Antarctica is in the spotlight at the National Museum, with a special talk this week about the impact of climate change on the Southern continent. Photo: National Museum of Australia.
It’s a busy week in Canberra, with a packed schedule of things to see and do in the days to come. Read on for the best markets, events for Father’s Day, film showings, live music, film festivals, talks and much more.
Atticurio Bizarre Market brings a whole lot of weird to Canberra, with a two-day extravaganza of artistic stalls selling art, prints and posters, stained glass, resin decor, as well as upcycled toys, musical instruments, taxidermy, teas, insect displays, fashion and design.
Round 10 of the NRLW season comes to GIO Stadium, pitting our Raiders against the Parramatta Eels.
And Father’s Day is just about here, and we’ve found the best special dinners, buffets, pub lunches and Chinese feasts to show appreciation to the Dad in your life.
All this and everything in between in Canberra this week.
Multiple Days
The weirdest place to be this weekend. Photo: Events Canberra.
Canberra Atticurio Bizarre Market
When: 5 September, 10 am to 4 pm and 6 September, 12 pm to 4 pm
Where: Canberra Epic Showgrounds, 36 Flemington Road, Quokka Pavilion, Lyneham
Cost: Tickets $10 at the door.
Canberra’s weirdest and wildest event is at EPIC Showgrounds, with enough curiosities for everyone.
Don’t miss out on two days of psychics and tarot readers, plants for sale, creative and artistic stalls selling art, prints and posters, stained glass, resin decor, upcycled tours, musical instruments, taxidermy, teas, insect displays, fashion and design.
There will also be plenty of workshops, lucky door prizes, jewellery, handmade candles, chinaware and everything in between. It’d be easier to name the things they won’t have.
Treat Dad to a plate (or a few!) of seafood with Hyatt Hotel’s iconic seafood buffet. Photo: Hyatt Hotel.
Father’s Day across the Capital
When: 6 September and 7 September
Where: Various locations around Canberra
Cost: Ticket prices may vary.
Father’s Day is coming up, which means it’s time to celebrate the Dad in your life. Whether he’s a new Dad, an old Dad, a brother, an uncle or a husband, there are enough events across Canberra for just about every type of Dad.
Treat Dad to a seafood buffet at the Hyatt Hotel, a relaxed pub lunch at the Dock, a breakfast buffet at the Southern Cross Club or a Yum Cha-style banquet. No matter what Dad wants for the big day, you can find it in our main guide to Father’s Day events.
Director David Lynch stars alongside Kyle MacLachlan as FBI agents in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. Image: NFSA.
This Week at the NFSA
When: 4 September to 10 September
Where: Arc Cinema, National Film and Sound Archive, 1 McCoy Circuit, Acton
Cost: Tickets from $15 to $18 | Book online.
It’s an exciting week for film buffs at the NFSA, with a packed schedule of movies sure to excite.
Friday’s film is the neo-noir classic Chinatown, starring Jack Nicholson at the height of his dramatic powers as J.J Gittes, a PI hired by Evelyn Mulwray to investigate her husband, who she believes is having an affair. What Gittes ultimately uncovers is a web of murder, corruption and dirty tricks in the City of Angels.
David Lynch’s cinematic companion piece to his cult classic show Twin Peaks comes to the NFSA this week. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me reveals the final days of Laura Palmer, the slain central character who haunts every scene of Twin Peaks, focusing on the tragedy of Palmer’s death, as opposed to the show’s focus on the identity of her killer.
For a classically French tale of desire, rivalry and suspicion, head to the NFSA on Thursday for a screening of the 1969 Jacques Deray film, La Piscine (The Swimming Pool). Lovers Jean-Paul and Marianne have their Summer holiday disrupted by the sudden arrival of Marianne’s former lover, Harry, and his teenage daughter, turning a glamorous Riviera setting into a tense, unspoken conflict.
Friday
Enjoy some social tennis with Tennis for Resilience every Friday from 4 September! Photo: Tennis ACT.
Tennis for Resilience
When: Friday from 4 September until 23 October, 4:45 pm to 6 pm
Where: Melba Tennis Club & Turner Tennis Club
Cost: Free.
Whether you’ve never picked up a racquet or you’re a regular player, Tennis for Resilience is all about getting active, meeting great people and looking after your mental wellbeing through movement and connection. Equipment is provided, with weekly giveaways, end-of-season prize packs, and a great community atmosphere.
A special night of whiskey at the Yacht Club. Image: Canberra Southern Cross Club.
Corowa Whisky Dinner at the Yacht Club
When: 4 September, 6:30 pm
Where: Canberra Southern Cross Yacht Club, Lotus Bay, 1 Mariner Place, Yarralumla
Cost: $120 Members | $145 Non-Members | Book online.
Head to the Yacht Club for a special evening with the award-winning Corowa Whisky Distilling Co. Enjoy a welcome drink followed by a curated four-course dinner, specially created by Executive Chef Trung Pham and perfectly paired with Corowa’s handcrafted Australian whiskies. Discover the remarkable story behind the iconic heritage flour mill, local Murray River ingredients, and the passion that transformed a $1 dream into one of Australia’s most celebrated distilleries.
Saturday
Vocalist and composer Annaliesa Rose performs with an ensemble at Smith’s this week. Image: Smith’s Alternative.
Annaliesa Rose & the Buds at Smiths Alternative
When: 5 September, 6 pm to 8 pm
Where: Smith’s Alternative, 76 Alinga Street, Civic
Cost: Tickets $15-$20 | Book online.
Annaliesa Rose is an accomplished vocalist and composer who has been making music her whole life, learning initially from her mother, Marjorie Shepheard, and Kerrie Biddell, one of the nation’s most acclaimed jazz singers.
She has performed at venues and festivals around the nation, as well as internationally at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and in the Czech Republic.
Her band, Annaliesa Rose and the Buds, will be performing new and old albums, mixing swing, bossa nova and modern jazz.
Sunday
Pick up some unique gifts this Sunday at the Hartley Hall Markets. Photo: Hartley Hall Markets.
Hartley Hall Markets
When: 6 September, 9 am to 2 pm
Where: Hall Showgrounds, Gladstone St, Hall
Cost: Entry by gold coin donation.
Hartley Hall Markets are held on the first Sunday of the month. Open between 9 am and 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.
This family- and dog-friendly market is proudly organised and operated by Hartley Lifecare to assist people with disability in living their best lives.
The Raiders and the Eels go head-to-head in round 10 of the NRLW season. Image: Ticketek.
Raiders v Parramatta Eels – NRLW
When: 6 September, 6:15 pm
Where: GIO Stadium, Battye Street, Bruce
Cost: Tickets from $15 | Book online.
NRLW is back at GIO this weekend, and the Raiders are tackling the Eels.
Wins in their final two rounds will keep the Raiders in the hunt for a top-four finish and home ground advantage in week one of the six-team finals format.
But don’t bank on an easy two points against the Eels. The blue-and-gold have won two of their last three, despite being humbled by competition heavyweights Brisbane last time up.
So get out to GIO and make some noise – you won’t be disappointed. This is rugby league at its best.
Monday
Professor Tim Entwisle is discussing the diversity of the oak tree at the National Library of Australia on 7 September. Photo: National Library of Australia.
Three Worlds Oak
When: 7 September, 6 pm to 7 pm
Where: National Library of Australia, Parkes Place West, Canberra
Cost: $30 non-members | $25 Friends members | Book online.
Join the Friends of the National Library and the ACT branch of the Australian Garden History Society for their annual joint lecture, as they present Professor Tim Entwisle to discuss the extraordinary diversity of the humble oak.
In Tim Entwisle’s forthcoming Book, Three Worlds Oak, a dying hybrid oak in Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens sets off on a search for its parents, and in doing so reveals the extraordinary diversity of the genus Quercus.
From the Himalaya to Mexico, from knee-high scrub to rainforest giants, more than 400 species of oak shape landscapes, cultures and histories. Their leaves can blaze red and gold, acorns can be the size of a hand, and while only a few cross the equator to the south, others survive in mountains to 4000 metres.
Tim will pepper his presentation with illustrations by his wife (and active AGHS member) Lynda Entwisle, as well as photographs of oaks in their natural settings. Tim wants to remind us there is far more to oaks than the familiar English tree, and to invite us to look anew at some of the world’s most beloved plants.
Tuesday
Violinist Pip Thompson layers acoustic and electric sound at a free concert this week. Photo: Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
Rediscovering Electric and Acoustic Violin
When: 8 September from 2 pm
Where: Ainslie Football & Social Club, 52 Wakefield Ave, Ainslie
Cost: Free | Book online.
Discover the range of sound possibilities when a violinist uses extended techniques on their instrument. Then hear what happens when they layer the sound using amplification and a loop station.
The loop station allows the musician to become a one-person band, creating their own accompaniment for anything from soundscapes to dance tunes.
It’s a great opportunity to watch a master musician combine acoustic and electric sounds in person, all for free. Whether you’re a curious layperson looking to check out how music is made or you’re a musician yourself who wants to learn, this is a great afternoon of musical experimentation.
The Women’s Adventure Film Tour 2026 10 Year Anniversary is screening in Canberra on 8 September. Image: Adventure Entertainment.
Women’s Adventure Film Tour 2026 10 Year Anniversary – Canberra
When: 8 September from 6:30 pm to 9 pm
Where: Capital Brewing, Building 3/1 Dairy Rd, Fyshwick
Cost: Tickets from $17.56 | Book online.
Presented by Mountain Designs – The Women’s Adventure Film Tour returns for its 10th year, and they’re proud to once again share a collection of short films that celebrate remarkable women exploring the world.
From local trails to remote summits, these films go beyond the extreme to spotlight something deeper: courage, connection, and personal challenge. Some stories are quiet. Some are full of grit. All are about what it means to step outside your comfort zone — in your own way.
Curated for audiences of all ages, WAFT 2026 brings together real journeys by women from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures, and sports. Whether it’s a weekend hike or a world-first expedition, this is a film event that invites you to pause, reflect, and feel inspired by the strength of others.
Now screening globally and officially part of Women’s Health Week in Australia, WAFT continues to grow while staying true to its original spirit: sharing stories worth telling — and celebrating every kind of adventure.
Thursday
How will we impact Antarctica in the years to come? Image: Events Canberra.
The Future of Antarctica – Spotlight Conversation at the National Museum
When: 10 September, 6 pm to 8 pm
Where: Gandel Atrium, National Museum of Australia, Lawson Crescent, Acton Peninsula
Cost: Tickets from $10 to $15 | Book online.
Antarctica is in the spotlight at the National Museum, which is celebrating the great white continent with a new exhibition and a series of talks.
This event is about the future of Antarctica, asking important questions about how rising temperatures will affect it and how the choices we make can shape its future.
Talkers on the panel include Associate Professor Will Grant, Dr Jess Melbourne-Thomas from Parks Australia, Rhonda Bartley from the Australian Antarctic Division and Dr Indi Hodgson-Johnson from the University of Tasmania.
Upcoming Events
- UC Open Day 2026 – 12 September.
- Psycho screening with live orchestra – 16 September.
- Comedy Night – 22 September.
- Tilba Festival 2026 – 26 September.
Submit your event here to be considered for our weekly What’s On guide
