communication skills. So they do something unprecedented – hire women.

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.