Things to do in Canberra this week (12 - 18 April)

The weather might have taken a turn for the chilly, but there are still plenty of events to get your blood pumping. Between the start of the 2024 Canberra and Region Heritage Festival, an evening festival of Egyptian culture and the Raiders’ next home game and everything else that’s planned for the coming week, there is no reason to stay cuddled up at home under the blankets (yet).

Multiple days

Temple

When: until 30 June, 10 am to 4 pm
Where: Gallery, National Film and Sound Archive, McCoy Circuit, Acton
Cost: Free entry.

Have you ever taken a close look at Australia’s native birds? If not, this is your chance – a new audiovisual installation showcases the beauty of Red-tailed Black Cockatoos, Galahs and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. The installation was originally conceived for Vivid Sydney in 2022, realised by artist Leila Jeffreys and filmmaker Melvin J Montalban. The two artists partnered with cinematographer Chris Bryan and bird trainer Ravi Wasan to bring the project to life.

2024 Canberra and Region Heritage Festival

When: 13 to 28 April, events at various times
Where: Various locations in Canberra and surrounding region
Cost: Depends on events; see the program for more information.

The annual Canberra and Region Heritage Festival will feature more than 120 events, all linked with the theme ‘Connections’. Attendees can explore the visible and intangible history of Canberra, Yass, Braidwood, Cooma, Goulburn, Queanbeyan and surrounding areas. The activities include a family-friendly Wildbark Cultural Community Day at Mulligans Flat, an open day at Yarralumla Woolshed, graveside yarns at Yass, torchlight tours of historic St John’s Church and much more.

Connections: Art + Conservation programs

When: 18 April to 26 April (specific dates), 9 am to 4 pm
Where: The Link Community and Information Centre, 1 McClymont Way, Strathnairn
Cost: Tickets cost $155 (plus booking fee) and are available via Humanitix.

Get the kids to Ginninderry for a dose of creativity across April. There’s a tour of the Conservation Corridor with rangers from the Trust, but they’ll need to keep their eyes peeled because professional artists will then help them make 2D or 3D artwork inspired by their time in the outdoors. Workshops are taught by a different artist each week. So check out the website to learn more about the media they’ll use.

Saturday

Illuminating Egypt Festival

When: 13 April, 4 pm to 8 pm
Where: National Museum of Australia, Lawson Cresent, Acton
Cost: Free entry, though some activities have a cost.

The beautiful and varied culture of Egypt will be coming to Canberra in this evening festival at the National Museum of Australia. In a one-night-only event, attendees will be able to explore a souk-inspired market, enjoy traditional and contemporary music and dance performances, try their hand at Egyptian Coptic calligraphy or lantern making – and don’t worry, there will be a range of Middle Eastern and North African foods available to make sure no one goes hungry. Access to the Discovering Ancient Egypt exhibition is not included in the Festival, though tickets are available via the museum’s website.

I Want It That Gay

When: 13 April, 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Where: Tuggeranong Arts Centre, 137 Reed Street, Greenway
Cost: Tickets cost between $32 and $38, and are available via TicketTailor.

I Want It That Gay (are you singing it to the Backstreet Boys’ melody, yet?) is a show that looks at how our society shapes understandings of how we should feel and act – and how people fall outside of those arbitrary categories. The cabaret show re-imagines heteronormative pop songs from the 1990s and 2000s through a queer lens.

Sunday

Canberra Raiders vs Gold Coast Titans

Where: 14 April, gates open at 3:45 pm for a 6:15 pm kick-off
Where: GIO Stadium Canberra, Battye Street, Bruce
Cost: General admission tickets cost $35 and are available via Ticketek.

After flogging the Eels last weekend, the Raiders will look to make it two in a row when they take on the Titans this Sunday evening at 6:15 pm. So grab your scarf – it’s not too early for a puffer jacket, so grab that, too – and get down to GIO Stadium for another cracking game.

Tuesday

Junior Ranger experience

When: 16 April, 10 am to 12 pm
Where: The Link Community and Information Centre, 1 McClymont Way, Strathnairn
Cost: Tickets cost $10 (plus booking fee) and are available via Eventbrite.

Send the kids out to explore some of the green spaces in the ACT in this session at Ginninderry. Participants will monitor water bugs and vegetation, learn how to use a compass and explore the Ginninderry Conservation Corridor. A parent or carer must attend, and the sessions are aimed at children aged four to 10. Attendees must wear longer trousers, enclosed shoes, a hat and sunscreen, and are invited to bring morning tea.

A Performance of Portraiture: Ralph Heimans tour

When: 16 May, 5:30 pm to 6 pm (exhibition to remain open until 7:30 pm)
Where: National Portrait Gallery, King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Cost: Tickets cost between $20 and $34 (and include entry into the exhibition) and are available via the Portrait Gallery’s website.

Actor Tomáš Kantor will take an audience through a portrait exhibition in a new way – theatre. The night will start with a drink before the show starts at 6 pm. Tomáš will take attendees through the lives of some of Ralph Heimans’ portrait subjects. Once the performance has finished, attendees will be able to explore the exhibition until the extended closing time of 7:30 pm.

The Old and The New dinner

When: 16 April, from 6 pm
Where: Les Bistronomes Restaurant, 18 Blamey Place, Campbell
Cost: Tickets are $200, and attendees can book their seat online by selecting 16 April in the restaurant’s online booking system.

French cuisine (the old) and Australian cuisine (the new) will go plate-to-plate in this friendly competition. In a five-course meal chef Clement Chauvin, each course will see attendees try a French classic and Australian version, along with two wines per course.