Concert 07 of Canberra International Music Festival 2022, Kia Ora Kiwi, is on Sunday 1 May. Photo: CIMF.
The Canberra International Music Festival and Tree Week are the headline events coming to the capital.
As the bush capital, Canberra has an abundance of green open spaces, and there’s no better way to reinforce to children the importance of trees than by having fun tree-themed activities for an entire week.
The Canberra International Music Festival is also back, bigger and better than ever. The new edition of the festival features innovative and experimental performances in venues throughout the city to appeal to a broader audience in more ways than one.
Music isn’t your thing? Then you might want to check out our booming market scene. Canberra’s most creative minds and hands are coming to the Dairy Road Market and The Handmade Market at EPIC. There is so much art, wine, and food to enjoy that it will make it hard to sit at home this week.
Bring your friends for wine, craft spirits, gourmet food & live entertainment. Image: Supplied.
The Taste Festival
When: from Thursday 28 April to Sunday 1 May
Where: Casino Canberra
Cost: $63 / $73. Get your tickets here.
Experience the finest wine, spirits, cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages that Australia has to offer. All with generous ‘walk & fork’ gourmet plates and live entertainment. A total of five sessions will be held over four days. The ticket includes a welcome glass of bubbles followed by endless boutique wine and spirits. Each session is strictly limited, so book early.
Tusk is widely regarded as the number one Fleetwood Mac tribute band in the world. Photo: Supplied.
Tusk – Tribute to Fleetwood Mac
When: Friday 29 April, 7 pm
Where: Hellenic Club of Canberra
Cost: $35. Get your tickets here.
Tusk celebrates 50 years of hits from Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks. Tusk is Australia’s leading Fleetwood Mac & Stevie Nicks Experience, featuring an all-star line-up and over a decade of touring experience. The audience gets a glimpse into what has made Fleetwood Mac one of the biggest-selling bands of all time with hits like ‘Gypsy’, ‘Go Your Own Way’, ‘Little Lies’, ‘Landslide’, ‘Dreams’, ‘Don’t Stop’ and, of course, ‘Tusk’.
Handmade Markets at EPIC. Photo: Handmade Markets.
Handmade Market Canberra
When: Saturday 30 April to Sunday 1 May, from 10 am to 4 pm
Where: EPIC
Cost: Free.
Created in 2008, The Handmade Market is one of Canberra’s favourite food and design experiences. This vibrant market continues to thrive, with 290 stalls in two halls at EPIC and the central conference centre. Over 20,000 visitors from Canberra and across Australia regularly attend to support Australian hand-made independent, small and creative businesses.
Dogs in Haig Park will be treated to an experimental concert on Saturday. Image: Supplied.
PAWS Party: Ears Up
When: Saturday 30 April, 10 am
Where: Haig Park
Cost: Free. More information here.
In case you haven’t heard, there is a new PAWs party coming this Saturday. This one features a very special concert … for dogs! Thanks to the Canberra International Music Festival, there will be a special dog-focused music session by Solomon Frank on clarinet and Niki Johnson on percussion. Considering so many of us live with dogs, it’s only natural to think dogs could enjoy music like us. This concert will sound a bit strange, and no one is expecting the dogs to sit patiently, but it will be very amusing to witness.
Learn about practical measures we can take to reduce our environmental impact. Image: Supplied.
Zero Waste Festival 2022
When: Saturday 30 April, 11 am to 3 pm
Where: aMBUSH Gallery Kambri
Cost: Free. Get your tickets here.
Throughout the day-long festival, panels and workshops will explore practical steps we can take to reduce our environmental impact. It will also inspire others to get involved! Everyone is invited regardless of where you are on your waste reduction journey. This year’s festival theme is ‘One Person, a World of Difference’. The global waste crisis is growing, and each of us has a responsibility to take action. Find out how you can do your bit.
Soul finds its place at The Polish White Eagle Club. Image: blanchaus.design.
Saturday Night Soul
When: Saturday 30 April, 8 pm
Where: The Polish White Eagle Club
Cost: $20. Get your tickets here.
It’s going to be the highlight of your week if you dig deep grooves and original tunes with an enormous amount of soul. The Polish Club will be blasting with live performances by The Morris Little Big Band, Koebi Faumui and Rob Aspinall.
The market will feature products from eight local wineries and distilleries. Image: Supplied.
Dairy Road Market
When: Sunday 1 May, from 12 pm to 5 pm
Where: Dairy Road Precinct
Cost: Entry is free, or $12 with a Cellar Door wine glass, including wine tasting. Get your tickets here.
In a bid to become the most popular event at Dairy Road every month, The Dairy Road Market offers wine tastings at Cellar Door, arts and crafts at CraftACT, local produce, handmade objects, secondhand clothing, and live music. During this event, many businesses on Dairy Road will be open to the public.
There will be a live performance by the Melting Pot jazz band in the garden behind Building 3 where eight local wineries and distilleries will do their best to tempt you. CraftACT will showcase some of Canberra’s finest designers, working across a variety of mediums. Shop exclusive pieces and meet the makers. Little ones will have plenty of free play opportunities with Play Dairy Road, coordinated by Green Hat Workshop and inspired by local initiatives Playful Endeavour and Play KX in the UK.
Canberra Southern Cross Club, Woden presents Adam Harvey: Highway One Tour on Thursday 5 May. Photo: Canberra Southern Cross Club.
Adam Harvey: Highway One Tour
When: Thursday 5 May, dinner from 6 pm and show from 8 pm
Where: Canberra Southern Cross Club Woden, 92-96 Corinna Street, Phillip
Cost: Book online.
After a lengthy time away from the road, the ever-popular Adam Harvey is raring to go with the ‘Songs from Highway One’ tour featuring songs from his latest album and classic hits and Adam’s engaging and entertaining stories from his travels around the country.
Canberra International Music Festival Highlights
CIMF @ Belco
When: Saturday 30 April 2022, 1 pm to 7 pm
Where: Belconnen Arts Centre 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen
Cost: Free.
CIMF returns to Belconnen with a world of music for all tastes: anything from Balinese gamelan to Persian music or the contemporary riffs of Ike (from) Pluto. Local groups mingle with visiting artists from across Australia. First Nations artists set the tone, including the extraordinary Maori performer Horomona Horo.
C07 Kia Ora Kiwi
When: Sunday 1 May from 7:30 pm to 9:10 pm
Where: Fitters’ Workshop, Printers Way – Kingston
Cost: $72/$80. Get your tickets here.
Concert 7 – Horomona Horo is one of the giants of Maori music on the international stage. Together with the New Zealand String Quartet, making their welcome return to Canberra, Horomona engages in a delicate dance of purpose and gesture that is the story of music in the land of the long white cloud. This evocative program, featuring New Zealand’s musical heavyweights, uniquely combines string quartet culture at its best with the ancient sounds of the Maori instruments.
The iconic Nishi Staircase. Photo: Supplied
C08 Nishi Up Close
When: Monday 2 May, from 11 am to 1 pm
Where: NewActon Precinct
Cost: $50/60. Get your tickets here.
Join the festival’s most intimate experience in Canberra’s acclaimed modern precinct: Japanese marimba music in Nishi, early cello music where you least expect it, Kate Neal’s audio-visual Commuter Variations, finishing with a ritual percussion salute to the Greek giant of modern music, Iannis Xenakis. Small groups will be led through the precinct in 15-minute intervals.
Canberra International Music Festival’s concert 16 The Great Divide is on Tuesday 3 May. Image: CIMF.
C10 The Great Divide
When: Tuesday 3 May, from 7:30 pm to 9 pm
Where: Fitters’ Workshop, Printers Way – Kingston
Cost: $72/$80. Get your tickets here.
This concert features four musical realms: Spain’s mediaeval cantigas, earthy and seductive still today, contrast with the sumptuous polyphony of Portugal’s Golden Age. Steve Reich’s New York 80s vibe provides the perfect foil for Shostakovich’s sixth quartet, a masterpiece of Soviet optimism post-Stalin.
Canberra International Music Festival 2022 is hosting Soundwalks on Wednesday, 27 April and Wednesday, 4 May. Photo: CIMF.
Soundwalk II
When: Wednesday 4 May, from 3 pm to 4:30 pm
Where: Gorman Arts Centre
Cost: Free.
The free listening experience guided by Kelly Corner with Solomon Frank encourages active listening, distinguishing human voices from other sounds, and being open to any kind of sound – from rumbling stomachs to sudden car horns or bird songs. It is intended to sensitise participants to the wealth and problems of the sonic environment so that, armed with their newly acquired awareness, they will be able to improve the soundscape: restore the balance of the senses, reduce noise, protect sonic diversity, and appreciate acoustic design. The walk begins at the Gorman Arts Centre, Ainslie Avenue entrance and ends at the Glebe Park Rotunda.
Canberra International Music Festival’s concert 13 Birds in Paradise is on Thursday 5 May at 11:30 am. Photo: CIMF.
C13 Birds in Paradise
When: Thursday 5 May, from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm
Where: Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture
Cost: $55/$60. Get your tickets here.
Birds have always intrigued and enchanted us. Olivier Messiaen was obsessed with capturing bird songs, transcribing bird calls during his travels and incorporating their songs into his works. After Brewster-Jones’ work in Adelaide in the 1930s, Taylor’s observations of the Pied Butcher Bird in Australia triggered a whole new oeuvre of human-avian interaction. A concert by birds, their human followers and divine devotees.
Tree Week highlights
Canberra Tree Week is a celebration of all things trees in Canberra. In our city, there are many beautiful, unique, and exceptional trees and forests that provide many benefits to residents. For more information about Tree Week and the full program, visit the City Services Website.
Connection with Trees – Children’s Outdoor Exhibition
When: Saturday 30 April to Sunday 8 May, from 8:30 am to 5 pm
Where: Australian National Botanic Gardens
Cost: Free.
See Canberra’s budding artist’s work on display in a special outdoor exhibition showcasing the winning entries from the children’s 5 to 12 years Connection with Trees drawing competition.
Discover parts of the story which celebrate May Gibbs’ life and imagination. Image: Supplied.
Story Walk – Mamie
When: Saturday 30 April to Sunday 8 May
Where: Haig Park
Cost: Free.
Grab your family and friends and join a Story Walk – a stroll with a difference – through the beautiful, revitalised, Heritage Listed Haig Park. Follow local author Tania McCartney’s gorgeous picture book Mamie along the marked walking route. Enjoy parts of the story, which celebrates the life and imagination of renowned children’s author May Gibbs (AKA ‘Mamie’ to her family), at each stop. Make sure you visit each one to see all the beautiful illustrations and find out what happens next in the story.
Music and More with Lucky Jim
When: Monday 2 May, from 10 am to 11 am
Where: Australian National Botanic Gardens (Crosbie Morrison Lawn)
Cost: Adults $8, Child & concession $6. Get your tickets here.
Prepare to be entertained and amused by the ever-youthful Lucky Jim during his special curated shows for Canberra Tree Week. Kids and carers will be treated to activities and live performances full of toe-tapping tunes, ridiculous stories, imaginative lyrics and general silliness. Numbers are limited so bookings are essential.
Loading ...
