Test out your glass-blowing skills at the Canberra Glassworks. Photo: Visit Canberra.
There’s so much to see and do in the Canberra area this week for kids, adults and families alike.
For an out-of-this-world scientific experience, head to the Canberra Museum + Gallery for its Outer Space: Stromlo to the Stars exhibition, which tells the fascinating stories of wartime resilience and astronomic discovery central to the Stromlo Observatory.
If you’re looking to try a new art, craft or hobby, the Canberra Glassworks has a vase class this weekend, giving visitors a chance to forge their own glass creation.
You’ll be spoiled for sport, with the GWS Giants taking on Port Adelaide in the AFL at Manuka Oval and the Raiders back home tackling the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
And for two full evenings of fun and family activities this long weekend, head to Queanbeyan for the WinterMarkets, featuring stalls, rides, prizes and heaps of live entertainment.
Check out what’s happening on the long weekend and beyond.
Multiple Days
Your kids will find lots of art inspiration at the NPG. Photo: National Portrait Gallery.
Art Cart at the National Portrait Gallery
When: 6 June to 12 June, 10 am to 4:30 pm
Where: National Portrait Gallery 2025, King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Cost: Free.
Head to the National Portrait Gallery for free creative activities for kids, inspired by artist Thom Roberts and his exhibition The Immersive World of Thom Roberts.
Young artists can then turn that inspirational spark into something greater in the gallery’s creative space, where they will have the tools and the materials to craft their own pieces. It’s a great way to prod a young mind towards something artistic in a fun, open and free space.
Dive into the fascinating history of Mount Stromlo in the Outer Space: Stromlo to the Stars exhibition. Image: Canberra Museum + Gallery.
Outer Space: Stromlo to the Stars
When: 6 June to 12 June, 10 am to 4 pm
Where: Canberra Museum + Gallery, 176 London Circuit, Canberra
Cost: Free entry, no booking required.
Canberra’s Mount Stromlo Observatory has been at the forefront of astronomical discoveries for a century and you can explore its incredible story at the Outer Space: Stromlo to the Stars exhibition at Canberra Museum + Gallery.
From wartime resilience to Nobel Prize-winning research, dive into Mount Stromlo’s fascinating history through interactive displays, rare artefacts and inspiring stories.
It’s a journey perfect for all ages – fun for the kids and captivating for adults.
Make a statement piece or a practical memento of your brief time as a glassworker. Photo: Visit Canberra.
Make your own vase or tumbler at Canberra Glassworks
When: 7 and 8 June, 10 am to 4 pm
Where: Canberra Glassworks, 11 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston
Cost: Tickets $220. Book online.
Blow your own glass vase or tumbler at the Canberra Glassworks during its weekend amateur glassblowing experience.
A skilled instructor will guide participants through the glassblowing process, offering all the tips and tricks they need to craft their own vase or tumbler, perfect as a gift or just as a conversation piece.
But if vases don’t excite you, there is also the Make Your Own Bird class where participants can craft a small glass bird.
An evening of family fun over the long weekend at the Queanbeyan WinterMarkets. Image: Aussie NightMarkets.
Queanbeyan WinterMarkets
When: 6 June, 5 pm to 10 pm; 7 June, 4 pm to 10 pm
Where: Queanbeyan Showground, Glebe Avenue, Queanbeyan
Cost: $2 coin entry at the gate.
Celebrate all things winter at the Queanbeyan night markets, a two-day community event.
There’s plenty for kids and adults alike with food and retail stalls, desserts and sweets, rides and games, music until late, live entertainment, prize giveaways and more.
Enjoy the sights, flavours and sounds of Queanbeyan with a healthy dose of community spirit to boot.
Let your kids reconnect with the natural world at the National Arboretum. Photo: National Arboretum.
Nature play at the Arboretum
When: 6 and 9 June, 10 am to noon
Where: National Arboretum Canberra, Forest Drive, Molonglo
Cost: Tickets $15. Book online.
Nature Play at the Arboretum is a twice-weekly session giving kids the chance to get together and play in a beautiful leafy space.
Offering a unique, natural approach to development, the sessions give kids a space to connect to nature and each other while building confidence, consciousness and a sense of connection to the natural world.
Studies show that when kids interact with outdoor environments, they become calmer, more focused and develop sharper sensory awareness.
Friday
Catch 1927 at the Southern Cross Club. Photo: Canberra Southern Cross Club.
1927 at the Canberra Southern Cross Club, Woden
When: 6 June, 6 pm
Where: Canberra Southern Cross, Woden
Cost: Dinner and show 6 pm $94 | Show only 8 pm $49. Tickets available via Canberra Southern Cross Club.
Known for enduring hits such as That’s When I Think of You, Compulsory Hero, Don’t Forget Me and of course, If I Could, 1927 made a rocking entry into the music world with quintuple platinum “…Ish” in 1988, which earned the band a number of ARIA awards as well as a lot of fans along the way.
Having followed up “…Ish” with the multi-platinum second album “The Otherside”, a self-titled third album and countless live shows at home and abroad, the last couple of decades has earned 1927 legendary status.
Three musical genres from three renowned artists. Photo: The Street Theatre.
Baroque, Brazil and Beyond – Instrumental performance
When: 6 June, 7:30 pm
Where: 15 Childers Street, City
Cost: Standard tickets $59 | Concession tickets $55. Book online.
Three renowned musicians, Slava and Sharon Grigoryan and flautist Jane Rutter perform a very special concert at the Hume Conservatorium for one night only.
Covering the genres of baroque, South American and contemporary music, this concert is a great chance to see three virtuosos showing off their skills in various disciplines.
From Handel, to Vivaldi, Granados and Piazzolla to more modern music, the concert shines a light on beloved classics as well as presenting new music.
Saturday
Head to Manuka Oval for a night of AFL. Image: Ticketek Australia.
GWS Giants v Port Adelaide Power
When: 7 June, 7:35 pm
Where: Manuka Oval, Manuka Circle, Griffith
Cost: Tickets from $27 to $88. Book online.
Round 13 of the AFL season pitts the Giants against Port Adelaide for a night of glory on the field.
With key players in top form, the Giants are aiming to continue their climb up the ladder, but first, they’ve got to beat Port Adelaide.
Head to The Durham on the first and third Saturday of each month to try your vocals at karaoke. Image: The Durham.
Karaoke with Mitch
When: 7 June, from 9 pm
Where: The Durham, 52 Jardine Street, Kingston
Cost: Free.
The Durham hosts regular karaoke nights with Mitch and everyone’s invited.
Find your best song and belt it out on stage (or with a friend).
Sunday
The Raiders go head to head with the Rabbitohs on Sunday. Photo: Jaye Grieshaber.
Canberra Raiders v South Sydney Rabbitohs
When: 8 June, 2 pm
Where: GIO Stadium, Battye Street, Bruce
Cost: Tickets from $35 to $65. Book online.
After a few weeks away, the green machine is back in town and raring for a contest. This Sunday the Raiders take on the embattled South Sydney Rabbitohs in an afternoon game sure to make your long weekend that little bit more exciting.
Upcoming events
- Carmen – The Australian Ballet – 20 June.
- Bubbly & Bites in the Patio at Canberra Southern Cross Club Woden – 22 June
Submit your event here to be considered for our weekly events guide.
