March/April 2010

Canberra Festival offers more than 30 events, including music, art exhibition, performance, film, parade and fireworks.There’s bound to be something for you to enjoy. Signature events including Celebrate in the Park, Indyfest, Balloon Spectacular, and Festival of the Forests. 6-14 March.

Organzied and presented by the Alliance Française, the annual French Film Festival will show you some of the best French movies, classic and modern.

National Folk Festival: Visitors can join in the dancing, singing, poetry debates, and folk & acoustic concerts. Tasmania will be the Featured State in 2010, do watch out for those Tasmanian talents! Exhibition Park, 1-5 April.

25 April is Anzac Day, the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces in the First World War.

May/June/July 2010

Canberra International Music Festival
Experience the power and beauty of music set against the backdrop of the nation’s capital. Enjoy wonderful live music by outstanding performers from around Australia and abroad. 14-23 May.

This mountain bike enduro event puts together the best of what the ACT has to offer in one wild ride! Capital Punishment incorporates tracks from World Cup and Championship host Mt Stromlo, Mont 24 Hours’ Majura Forest, Sparrow Hill, Kowen, Bruce Ridge and Black Mountain.
Various venues, 29 May.

Trooping the Queen’s Colour at Royal Military College, Duntroon. Tour the college while you are there. 6 July.

December 2009

Masterpieces from Paris: An exhibition of some of the most famous works from the Musée d’Orsay by Van Gogh, Lautrec, Gauguin, Cézanne, Monet, Vuillard, and others. National Gallery of Australia, 4 December - 5 April 2010.

January/February 2010

Summernats Car Festival: Unashamedly for the RevHead who has a passion for airbrushed-artwork Street Machines, it attracts crowds from across Australia – typically over 100,000. Noisy, brash and fun. Not green. 7-10 January.

Bridge players will hope to play their cards right at the Canberra Summer Festival of Bridge. Canberra National Convention Centre, 11-25 January.

Cancon is a gaming convention held over 3 days of the Australia Day long weekend at the Exhibition Park. Not geek-free. 23-25 January.

The 2010 National Photographic Portrait Prize exhibition is on at the National Portrait Gallery, 19 February – 26 April.

The Royal Canberra Show is Canberra’s largest event. While having agriculture at its core, the Show has broadened over the years to reflect more entertainment, educational features and exhibitions. Exhibition Park, 26-28 February.

August/September 2010

Escape the cold and indulge yourself with something warm and relaxing at the Fireside Festival, a series of events celebrating winter in and around the ACT including degustation dinners, cooking classes, wine tastings, performances and workshops.

Floriade runs from mid September to mid October. A world-class floral display at the Commonwealth Park, with over one million spectacular flowers in blossom and festive programmes of music and entertainment.

Canberra Festival of One Act Plays. Open to contestants from all over Australia, the Canberra Festival of One Act Plays has become an important stage for amateur theatre companies.

October/November 2010

The Canberra International Film Festival is a 12-day celebration of film with a selection of feature films ranging through dramas to comedies, love stories, documentaries and musicals. There are forums, panel discussions and workshops hosted by film experts willing to share their passion and knowledge.

ACT Queen’s Prize Meeting attracts marksmen from across Australia to participate in this important rifle target shooting event.

Wine, Roses and all that Jazz: Sample award-winning wines and gourmet food, enjoy live music in the vineyards. Treat yourself in a tour of the wineries as they celebrate the art of grape in Canberra.