Things to do in Canberra this week (31 October - 6 November)

There’s a lot to get up to this week in Canberra, with plenty of things to see and do for just about everyone.

The inaugural Golden Oar Regatta brings races, live music, family-friendly activities and heaps of food to the Red Shed. Be there in 2025 for the start of a new Canberra tradition!

The Melbourne Cup is almost here and there are a lot of celebrations going on across Canberra. Whether you want to get dressed up to the nines or just use it as an excuse for a cheeky champagne, we’ve found a venue for you.

All this and more in our weekly guide to the best events to do in Canberra.

Multiple Days

Craft and Design Canberra Open Studios and Organisations Open Day

When: 2 November to 6 November, 9 am to 5 pm
Where: Craft + Design Canberra, 180 London Circuit, Level 1, North Building
Cost: Free.

The Craft and Design Canberra Open Studios Day invites you to step into the world of local creatives, craftspeople, designers and artists to better understand their process.

There are plenty of organisations and artists taking part across Canberra, from North to South, in all sorts of disciplines. This is a great opportunity to gain a greater understanding of an art form or craft you may want to know more about, either for your own interest or to begin your own journey in the discipline. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity this week.

Tasting Australia with Adam Shipp

When: 31 October, 12 pm and 2:30 pm, and 1 November 10 am
Where: National Museum’s Christina and Trevor Kennedy Garden, Lawson Cres, Acton
Cost: Tickets from $25 to $35 | Book online.

This guided walk through the Christina and Trevor Kennedy Garden will show you the plants that have served as medicine and food for Indigenous Australians for thousands of years. The program will begin with a guided tour by Adam Shipp, a Wiradjuri man of Yurbay Consultancies and a passionate advocate for bush foods. The event will finish with a tasting of some bush foods. It’s a unique way to learn about Australia’s culinary history and how native foods were discovered and consumed over time.

Golden Oar Regatta

When: 1 November, 9 am to 7 pm and 2 November, 8 am to 5 pm
Where: Red Shed, 41 John Cardiff, Acton
Cost: Free entry.

The inaugural Golden Oar Regatta is set to begin a tradition in Canberra’s sports and events calendar.

Over two days, the Red Shed on Lake Burley Griffin will host a range of competitions and sporting events, including 1500 m rowing races, 3 k time trials, sprints and pro-am dashes, as well as more casual races such as cardboard boat events and warm-ups.

There will also be plenty of events for non-rowers, as the event organisers seek to turn rowing into a spectator sport. Over the weekend, there will be DJs, discos, lunches, buffets, face painting for kids, bar service, kids’ activities, and more. Don’t miss out on the first Golden Oar Regatta.

Saturday

Day of the Dead at Dickson Taphouse

When: 1 November, 4 pm
Where: Dickson Taphouse, 30 Wolley St, Dickson
Cost: Free entry | Find out more.

Head to the Dickson Taphouse to celebrate the Day of the Dead. There will be Chilli Boy Marg Cerveza on tap, $16 margaritas all night, cocktail specials, tapas and shared plates to pair with drinks, and live music to keep the party going all night.

6-Week Short Course: Lights, Camera, Animation at Tuggeranong Arts Centre

When: Saturdays 2 pm to 4 pm, 1 November to 6 December 2025
Where: Tuggeranong Arts Centre, 137 Reed Street North
Tickets: $280 per person | Book now.

Join award-winning Canberra-based artists and designers Eleanor and Giovanni to make your own animation! Eleanor and Giovanni will guide you through an exploration of the world of claymation and stop-motion, as well as share specialised techniques in the creation of your own scenes and characters.

Ages 15+ and all skill levels are welcome. All materials will be provided.

Sunday

Hartley Hall Markets

When: 2 November, 9 am to 2 pm
Where: Hall Showgrounds
Cost: Gold coin donation on entry.

The Hartley Hall Markets, organised by Hartley Lifecare, are one of Australia’s largest home-made and home-grown goods markets.

Held on the first Sunday of the month, the Hartley Hall Markets are open from 9 am to 2 pm. You will find stalls offering a variety of products, including food, locally grown vegetables and fresh produce, baked goods, plants, furniture, clothing, pottery, children’s toys, arts and crafts, unique gifts and more.

Stroll among the trees, stay for lunch and enjoy the fresh air, live entertainment and children’s activities.

Hit n’ Miss Drummers at Dairy Road Play Day

When: 2 November, 12 pm to 4 pm
Where: Dairy Road, 1 Dairy Road, Fyshwick
Cost: Free.

Play Day at Dairy Road is a fun, family-friendly afternoon, inviting families to come and sit in their gardens and have a good time. It’s a great day for kids, thanks to building props around the grounds and the garden water features.

This Sunday’s Play Day will feature a fun drumming group bringing West African rhythms to life, giving visitors the chance to dance and play along under the guidance of an enthusiastic teacher.

Tuesday

Melbourne Cup Day in Canberra

When: 4 November, various times throughout the day
Where: Various locations depending on the event
Cost: Various prices depending on the event.

There are plenty of events across Canberra to celebrate the Melbourne Cup – whether you follow every race or just the big one, it’s a community event that’s guaranteed to get your heart racing.

Across the entire capital and ranging across different budget points, there’s bound to be somewhere hosting your kind of celebration, from a live grill and bottomless Spritzes at the Hyatt, to three-hour food and beverage packages with free-flowing champagne at Midnight Bar, to more laid-back events at your local Southern Cross Club, we’ve got something to suit.

Wednesday

Book launch: The Shortest History of Australia

When: 5 November, 6 pm to 8 pm
Where: National Library of Australia, Parkes Place, Canberra
Cost: Free | Bookings essential.

Mark McKenna sits down with Frank Bongiorno to discuss Mark’s new book and how it came together at the National Library of Australia.

In The Shortest History of Australia, Mark McKenna offers a compelling new version of our national story. This is a modern Australia permeated by First Nations history; a multicultural society with an island mindset; a continent of epic beauty and extreme natural events; a country obsessed by war abroad but blind to its founding war at home; and a thriving nation-state still to realise its political independence.

McKenna’s wise and humane history reveals the surprising in the familiar, and reframes the past so we can see the present more clearly.

Power and Vision: Australia and the South Pacific Commission

When: 6 November, 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
Where: National Library of Australia, Parkes Place, Canberra
Cost: Free | Bookings essential.

Join 2025 National Library of Australia Fellow, Dr Alexis Bergantz, to discuss his recent Fellowship research focused on the history of the South Pacific Commission.

In 1947, Australia helped establish the South Pacific Commission (SPC, now the Pacific Community) to promote cooperation and improve the welfare of Pacific peoples. Based in Noumea, it was the first body to bring together colonial powers and later, Pacific Islander voices, yet its history is little known in Australia.

Dr Bergantz’s research draws on the archives of diplomat William Douglass Forsyth, a founding figure of the SPC, to uncover the political and personal struggles involving Australia, France, and Indigenous leaders that shaped the organisation and contemporary vision of today’s Blue Pacific.

Upcoming events

• Mary Beard at the Canberra Theatre Centre – 8 November.
• Stromlo Running Festival – SRF30 – 15 November
• Shakespeare on the move: Gold rush to Great War at the National Library – 18 November

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