Major events

Make sure you are in Canberra for this 12 day celebration of film. See an exceptional selection of feature films and documentaries from around the world plus the best Australian new releases and retrospectives. Passionate talented filmmakers will be around to share their knowledge. Take part in...

Canberra’s ANZAC Day Dawn Service is one of the nation’s most moving ceremonies. Gather with thousands of Australians in the pre-dawn light to commemorate the 97th anniversary of the first military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. Experience the...

The Canberra Festival celebrates Canberra's city, its culture and its people with 17 days of events and activities throughout the ACT region. The Festival celebrates the 99th Birthday as the countdown to the Centenary of Canberra in 2013 continues! Highlights of the Canberra Festival include...

Experience hot air, hot entertainment and hot brekkie! See the Lawns of Old Parliament House fill with a flurry of colour and movement, as giant balloons inflate around iconic attractions and slowly drift into the Canberra sky. The action is not just in the sky. There's live entertainment each...

Join in the celebration of Canberra's sister city relationship with Nara, Japan. Enjoy four hours of free entertainment, delicious Japanese food, cultural activities. The event peaks with a stunning evening display of more than 2000 candles in Canberra's very own Japanese garden, Canberra Nara...

Celebrating Canberra's 99th Birthday, Celebrate in the Park is Canberra's birthday party, and you are invited. Enjoy local and national artists, the kids concert, rides, amusements, activities, art and craft and delicious multicultural cuisine. The flagship event of the Canberra Festival,...

Over four exclusive evenings see Canberra in a whole new light at ENLIGHTEN. Be entertained by spectacular lighting projections and late night openings at 11 world-class attractions. See blockbuster exhibitions combined with live music, outdoor bars and an eclectic array of special performances.

Venues around the Canberra region are turning up the heat this August for the capital's annual celebration of winter - Fireside Festival. Sip on exquisite cool climate wines, taste the delicacies from the region, meet local artists with a passion for their craft, or just relax and warm yourself on

Floriade, Australia's celebration of spring, transforms Canberra's Commonwealth Park into a tapestry of colour every year. Over a million colourful bulbs and annuals bloom on cue, creating a vibrant display unrivalled by any other event of its kind. Enjoy lively entertainment, children's...

Experience spectacularly lit garden beds, live entertainment and bustling night markets at Floriade NightFest. See breathtaking views from the giant ferris wheel and grab a bite to eat and a drink as you wander through Commonwealth Park. Floriade NightFest will serve up five fun-filled evenings....

Visit the reception rooms and grounds of The Governor General's official residence; Government House. Picnic in the grounds and enjoy the entertainment. Entertainment includes Canberra Youth Orchestra, Dynamic Dance Studio, Questacon, Wadjuriechoes, Warehouse Circus, Strange Weather Gospel...

Handwritten: Ten Centuries of Manuscript - Treasures from Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (Berlin State Library) is a major international exhibition exclusive to Canberra. Delivered in association with the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, the exhibition spans more than 1,000 years and features manuscripts,...

The Kamberra Wine Company Black Opal Stakes is Canberra's premiere race day and one of the more important autumn race days on the calendar, contested by top trainers both locally and interstate. The action takes place both on and off the track at Thoroughbred Park. Enter the Myer Fashions on the...

Be there for the screening of the top 12 film finalists and awards ceremony from the Lights! Canberra! Action filmmaking festival. Amateur and professional filmmakers are given the chance to produce films based on a given Canberra theme. Filmmakers only have 10 days to write, cast, shoot, edit...

Join the 20th annual screening of Movie Extra Tropfest! Stage 88 at Commonwealth Park will host the largest Tropfest event outside Sydney, complete with live music and entertainment, plenty of great food and licensed areas and of course the 16 finalist short film entries. The new Reserved Lawn is

Join in the non-stop entertainment at the 46th National Folk Festival over Easter. Take part in a cultural celebration of traditional and contemporary music, dance, poetry and storytelling in the nation's capital. Almost 200 different acts give you a non-stop flow of entertainment across...

Eat, drink, laugh and dance your way around the world at the National Multicultural Festival 2012. Celebrate difference, share traditions and see performances from all parts of the world. There will be comedy, performance art, food and wine stalls, street parties, live music, circus-style acts...

Be at the Australian War Memorial for this important day of remembrance. At 11.00 am on 11 November 1918, the guns of the Western Front fell silent after more than four years of continuous warfare. This year marks the 94th anniversary of the armistice on 11 November. Australians pause to...

This unique exhibition offers audiences an unparalleled chance to see Early and High Renaissance paintings by some of the greatest European artists. Raphael, Botticelli, Bellini and Titian are represented among an amazing gamut of talent and creative splendour. More than 70 works on canvas and...

Symphony in the Park is a highlight of the Canberra Festival. The Canberra Symphony Orchestra (CSO) will perform a range of hits from the world's most popular movies at Stage 88. The "Hollywood Hits" concert will feature Musical Theatre favourites Rachael Beck and Ian Stenlake. This event is the

Cellar doors in the Canberra District come alive with entertainment, food, activities and of course wine tastings during the Wine, Roses and All That Jazz Festival. Sample award-winning reds and whites, indulge in gourmet food, and relax to live music in the vineyards. Take a wine tour and meet