Yuxin Huang and Suzanne Li are two of the Canberra Moon Festival’s organisers. Photo: Laura Liu.
Canberra in Spring! Does it get any better than this? It does – when you get out of the house and make the most of the glorious weather … so what are you waiting for?
Multiple days
Inspire Festival at Ginninderry
When: 6 September (5:30 pm to 7:30 pm) and 7 September (10 am to 2 pm)
Where: Strathnairn Arts precinct, Gullifer Street, Strathnairn
Cost: Free entry, though people must register via Humanitix.
In its second year, Inspire Festival has moved from the Ginninderry display village to Strathnairn Arts. What hasn’t changed is the event’s focus on sustainable living.
The event kicks off on Friday (6 September) with the Brindabella Sunset Session. Visitors are invited to pack a picnic or purchase food and drink and enjoy it along with live blues and roots music as you watch the sunset over the Brindabellas.
Guests can also wander through the exhibition for the annual people’s choice competition Squares and cast their votes. The festival continues over the weekend: learn more about a sustainable lifestyle, see breathtaking images of nature from a long-time collaborator with Sir David Attenborough, meet local artists and see Bluey.
This interactive theatre show is bringing spooky vibes to Tuggeranong Homestead. Image: Odyssey Theatre Company/Facebook.
Once Upon A Grimm Night
When: 6 September to 8 September, shows at various times
Where: Tuggeranong Homestead, 130 Johnson Drive, Richardson
Cost: Tickets cost between $49 and $79 and are available via TryBooking.
Once Upon A Grimm Night is an interactive show where the lines between story and reality blur. Humanity was gifted fire to help us tell stories, which evolved into the folk and fairy tales we pass down to our children. After all, we say fairytales are just stories – but what if these tales were windows to another world?
In Once Upon a Grimm Night, the audience has stumbled into the domain of the Narrator. Characters from Everafter are coming into our realm, and the worlds are on the brink of collapse. Join the quest with Grimm Volkov to uncover the truth, brew potions, and delve into the unfinished stories of the Maiden and the Witch.
Enjoy performances from more than 10 countries and witness Australia’s longest noodle challenge at this year’s Canberra Moon Festival. Photo: Canberra Moon Festival.
Canberra Moon Festival
When: 6 September (5 pm to 9 pm), 7 September (11 am to 9 pm) and 8 September (11 am to 3 pm)
Where: Locations within City Walk and Petrie Plaza, Civic
Cost: Free entry.
The Canberra Moon Festival 2024 features an expanded lineup of activities, games and performances from more than 10 countries. Festival-goers can enjoy art installations, six cultural workshops and traditional games. Also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Moon Festival is China’s second most important celebration after the Lunar New Year. It is traditionally observed on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month as a time for harvest and family gatherings, with the full moon symbolising unity and harmony.
CHICAGO The Musical
When: 7 September to 29 September, shows at various times
Where: Canberra Theatre Centre, Civic Square, London Circuit
Cost: Tickets cost between $69.70 and $199.90 (plus transaction fee) and are available via the Theatre Centre’s website.
The longest-running musical on Broadway has arrived in Canberra. Created by the musical theatre giants John Kander, Fred Ebb and legendary choreographer Bob Fosse, Chicago starts when Roxie Hart murders Fred Casely as he attempts to break off an affair with her. She is eventually taken into custody alongside several other women accused of murder.
This performance contains adult themes, smoke effects, haze effects, loud noises and camera flashes. It is recommended for audiences aged 13 and older.
Spirits take the spotlight at the two-day Botanica festival. Image: Botanica Festival/Facebook.
Botanica Spirits and Food Festival
When: 7 September (sessions from 10 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm) and 8 September (a session from 12 pm to 4 pm)
Where: Eucalypt Lawn, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Clunies Ross Street, Acton
Cost: Final release tickets cost between $82.36 for entry into a session (with an all-day pass for Saturday costing $102.96) and are available via the festival’s website.
After a successful launch last year, the Botanica Spirits and Food Festival is returning to the Australian National Botanic Gardens in September (we’ll cheers that!) The festival is organised into three sessions (two three-hour sessions on Saturday and a four-hour session on Sunday), giving patrons plenty of time to enjoy live music and tuck into a meal from one of the food vendors in between tastings.
The festival highlights native botanicals used in Australian spirits, with distillers from regional NSW and across the country all heading to the Botanic Gardens to show off their wares. This year, there will also be an increased range of other stalls selling native spices and ingredients, locally made chocolates, candles and more.
Head to Thoroughbred Park this September for the Canberra Stampshow. Photo: Canberra Stamps.
Canberra Stampshow 2024
When: 12 September to 15 September, 12 pm to 5 pm
Where: Thoroughbred Park, 1 Randwick Road, Lyneham
Cost: Tickets cost between $5 and $18 (those aged under 16 have free entry).
It’s been a long wait, but Australia’s only national stamp show is making its return. The Canberra Stampshow is held every two years, organised by the Canberra Philatelic Society. Browse the exhibitions, pick up some treasures for your collection and explore trade dealers’ stands.
Saturday
Ballad of a White Cow screening and panel discussion
When: 7 September, from 1 pm
Where: National Film and Sound Archive, McCoy Circuit, Acton
Cost: Tickets cost between $17 and $20 and are available via the Film and Sound Archive’s website.
In Ballad of a White Crow, grieving widow and mother Mina must deal with the aftermath of her husband’s execution, grappling with emotional turmoil, strained family relationships, limited financial means – and the arrival of a mysterious stranger. When she discovers her husband’s innocence a year after his death, she decides to search for justice.
The screening will be followed by a discussion on the use of capital punishment, with Associate Professor at Monash University’s Faculty of Law and UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran Mai Sato joined by author and speaker Qin Qin.
Sunday
Tharwa will host family-friendly fun this Sunday. Photo: Tharwa Bush Fair/Facebook.
Tharwa Bush Fair 2024
When: 8 September, 10 am to 2 pm
Where: Tharwa Preschool, 8 North Street, Tharwa
Cost: Gold coin on entry.
Head to Tharwa for some family-friendly fun this weekend! The Bush Fair has been organised to support the Tharwa Preschool, with the entry cost being donated to the P&C. Attendees are able to enjoy stall holders, the famous Tharwa Fair cake stall, local artists, raffles, live bands and much more! Organisers ask that attendees carry cash as internet service is limited.
Want to learn more about EVs? Charge down to World EV Day (see what we did there?) Photo: James Coleman.
World EV Day 2024
When: 8 September, 10 am to 11:30 am
Where: Fyshwick campus, Canberra Institue of Technology, 81 Mildura Street, Fyshwick
Cost: General admission tickets are free and are available via Humanitix.
Have you been thinking about getting an EV for your next car? The ACT Branch of the Australia Electric Vehicle Association (AEVA) is putting on a celebration to mark World EV Day and answer all your questions.
Tuesday
Join fellow female founders for an inspiring panel discussion and networking event. Image: Canberra Innovation Network.
Finding Your Feet: Navigating Imposter Syndrome
When: 10 September, 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm (attendees are asked to arrive at 12:15 pm)
Where: Canberra Innovation Network, Level 5, 1 Moore Street, Civic
Cost: Tickets cost $15 and are available via Eventbrite.
What’s ‘imposter syndrome’ and what does it feel like? How do you tackle it if it creeps in? The Canberra Innovation Network has invited Catherine Carter (founder and director of think-tank Salon Canberra, CEO at DJAS Architecture and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Canberra) and Genevieve Jacobs (CEO of Hands Across Canberra and former Region editor) to discuss the challenges that come with feeling like an impostor, and how they overcame them.
Professors Lisa Given and Anthony Elliott will go head-to-head over the role social media plays in our society. Image: National Library of Australia.
The Great Debate: Does Social Media Unite or Divide Us?
When: 10 September, 6 pm to 7 pm (drinks and canapes served from 5 pm)
Where: National Library of Australia, Parkes Place West, Canberra
Cost: Tickets cost $15 and are available via Humanitix.
Can social media ever bring us together, or will it just tear us apart? Professor Lisa Given and Distinguished Professor Anthony Elliott will tackle this question head-on in a conversation moderated by podcast host and journalist Ginger Gorman. The ticket price includes entry, as well as drinks and canapes from 5 pm before the debate starts at 6 pm.
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