Things to do in Canberra this week (10 – 16 October)

The capital is buzzing with things to see and do as the weather gets nice and warm. We’ve got all the best, with something for everyone to get excited about.

Canberra Theatre Centre is hosting a special production of Pride and Prejudice, flipping the classic tale on its head and infusing it with modern themes.

Windows to the World at Floriade brings cultural performances, food and drink to Commonwealth Park, with representatives from more than a dozen countries across Asia, Africa, the Americas and Europe.

While Newsies Jr at The Street Theatre tells the uplifting tale of turn-of-the-century newsboys and girls during a news strike.

Check out all this and more in our weekly guide, keeping you up to date on the best things to do as Spring takes proper hold.

Multiple Days

The Bloom Lab at the Canberra Centre

When: 10 October to 12 October, 11 am to 2 pm
Where: Centre Court, Canberra Centre
Cost: Free.

The Canberra Centre is holding a fun, free hands-on experience for kids to cap off the school holidays with The Bloom Lab.

Inspired by Floriade, this workshop blends science and art by inviting kids to make their own pinwheels, stitch leaves, brew their own floral scents and add their own touch to a special community artwork – an iconic Canberra bus shelter transformed into a floral piece of art.

Pride & Prejudice

When: Sessions from 15 to 18 October
Where: Canberra Theatre Centre, Civic Square, London Cct, Canberra
Cost: Tickets from $45 to $55, plus transaction fee | Tickets available from Canberra Theatre Centre.

In the plush ballrooms of high society, Mrs Bennet sees too well the value of a strategic union. But her five daughters all have ambitions of their own. Jane and Elizabeth want to marry for love. Mary’s in a goth phase, Lydia’s hot for the local militia, and Kitty is a topic better left untold. With the cost of living rising, and Mr Bennet played by a potted monstera, how will the Bennet family hold onto their precarious position on the property ladder?

Following sell-out seasons, critical acclaim and a slew of awards, Bloomshed returns with a searing social satire dressed as a period drama, wrestling with the function of ‘love’ in the twenty-first century.

This week at the NFSA

When: 10 October to 16 October
Where: Arc Cinema, 1 McCoy Circuit, Acton
Cost: Tickets from $12 to $16 | Book online.

The NFSA is bringing a great lineup of films this week to get excited about.

Friday’s feature is the 1972 musical Cabaret, starring Liza Minnelli as the cabaret singer Sally Bowles, who lives out the last days of the Weimar Republic amidst the looming threat of Nazism on the horizon.

On Saturday, Audrey Hepburn stars in the iconic adaptation of Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s, in which a New York socialite moves from social pleasure to social pleasure, never finding happiness.

Thursday’s feature is Ari Aster’s Midsommar, a cult classic horror film about an American woman who has followed her boyfriend to Sweden for a pagan festival, only to discover that a sinister force lies behind their seemingly innocuous rituals.

Newsies Jnr

When: Sessions from 16 to 19 October
Where: The Street Theatre, 15 Childers St, Canberra ACT 2601
Cost: Tickets from $25 to $44 | Buy tickets now.

A theatrical production inspired by the 1992 Disney film Newsies, Newsies Jnr is loosely based on the New York City newsboys’ strike of 1899, telling an uplifting story with unforgettable characters, outstanding choreography, wonderful songs by Alan Menken and Jack Feldman and a full cast of dedicated performers.

Nolan Unmasked

When: 14 October and 15 October, 10:30 am to 5 pm
Where: Canberra Museum + Gallery, 176 London Cct, Canberra
Cost: Tickets are $5 + booking fee, free for students & CMAG members.

Witness conservators and scientists turn detective as they investigate Nolan’s best-known Kelly paintings with cutting-edge imaging technologies usually reserved for crime labs and medical research. Infrared reflectography and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy will uncover hidden figures, words, and collaged elements unseen by any eyes since Nolan’s own.

This project unites Australia’s leading Nolan scholars to uncover hidden secrets about one of Australia’s most beloved artists.

Among the works under investigation are Kelly and Sgt Kennedy (1946), thought to contain buried newspaper clippings, and Kelly and Horse (1946), which may conceal earlier versions of the outlaw hero. Each scan promises new evidence into Nolan’s creative process during 1946, a pivotal year in the making of his Ned Kelly series.

Timed public sessions will run every half hour across both days, with CMAG staff on hand to guide audiences through the process. With only 25 places per session, tickets are expected to sell out quickly.

Friday

Matthew Kelley Racing Race Day

When: 10 October from 12 pm
Where: Thoroughbred Park, 1 Randwick Road, Lyneham
Cost: General admission is free, packages are available for purchase | Book online.

Spring racing returns to Thoroughbred Park and the Acton Track … and you don’t have to be a ‘racing fan’ to enjoy a day at the races. You’re sure to get swept up in the excitement and the thrill of a great day out.

Food and beverages are available at the Thoroughbred Cafe, the Winning Post Bar and the Black Opal Room (Members). Call 6204 0000 for further information.

Saturday

Windows to the World Showcase at Floriade

When: 11 October
Where: Floriade, Commonwealth Park, Canberra
Cost: Free.

Floriade hosts a series of pop-up displays and performances from all around the world, with Canberra’s various embassies and diplomatic missions putting on a show to celebrate Floriade.

There will be performances, special authentic food and drink, exhibits of traditional clothing and culture. This is a great opportunity to explore the world’s cultures and traditions, all within the comfort of one of Canberra’s most iconic events.

Embassies and High Commissions from the following nations will be represented: Afghanistan, Canada, Costa Rica, Egypt, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Mongolia, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Türkiye, United Arab Emirates, Zambia, Kosovo, and Ecuador.

Sunday

Haig Park Village Markets – School Holiday Edition

When: 12 October, 8 am to 2 pm
Where: Haig Park, Girrahween Street
Cost: Free.

The Haig Village Markets are hosting special school holiday events in addition to their usual lineup of great stalls selling a wide range of locally made food, art, artisan goods, and distilled spirits.

This Sunday, Canberra Snake Rescue will be visiting, giving kids the chance to get up close and personal with local lizards and snakes. Kids will get to ask whatever questions they may have about the scaly creatures that live in the Canberra area, as well as methods they can use to make their garden more lizard-friendly.

There will also be potion-making workshops, where kids can create their own magical brews, letting their creativity run wild. Sessions are at 10 am and 11 am, book online.

In Conversation: Ginninderra Reed Necklace with Catherine Palmer and First Nations artist Maree Clarke

When: 12 October, 11 am to 12:30 pm
Where: The Link, 1 McClymont Way, Strathnairn
Cost: Free | Book online.

Discover the history and cultural significance of the Ginninderra Reed Necklace at The Link with Maree Clarke & Catherine Palmer.

In 1862, a group of Aboriginal girls who grew up near Old Ginninderra carefully crafted a delicate necklace of reeds as a wedding gift for Emma Minnie Palmer, as a gesture of connection and friendship. The reed necklace has been carefully passed down through the family and is now in the possession of Catherine Palmer, the great-great-granddaughter.

More than 160 years later, this remarkable piece – the Ginninderra Reed Necklace – has returned to Canberra on loan, serving as the centrepiece of an exhibition that explores memory, resilience, and cultural survival at the Canberra Museum and Gallery. You’re invited to learn more about this remarkable artefact.

Family Fun Day 2025

When: 12 October, 11 am to 3 pm
Where: Canberra Southern Cross Yacht Club, Lotus Bay, Mariner Pl, Yarralumla
Cost: Free.

Canberra families are invited to enjoy a fantastic day out at the Canberra Southern Cross Club’s Family Fun Day on Sunday, 12 October, from 11 am to 3 pm, held on the lawns of the Yacht Club.

This free community event promises fun for all ages, featuring live music, a variety of delicious food stalls, and numerous activities to keep the kids entertained.

Families can enjoy face painting, footy games with AFL Canberra, and a close-up encounter with the Canberra Reptile Zoo.

Tispy Sundaze at Amici Bar

When: 12 October, 1 pm to 3 pm
Where: Amici Wine Bar + Deli, 27 Northbourne Avenue
Cost: Free to book | Book online.

Tipsy Sundaze at Amici Bar is the best way to celebrate the warmer weather, with a mix of cocktails and live music.

Head in for a relaxed brunch or lunch session, with plenty of cocktails, wine, cheese platters, hand-stretched pizzas and great food from the deli, all to be enjoyed with live music in the background. This week’s artist is the breathtaking Gia Ransome.

‘The World in Harmony’ musical performance

When: 12 October, 2 pm
Where: Australian Centre on China in the World, Fellows Lane, Australian National University, ACT 2601
Cost: Tickets from $5 to $40 | Book online.

The World in Harmony is the theme of this year’s annual concert by the ANU’s Chinese Classical Music Ensemble. The concert will be held on Sunday, 12 October, at the Australian Centre on China in the World at the Australian National University. Tickets can be purchased here.

For more information, contact Carol Keil, president of the Australia-China Friendship Society (ACFS) on 0417 041 148.

Tuesday

Building Defects: Safety & Compliance

When: 14 October, 6 pm to 8:30 pm
Where: The Boathouse, Grevillea Park, Menindee Drive, Barton
Cost: Free | Register here.

An evening for executive committee members and owners to gain free access to a strata specialist lawyer, a remedial building consultant and a strata financier.

First Choice Strata is pleased to host an exclusive event addressing the critical issue of residential building defects in strata schemes.

Bringing together leading experts, this session will deliver clear, practical guidance for executive committees and owners navigating complex defect challenges.

Featuring Chambers Russell Lawyers, Diagnostech and Lannock Strata Finance, this event is designed to equip attendees with the knowledge and tools they need to manage defects proactively and collaboratively while addressing any questions you might have about your own residential strata scheme.

Mapping the Unknown: Cartographers’ strategies for navigating uncertainty at the National Library

When: 14 October, 6 pm to 7 pm
Where: National Library of Australia, Parkes Place
Cost: Free | bookings essential. Book now.

Cartographic historian Chet Van Duzer discusses early modern maps and the methods used by map makers to indicate certainty and uncertainty about the accuracy of their maps at the National Library of Australia.

We tend to trust maps as accurate depictions of the world, and most early modern cartographers are content to benefit from that trust without raising questions about the reliability of their sources. Chet Van Duzer examines several methods that cartographers used from the 15th to the 18th centuries to depart from this convention and indicate to their viewers which parts of their map they were certain about and which they were uncertain about.

Upcoming events

• Live at Lanyon with Canberra Symphony Orchestra 2025 – 18 October
• Dracula at the CTC – 23 October
• Pegasus Riding for the Disabled 50th Anniversary Golden Gala – 25 October
• State of the Territory Business Address – 3 November

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