Things to do in Canberra this week (23 - 29 May)

There’s so much happening in Canberra in the next few days, from art shows to jewel and gem extravaganzas, special dinners and live music. If you’re looking ahead at a few free days or an empty weekend, we have some great options for you, no matter what you love.

Multiple Days

Arum – Glasswork art exhibition

When: 23 May to 25 May, 10 am to 4 pm
Where: Canberra Glassworks, 11 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston
Cost: Free.

This art exhibition from Sydney-based designer Tom Fereday focuses on the origins and transformation of raw material into glass. Fereday creates unique designs from an earnest inquiry into the purpose of objects and the exploration of principles of design in fields like furniture and lighting. Design language is an important part of this exhibition, which seeks to unify construction and form through fascinating objects that have a life of their own.

Bricks at Woden School

When: 25 May from 9 am to 4 pm and 26 May from 9 am to 2 pm
Where: The Woden School, 127 Denison St, Deakin
Cost: Children’s tickets are $5; adult tickets are $10; family tickets are $20. Book online for more details. Tickets are also available at the gate.

Canberra’s special-needs high school is celebrating 50 years of operation and is marking that momentous occasion with Lego.

The campus’s halls will be chock-full of Lego displays and dioramas from more than 50 Lego creators. There will also be cosplayers and a room for attendees to make their own Lego masterpieces.

In addition, the event will feature a sausage sizzle, a cake stall and coffee stall to help fund the school in its vital mission of providing a safe educational space for special-needs children.

Canberra Winter Gem & Mineral Show

When: 24 May from 10 am to 5 pm and 25 May from 10 am to 4 pm
Where: Mallee Pavilion, EPIC (Exhibition Park off the Federal Highway), Canberra
Cost: Children’s; concession tickets $5; adult tickets $8; family tickets $12.

Head to Exhibition Park this weekend for two full days of all that glitters.

Dealers will be selling jewellery, rough/cut gemstones, opals, rocks, minerals and even fossils, in addition to stunning displays of collections of gems and minerals and demonstrations of cabbing, faceting and jewellery making.

Friday

Moppity Wine Dinner at Canberra Southern Cross Yacht Club

When: 23 May, 6:30 pm
Where: Canberra Southern Cross Yacht Club, Lotus Bay, Mariner Pl, Yarralumla
Cost: $110 per person. Tickets are available via Canberra Southern Cross Club.

If you were lucky enough to score a ticket to last week’s Chef’s Signature Dinner at the Southern Cross Club in Woden, you probably can’t wait to experience more from the Southern Cross Group. And here’s your chance … Experience an unforgettable evening as you enjoy a four-course dinner crafted by executive chef, Bradley Howden.

Each dish will be complemented by fine wines sourced from Moppity Vineyards.

Charm Of Finches

When: 23 May, 7:30 pm
Where: The Street Theatre, 15 Childers St, City West
Cost: Standard tickets $29 + fees. Book online.

Sisterly folk duo Charm of Finches bring songs from their latest album to Canberra with a one-night performance at The Street Theatre. Known for their soaring emotional musical highs and deep melancholy lows, the pair specialise in a unique sound that brings the audience into a rich, strange world.

The pair are an undeniable folk sensation, having won the Australian Folk Music Best Folk Album of 2022 Award and being nominated twice for the Australian Music Prize.

Saturday

Events around the Capital for World Bee Day

When: 24 May, various times throughout the day
Where: Various locations, event dependent
Cost: Free.

Just in case you didn’t know, World Bee Day is just around the corner, and there are plenty of ways to celebrate our buzzing buddies all across Canberra.

The Capital Region Farmers Market at Exhibition Park, from 7 am to 11:30 am, invites the public to meet a beekeeper and sample tasty honeyed treats. There will also be entertainment and art for kids, face painting, music and a large mural which kids can contribute to.

B.Fair, hosted by the embassies of Belgium and Slovenia, is a fun day entirely dedicated to bees and the wonderful things that they do. Guests are invited to celebrate with guided tours, food and drinks, embassy booths with goodies, a kids village and a raffle with heaps of great prizes. This event takes place from 11 am to 3 pm at the Belgian Embassy on 19 Arkana Street in Yarralumla.

Head to the ANU Cultural Centre from 5 pm to 7 pm for a special joint screening between the ANU Film Group and Canberra Region Beekeepers of The Pollinators, a special film about the vital role that bees play in the ecosystem and the challenges facing them, as well as the beekeepers who love them. The documentary has interviews with farmers, scientists, academics and even chefs to highlight the importance of bees as pollinators.

Saturday Salon: Ben Hoadley The Bassoon

When: 24 May, 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm
Where: Tuggeranong Arts Centre, 137 Reed Street North
Cost: Tickets from $20 to $25. Book online.

Join CSO bassoonist Ben Hoadley as he charts a journey through the fascinating history of the bassoon – the deepest member of the woodwind family.

Ben is the next feature artist in Tuggeranong Arts Centre’s Saturday Salon series. This charming Saturday afternoon music series showcases a solo instrument and invites people to stay for afternoon tea and chat with the artists.

Explore the instrument’s rich and dynamic repertoire through a presentation of works from the Renaissance and classical periods, alongside a program of present pieces by Canberra composers Larry Sitsky and Sally Whitwell, as well as several of Hoadley’s compositions.

Sunday

Million Paws Walk

When: 25 May, 9 am to 2 pm
Where: Patrick White Lawns, Queen Elizabeth Terrace, Parkes
Cost: Child and concession $6; adult $10; family of four, $24. Tickets are available via Million Paws Walk.

Bring your family and furry friends to the Patrick White Lawns for a fun-filled walk to help raise funds for animals in need.

Registration opens at 9 am, and the walk will step off at 11 am. After the walk, stick around to enjoy food, music, retail stalls, prizes and more. It’s a day of fun, friendship and fundraising you won’t want to miss.

Styling Workshop with Kimberley Hunt

When: Sunday 25 May, 2 pm
Where: Dickson Tradies, 2 Badham Street, Dickson
Cost: Free for Tradies members. Not a member? Sign up today.

Ready to retire the “what do I even wear?” panic? Join personal stylist Kimberley Hunt for a relaxed and practical workshop that’ll help refresh your style, boost your confidence, and make getting dressed way more fun.

Psychology of Serial Killers

When: 25 May, 6 pm
Where: Canberra Theatre Centre, Civic Square, London Circuit, Canberra
Cost: Tickets from $79.90 to $149.90, plus transaction fee. Book online.

Get ready for a chilling and captivating live experience as The Psychology of Serial Killers makes its way to Australia in 2025.

This unmissable event delves deep into the minds of the world’s most notorious murderers, exploring the darkest corners of human psychology.

Presented by renowned forensic psychologist Dr Rachel Toles, this 90-minute masterclass will uncover the shocking truths behind serial killers and the psychology that drives them to commit unimaginable crimes.

Tuesday

Life Behind the Lens at the National Library

When: Tuesday, 27 May 2025 from 6 pm to 7:15 pm
Where: National Library of Australia, Parkes Place West
Cost: Free, but bookings are essential. Tickets are available through the National Library of Australia.

Join veteran photojournalist Mike Bowers in conversation with two of Australia’s greatest photographers, Lorrie Graham and Rick Stevens, as they lift the curtain on their profession at the National Library of Australia.

Together, they will discuss the field of photojournalism, its past, present and future, and why photography remains a key part of making history.

This event is held in support of the library’s exhibition Fit to Print: Defining Moments from the Fairfax Photo Archive, selected by Mike Bowers.

Watch online on the library’s YouTube channel.

Wednesday

Mosaique x Les Bistronomes Wine Dinner

When: 28 May, 6 pm start for 6:30 pm dinner – only one sitting available
Where: Les Bistronomes, 18 Blamey Place, Campbell
Cost: $180 per person, inclusive of matched wines. Bookings essential.

Join Les Bistronomes for their Mosaique wine dinner on Wednesday, 28 May, from 6:30 pm.

Tom from Mosaique Wines will be there to talk about the wines, and Les Bistronomes has created a menu to match the wines.

Menu

• Le trio d’amuse-bouche – paired with NV Clotilde Davenne Crémant de Bourgogne Pinot noir Chardonnay
  • Smoked trout mousse, lemon gel, tartelette
  • Goat’s cheese boursin, beetroot macaron
  • Duck liver parfait, cherry gel, grilled brioche
• Le croque-monsieur aux crevettes – paired with 2023 Chablis Clotilde Davenne Chardonnay, 2019 Domaine Bonnardot “En Cheignot” Hautes Côtes de Beaune Chardonnay
  • Prawn and scallop mousse croque-monsieur
  • Citrus and avocado salad, prawn head emulsion
• Le duo de canards – paired with 2021 Domaine Louis Chenu & Filles Ier Cru “Les Talmettes” Savigny Les Beaune Pinot noir, 2015 Sarnin Berrux Beaune Pinot noir
  • Roast duck breast, confit duck leg raviole
  • Pine mushroom, duck jus
• Le tarte tatin – paired with 2012-2022 ‘Pineau, Elevage Oxidatif’ Frederic Bourgoin Pineau Des Charentes Fortified Ugni blanc
  • Caramelised apple upside-down tart
  • Pommeau de Normandie ice cream.

Best spots in Canberra to watch the State of Origin

When: 28 May, 8:00 pm
Cost: Free.

The eternal contest between the Maroons and the Blues is here again, and there are plenty of spots to catch all the excitement – here are just a few …

• Canberra Southern Cross Club Woden
• The Dock Kingston
• The Old Canberra Inn
• Dickson Taphouse.

Upcoming events

• Ben Hur | Screening at the NFSA – 31 May.
• 1984 Play at the Canberra Theatre Centre – 5 June.

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