Things to do in Canberra this week (22 - 28 March)

Get out of the house this week with the postponed Sustainable Travel Street Party and Dock Dog Day 2024. There are also opportunities to stay inside, with a new exhibition showcasing some of the National Gallery’s collection of historic-artistic items, a performance from a piano prodigy, a conference for the digital world, trivia competitions, and a panel discussion about an iconic film.

Multiple days

National Folk Festival

When: 28 March to 1 April
Where: Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC), corner of Flemington Road and Northbourne Avenue, Mitchell
Cost: Tickets cost between $14.50 and $591.34 (children under five have free entry), and are available via the Festival’s website.

It’s time for the folkie! Festivalgoers can join in on dances, poetry, and other installations and listen to the best performances from a range of Australian and international folk musicians. There will also be interactive shows, roving entertainment and activities organised for young kids, meaning attendees of all ages can get in on the fun!

A Century of Quilts exhibition

When: until 25 August, 10 am to 5 pm
Where: National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place, Parkes
Cost: Free entry, though tickets are necessary (they can be booked online or in-person at the gallery).

The star of the latest National Gallery of Australia exhibition is the Rajah quilt, which is more than 3 metres by 3.5 metres. Almost 200 years old, it was made by unidentified women aboard the HMAS Rajah convict ship in 1841 as they sailed from England to Australia before it was sent back to the United Kingdom and left forgotten until rediscovered about 35 years ago. It is joined by 17 other quilts from the National Gallery’s collection, including possum-skin cloak designs of First Nations women and traditional works from remote and regional Australia.

MarchMingle Walks

When: 23 March to 24 March, from 10 am (Saturday) or from 9 am (Sunday)
Where: Lennox Gardens, Flynn Drive, Yarralumla (Saturday); 100 Commonwealth Avenue, Yarralumla (Sunday)
Cost: Entry in one walk costs $15, while entry in both is $25; register for the walk via the website.

Amid a cost-of-living crisis, charities and related organisations are facing more pressure to help those in need. Communities @ Work is teaming up with the Aussie Peace Walk for a fundraiser with a difference. As part of the Aussie Peace Walk weekend, Communities @ Work presents the inaugural ‘MarchMingle’ 7 km charity walk on Saturday and Sunday to raise funds for its food pantries. They hope to raise at least $110,000 to help cover the annual cost of supplying food for their Tuggeranong and Gungahlin pantries. Saturday’s walk is fairly flat and suitable for prams and wheelchairs, while Sunday’s is more challenging and passes through some bush trails.

Australian Cyber Conference Canberra 2024

When: 25 March to 27 March
Where: National Convention Centre, 31 Constitution Avenue, Canberra
Cost: Tickets start at $350 and are available online.

A range of national and international keynote speakers will speak on the ‘Future is Now’ theme, exploring emerging technologies – such as AI, quantum computing, the Internet of Things (IoT) – and other topics like cyber security, privacy, and governance risk and compliance. This conference will allow attendees to explore how these technologies are already changing and influencing various sectors and learn about strategies to use in response. Registration includes access to pre-conference workshops, ‘Ask an Expert’ sessions, workshops, post-conference drinks and canapés, networking drinks and more.

Sunday

Sustainable Travel Street Party

When: 24 March, 12 pm to 5 pm
Where: corner of Mort Street and Elouera Street, Braddon
Cost: Free entry.

Leave the car at home and turn to different methods of transport to get to this festival. There will be chances to learn how to ride a skateboard, roller-skating performances, interactive pop-ups, live music performances from Citizen Kay and Lucy Sugerman and a basketball tree. The party was postponed from its original date in November 2023 after rain and thunderstorms were forecast for the Territory, but the fun is back this Sunday!

Dock Dog Day 2024

When: 24 March, 10:30 am to 2 pm
Where: The Dock, 7/81 Giles Street, Kingston
Cost: Free entry.

The Dock Dog Day is returning for another year, giving Canberrans another chance to show their love for their four-legged friends. This year’s event will be hosted by JBR Pet, The Foreshore Vet and The Dock, with special guests ACT Rescue and Foster and Feed for Thought also coming along. Attendees will gather at The Dock at 10:30 am for a walk to the nearby venue, The Jetty (if weather permits). Once attendees head back to The Dock, they can check out the market stalls, photo opportunities and snag a bite to eat (and drink). The Foreshore Vet will offer free health checks, while Feed for Thought will have a food store set up and 25 per cent of proceeds from JBR Pet’s photography sales will go directly to ACT Rescue and Foster. And if you’re looking for a new member of your family, there will be dogs ready for adoption on the day.

Monday

Reuben Tsang at The Wesley Centre

When: 25 March, from 7:30 pm
Where: Wesley Music Centre, 20-22 National Circuit, Forrest (entrance via Fitzroy Street)
Cost: Tickets cost between $20 and $60, and are available through the Sydney Opera House website.

Twenty-year-old piano prodigy Reuben Tsang is coming to Canberra! One of Piano+’s Emerging Artists, the will perform masterpieces by Scarlatti, Fauré, Brahms and Mozart. Don’t miss your chance to witness the rise of another musical great close to home in the heart of the nation.

Aus Team Trivia

When: 25 March, 6 pm to 9 pm
Where: Caribou Kingston, 44 Jardine Street, Kingston
Cost: Tickets cost $50 and are available via Eventbrite.

Test your knowledge and secure lifelong bragging rights over your mates. The night’s proceeds will support the Mighty Roos as they prepare for the Div 2A Ice Hockey World Championship in Belgrade, Serbia, in April. The ticket covers your entry, a drink, and a T-shirt, and attendees will also have the chance to bid on a live auction.

Wednesday

RSPCA ACT Trivia Night

When: 27 March, from 6 pm
Where: Zeppelin Room, Harmonie German Club, 49 Jerrabomberra Avenue, Narrabundah
Cost: Tickets cost $40 or $360 for a table with 10 spaces with the discount code TABLE, available via the RSPCA ACT’s website.

We all know the RSPCA does a lot of work for our feathered, furry and scaly friends (as well as all other kinds of animals), and this is our chance to give back. Eight rounds of trivia will see each team go head-to-head in pursuit of the illustrious RSPCA ACT Trivia Champions Trophy. But even if you miss out on the Champions Trophy, there will also be team prizes and food and drink from the Harmonie German Club that everyone can enjoy.

Black Orpheus showing and panel discussion

When: 27 March, from 6 pm
Where: Arc Cinema, National Film and Sound Archive, McCoy Circuit, Acton
Cost: Free entry, though bookings are necessary.

In Black Orpheus, Marcel Camus reimagines the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, bringing the famous mythological story into the modern day – and the complicated love triangle between Orfeu (Breno Mello), Mira (Lourdes de Oliveira) and Eurydice (Marpessa Dawn). Attendees will watch the movie together and then consider the big-picture questions raised by Black Orpheus in a post-screening panel discussion. Historian of Ancient Greek Dr Tatiana Bur, PhD student and researcher Rita Agha, Dr Karo Moret-Miranda, Afro-Cuban historian and Australian National University (ANU) lecturer will be present to give their thoughts and observations in the discussion, moderated by ANU lecturer Dr Anna-Sophie Jürgens. The screening is the latest entry in the Science.Art.Film. series at the National Film and Sound Archive.