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

Canberra’s the place to be this week, with something for everyone!

The AIS Arena becomes the home of basketball over a five-day extravaganza, with 10 teams from all over the country dunking it out on the court to be top dog.

Sport not your bag? We’ve also got Shakespeare, some opera, classic films and photography.

A shadow puppetry workshop gives kids a chance to craft and create their very own puppet show, unleashing their creativity.

All this and much more is happening across the capital this week, don’t miss out.

Multiple Days

Der Rosenkavalier -Opera at the Street Theatre

When: 23 August 7 pm, 24 August 3 pm, 29 August 7 pm, 30 August 3 pm and 31 August 3 pm
Where: The Street Theatre, 15 Childers St, Canberra
Cost: Tickets from $10 to $55 | Book online.

Canberra’s opera talent is about to take centre stage, with the National Opera’s 2025 season set to spotlight homegrown voices like never before.

Der Rosenkavalier is an emotionally complex story of time and passion by one of Germany’s best composers, Richard Strauss. This new interpretation of the classic opera focuses on the humanity at the centre of the piece, which largely concerns a love triangle.

A worldly noblewoman reflects on the nature of youth when her young lover Octavian falls for another. Each character must navigate the intertwining complex threads and obligations they feel for each other.

Bringing the classic to life with local talent, this is not a performance to be missed.

NBL Blitz

When: 27 August to 31 August,
Where: AIS Arena, 26 Leverrier St, Bruce
Cost: Tickets from $20 to $199 | Book online.

Over a five-day basketball extravaganza, teams from all over the country come to Canberra for 10 games in the AIS Arena. With two games a day, pitting the Bullets, the Kings, the Hawks, the Taipans, the JackJumpers and the Breakers against each other, it’s set to be a heated contest with only one winner able to take the top spot.

Nan Goldin – photography exhibition at the NGA

When: 22 August to 28 August, during regular gallery hours
Where: National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place East, Parkes
Cost: Free.

Goldin’s photography exhibition details the artist’s friends and family in a sort of public diary, showing the daily life of people in and out of New York’s clubs and bars in gritty, personal photos. With its genesis in the 80s, a turbulent time for New York, this exhibition tells the story of a community that lived full lives, while the spectre of the HIV crisis and drug-related illness loomed. The 126 photos are both a record of her community’s difficult past as well as a faithful account of daily life in those days.

Please note that some works in this exhibition contain explicit nudity, sexual acts, drug use and the impacts of violence against women.

This week at the NFSA

When: 22 August to 28 August
Where: Arc Cinema, 1 McCoy Circuit, Acton
Cost: $12 to $16 | Book online.

The NFSA is bringing another schedule of great movies to brighten up your week.

On Friday, a steel family scramble for power in Nazi Germany in Damned, a film exploring power, greed and the complicity of apathy.

Swashbuckling adventure returns to the NFSA on Saturday in the third instalment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise in At World’s End.

Sunday’s feature is 1955’s East of Eden, a film adaptation of John Steinbeck’s 1952 magnum opus family epic starring James Dean. Set in California’s Salinas Valley, East of Eden is a story of biblical proportions, pitting brothers and their progeny against each other in a classic tale of jealousy and love.

Friday

Lakeside at 5: Harry and Imogen Duo

When: 22 August from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Where: Tuggeranong Arts Centre, 137 Reed St N, Greenway
Cost: Entry by donation.

Lakeside at 5 is a popular after-work program of local live jazz at Tuggeranong Arts Centre. Come and relax by Lake Tuggeranong with a glass of wine and enjoy live music by an exciting new double-bass and vocal duo for the August Lakeside at 5 event.

Harrison Whalan and Imogen Blake from the Australian National University School of Music bonded over their shared love of double-bass and vocal ensembles, such as Australian duo Kristen Berardi and Sam Anning, and American singer-songwriter group Lake Street Dive. The two have been performing together for over three years at various venues around Canberra, encapsulating a broad range of genres such as jazz, funk, folk and pop.

Mount Majura Wine Dinner at the Yacht Club

When: 22 August from 6:30 pm
Where: Canberra Southern Cross Yacht Club, Lotus Bay, Mariner Pl, Yarralumla
Cost: $120 Members | $140 Non-members | Tickets available via Canberra Southern Cross Club.

Join the Canberra Southern Cross Yacht Club for an unforgettable night.

Savour a delectable four-course dinner crafted by Chef Bradley Howden, complemented by the exquisite Mount Majura wines from Canberra.

If you’ve never been to a dinner at a Canberra Southern Cross Club, you don’t know what you’re missing – these are events you won’t forget.

Live Band Performance by Cabinet Shuffle Band at The Tradies, Dickson

When: Friday 22 August from 9:30 pm to 12:30 am
Where: The Tradies Dickson, 2 Badham Street, Dickson,
Cost: Free for Members, membership from $4.

If you’re looking for a night of great local tunes, flowing drinks and great pub food, come check out Cabinet Shuffle Band at The Tradies lounge on Friday, 22 August, from 9:30 pm until 12:30 am.

This local Canberra band is guaranteed to get you up on your feet and dancing, capping off the week the right way.

Saturday

Kids Shadow Puppetry Workshop for kids

When: Saturday 23 August from 12 pm
Where: Tuggeranong Arts Centre, 137 Reed St N, Greenway
Cost: $25 per person | Buy tickets.

Watch as your drawings leap to life, off the page and onto the stage.

Come along and explore the world of shadow puppetry with experienced puppeteer, Jenny Ellis. This hands-on workshop will give children the skills to make their own shadow puppet and bring it to life in a puppet show.

Participants will imagine and design their own unique puppet characters, then they’re guided through the process of making their puppets and giving them movement to bring them to life. Children will work together in small groups to create their own shows. With a few tricks of the trade, they will finish with a performance of their own stories on a real shadow puppet stage!

We Don’t Have Time For This: Who Is She?

When: 23 August, 8 pm
Where: Canberra Theatre Centre, Civic Square, London Cct, Canberra
Cost: Tickets from $105.50 to $259.50, plus transaction fee | Tickets available from Canberra Theatre Centre.

After two sold-out national tours, the girls from the hit podcast We Don’t Have Time For This are back with an all-new musical comedy show. Redefining the live podcast experience, Gem and Revz deliver a high-energy night packed with comedy, music and audience interaction. It’s a wild, hilarious, and emotional ride through millennial motherhood, relationships, and what it means to be a woman in 2025.

Expect big laughs, raw honesty, and signature no-filter chats from this dynamic duo as they dive into the chaos of life with kids, friendships, partner drama and more – all set to a killer soundtrack.

Come for the comedy, stay for the sisterhood. This is not just a live show—it’s a shared experience for anyone desperate to get out of the group chat and into a night out.

Wednesday

Romeo & Juliet pop-up performances

When: 27 August, 11 am to 11:30 am
Where: Marble Foyer, Mezzanine Level 1, Australian Parliament House
Cost: Free.

This free pop-up performance brings one of the most compelling stories in the English language to Parliament. Actors Madeline Li and Ryan Hodson from Bell Shakespeare bring Romeo and Juliet to life, performing three iconic scenes from the play without props, allowing the Bard’s writing to shine.

The first meeting, the balcony scene and the lovers’ farewell will be performed twice each, with a short break in between.

Upcoming events

• Bell Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet – 29 August to 7 September
• The Good, the Bad and the Ugly | Screening at the NFSA – 4 September

Submit your event here to be considered for our weekly events guide.