Canberra Events calendar March — May 2013
FOUR BEAUTIFUL SEASONS TWELVE FANTASTIC MONTHS ONE VERY BIG YEAR
Background: National Portrait Gallery, artwork created by Racket developed for ENLIGHTEN 2012, with the support of The Electric Canvas.
Join in the celebration of a century It’s festival time in the nation’s capital as the city celebrates its 100th birthday in style. Choose from a diverse offering of events and activities set against a backdrop of stunning autumn hues.
Concert at the National Museum of Australia, ENLIGHTEN: See Canberra in a whole new light
CANBERRA’S BIG BIRTHDAY WEEKEND
ENLIGHTEN SHINES A LIGHT ON THE CAPITAL
8 –12 M A R C H
1–9 MARCH
A massive program over five days includes old favourites such as the Lights! Canberra! Action! short film festival, the 10 day annual Canberra Balloon Spectacular and ENLIGHTEN in addition to a mix of events ranging from a roaring twenties gig to an open air screening of historic Canberra footage shot by renowned early filmmaker Raymond Longford. There’s also a rally of pre 1918 vehicles, and the running of the Kamberra Wine Company Black Opal Stakes and ACTTAB Canberra Centenary Cup Race Day.
See Canberra in a different light when many of the city’s national attractions open their doors after-hours to host exclusive events and surprising experiences. The whole family can enjoy free and ticketed events such as blockbuster exhibitions and rare films, intriguing live music and performances, stand-up comedy, thrilling tours into the depths of our national attractions, exclusive dining experiences and more.
The actual 100th birthday extravaganza takes place on the ACT public holiday on Monday 11 March. From midday create giant words on the north side of the lake with the Canberra... in so many Words interactive event. In the afternoon, toast the Centenary at the longest bubbly bars in the world, accompanied by tapas, along Lake Burley Griffin. From 4pm at various spots around Lake Burley Griffin you can relax to the reformed Canberra bands including the church, Falling Joys and the Cashews, folk and blues musicians, see Indigenous performances and a variety of musical styles at the Symphony Stage in front of Old Parliament House. Later that evening hear the world premiere of composer Andrew Schultz’s Symphony Number 3 – Century. The day draws to a close with a fireworks finale and gourmet food and wine stalls on the Reconciliation Place lawns near the National Portrait Gallery. The official birthday, Tuesday 12 March, sees a number of celebratory events including a Canberra Day toast across the city at 11am, a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of Canberra’s official naming ceremony at the Foundation Stone in front of Parliament House, quirky Parties at the Shops events as well as the presentation of medallions to people who have lived 50 years or more in Canberra among many other events! canberra100.com.au
Slip on a high-vis vest and groove to live jazz in the Royal Australian Mint’s high security basement; be transported to the Parisian streets of the Belle Époque through live music and performance, French-inspired refreshments and late viewings of Toulouse-Lautrec: Paris & the Moulin Rouge at the National Gallery or Australia; get your pulse racing on an Evening Animal Tour at the National Zoo & Aquarium; hear the ancient chants of Central Australia’s Kungkarangkalpa: Seven Sisters Songline fill the night under the stars at the National Museum of Australia; or chill out at the National Library of Australia’s Red Letter Lounge – a chic speakeasy bar with live jazz. Set against stunning architectural projections on some of Australia’s most iconic buildings, free entertainment in the Parliamentary Triangle will create an edgy atmosphere with everything from a whacky hairdressing show direct from the streets of Barcelona to sublime cabaret in the Famous Spiegel Garden and a rock-reggae concert by Indigenous musicians including the Bart Willoughby Band. enlightencanberra.com
Front cover: National Portrait Gallery, The strength, artwork created by Racket, developed for ENLIGHTEN 2012, with the support of The Electric Canvas
STEP BACK IN TIME Coinciding with Canberra’s birthday celebrations is the nostalgia-filled Glorious days: Australia 1913 at the National Museum of Australia from 7 March to 13 October. You’ll be transported back in time 100 years to explore the fashion, cars, design and ideas that expressed the nation’s dreams before the world changed forever. nma.gov.au Complementing Glorious Days is the National Library of Australia’s The Dream of a Century: The Griffins in Australia’s Capital (8 March to 10 June). Canberra’s original designers, Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin produced the winning entry to design the new capital, moving from Chicago to Australia in 1914. Browse materials drawn from the office records of the couple’s practice in the USA, Australia and India. nla.gov.au
CANBERRA DISTRICT WINE HARVEST FESTIVAL
The Australian Ballet presents Symmetries, Études, Photography Georges Antoni
6–7 APRIL
Celebrate autumn in the vineyards surrounded by the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of harvest. Engage your senses with special wine tastings, talks or watch wine making demonstrations. Enjoy live music and challenge your tastebuds with food and wine matching at over 30 cellar doors. canberrawines.com.au
RUGBY LEAGUE TEST: AUSTRALIA VS NEW ZEALAND 19 APRIL
Don’t miss this compelling Anzac test match between the best players in rugby league at Canberra Stadium. See Australia take on the world champions, New Zealand—another first for the national capital in its Centenary year. tickeket.com.au
OPEN DAYS AT TWO BIG ATTRACTIONS Tanks, planes, guns and bands will be on show for the Australian War Memorial’s first open day in six years on 6 April. Go on a behind-thescenes tour conducted by a curator, see rare military vehicles and equipment on display and enjoy a spectacular air show featuring aircraft both past and present. awm.gov.au On 28 April the Australian Institute of Sport’s open day showcases the cutting edge sports science department that is normally out of bounds to the public. Find out what it takes to become an elite athlete in this behind-the-scenes tour that also includes the residences and the interactive Sportex exhibition. ausport.gov.au
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec La Goulue at the Moulin Rouge (detail), 1891–92, NGA
THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET PRESENTS SYMMETRIES 2 3 – 2 5 M AY
How do you make a ballet about Parliament House? Garry Stewart, artistic director of Australian Dance Theatre, answers the question with Monument, his Centenary tribute to one of Australia’s greatest monuments making its world premiere in Canberra. The second part of Symmetries – Études showcases the growth of ballet technique. canberratheatrecentre.com.au
FINAL WEEKS OF TOULOUSE-LAUTREC RETROSPECTIVE
Canberra Balloon Spectacular
The National Gallery of Australia’s current blockbuster exhibition, Toulouse-Lautrec: Paris & The Moulin Rouge, closes on 2 April. The exclusive to Canberra exhibition features more than 100 paintings, posters, prints and drawings of Parisian cafe society, the high and low life of Bohemian Paris and famous dance halls such as the Moulin Rouge. The exhibition is open until 7pm on Friday and Saturday nights, with the Sculpture Garden, in association with Veuve Clicquot, also open on a Friday night. Tickets are available from ticketek.com and the Canberra and Region Visitors Centre at 330 Northbourne Avenue. A
HUMAN BROCHURE Want to know what fellow travellers think of their capital? We’ve invited 500 people to visit the capital and tweet, blog, post and photograph their experience. Canberra in the words of the people — follow it on humanbrochure.com.au including live feeds over the weekend of 15 to 17 February.
Anzac Test: Australia vs New Zealand at Eden Park, 20 April 2012, Photography nrlphotos.com
What’s on WHAT’S ON THROUGHOUT AUTUMN 13 22 81 nationalarboretum.act. gov.au
NATIONAL ARBORETUM CANBERRA TUGGERANONG PARKWAY
02 6243 4211 awm.gov.au
AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL REMEMBER ME: THE LOST DIGGERS OF VIGNACOURT
Canberra’s newest outdoor tourist attraction celebrates the Centenary of Canberra and features different types of threatened and symbolic trees from around Australia and the world. The design models Walter Burley Griffin’s vision allowing long views to the lake and distant landscapes. Enjoy the children’s playground (opens May), visitor centre, cafe and bonsai pavilion.
Discover these poignant images of Australian First World War soldiers in informal settings. In 2011, the glass plate negatives were found in the attic of a farmhouse in the French town of Vignacourt.
LONG TAN CROSS Soldier of the 20th Battalion, 2nd Australian Division, October–November 1918, courtesy Kerry Stokes Collection, The Louis and Antoinette Thuillier Collection, AWM
See the original Long Tan cross for the first time in Australia. The battle of Long Tan in 1966 symbolises our involvement in the Vietnam War when a vastly outnumbered Australian force held their own against the Viet Cong. 02 6262 1111 nla.gov.au
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA TREASURES GALLERY Browse new additions including Harold Cazneaux’s 1930 Arch in the sky image of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Conrad Martens’ 1843 View of Fort Street and the North Shore, Augustus Earle’s 1830s Waterfall in Australia and Elizabeth Gould’s A century of birds from the Himalaya Mountains.
02 6270 2800 questacon.edu.au
QUESTACON — THE NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTRE DEEP OCEANS Dive in and uncover the secrets of the world’s largest habitat as the strange and rarely seen creatures of the deep are revealed.
02 6270 8222 moadoph.gov.au
MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIAN DEMOCRACY AT OLD PARLIAMENT HOUSE ART IS A WEAPON Explore how the Eureka Stockade and Southern Cross flag and iconography have been used by causes of all political flavours.
Deep Oceans, Questacon — The National Science and Technology Centre
DESIGNING DEMOCRACY See a fragment of the Berlin Wall, a first edition (1792) of A vindication of the rights of woman and George Washington’s writing set.
BEHIND THE LINES 2012 Look at the highs and lows of the political year that was with wit and wisdom through the eyes of Australia’s best political cartoons. 02 6208 5000 nma.gov.au
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA WARAKURNA: ALL THE STORIES GOT INTO OUR MINDS AND EYES Discover the new art movement emerging from the Western Desert community of Warakurna which uses a figurative style showing everyday life and people.
David Pope launches Behind the Lines 2012, MOAD
02 6240 6411 nga.gov.au
NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA KASTOM: ARTS OF VANUATU Vanuatu is very different from other Pacific nations. Traditional practices, better known as Kastom, remain strong even after a century of dual colonial religious influences.
STARS IN THE RIVER: THE PRINTS OF JESSIE TRAILL See sublime aquatints of the natural landscape to her major series documenting the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. 02 6202 6999 ramint.gov.au
The Griffin plan for Canberra, 1911 (detail). NAA: A710,38, Design 29, NAA
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN MINT MINT CONDITION Visit the Mint — it makes cents. Discover how coins are made, see the robots in action and learn the history of coins all on a visit to the Mint!
02 6214 1010 ausport.gov.au/tours
AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF SPORT SCIENCE OF SUCCESS Ever wondered how Australian champions get that winning edge? Visit Sportex to find out about the secret technology developed by the Sports Science Sports Medicine department.
02 6212 3600 naa.gov.au
NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA DESIGN 29: CREATING A CAPITAL For the first time in 10 years, see original and rarely seen designs and documents from the 1911 Federal Capital Design Competition.
02 6102 7000 portrait.gov.au
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY FIRST LADIES: SIGNIFICANT AUSTRALIAN WOMEN 1913 – 2013 Be fascinated by Australian women across diverse fields of endeavour, from politics, activism and academia to sport, science and business as well as unsung heroines.
UNTIL 17 MARCH
02 6207 3968 museumsandgalleries. act.gov.au
UNTIL 2 APRIL
02 6240 6411 nga.gov.au
UNTIL 3 APRIL
02 6277 7111 aph.gov.au
CANBERRA MUSEUM AND GALLERY THE WOMEN WHO MADE CANBERRA Celebrate the Centenary of Canberra though stories and achievements of women who helped shape, and were shaped by, life in Canberra.
Building the Harbour Bridge VI: Nearly complete, June 1931, (detail), Jessie Traill, NGA
NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA TOULOUSE-LAUTREC: PARIS & THE MOULIN ROUGE Explore the dance halls, cafe-concerts, brothels and theatres through Toulouse-Lautrec’s insightful paintings, drawings, posters and prints which capture the essence of his Parisian characters and haunts.
PARLIAMENT HOUSE BUT ONCE IN A HISTORY: CANBERRA’S FOUNDATION STONES AND NAMING CEREMONIES Explore the fascinating stories surrounding Canberra’s ceremonies that symbolically began Australia’s national capital a century ago, on 12 March 1913.
MARCH 1-2 MARCH
02 6208 5000 nma.gov.au
1–9 MARCH
1300 852 780 enlightencanberra.com
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA KUNGKARANGKALPA: SEVEN SISTERS SONGLINE Celebrate the Centenary of Canberra at the premiere of this amazing performance. The ancient chants of the Western Desert epic song saga will come to life through dance.
June Daly Watkins (detail), 1949, Max Dupain, NPG
V VARIOUS VENUES ENLIGHTEN: SEE CANBERRA IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT Enjoy free and ticketed events such as blockbuster exhibitions and rare films, captivating architectural projections, intriguing live music and performances, stand-up comedy, thrilling tours into the depths of our national attractions, exclusive dining experiences and more.
7 M A R C H – 1 3 O C TO B E R
02 6208 5000 nma.gov.au
8–12 MARCH
13 22 81 canberra100.com.au
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA GLORIOUS DAYS: AUSTRALIA 1913 See vehicles, clothing, stunning Indigenous art and beautiful, ordinary and extraordinary objects from Australia as it was 100 years ago.
V VARIOUS VENUES CENTENARY ENTENARY B BIG IG BIRTHDAY IRTHDAY W WEEKEND EEKEND A massive program includes a toast to the future with the longest bubbly bars in the world along the lake foreshore (11 March), the creation of giant words around the lake, bands performing on multiple stages, a symphony debut plus old favourites including Lights! Canberra! Action!, the Balloon Spectacular, ENLIGHTEN and the Kamberra Wine Company Black Opal Stakes & ACTTA ACTTAB TT B Canberra TTA Centenary Cup Race Day. Siento la Cabezo, ENLIGHTEN Photography Bill Muir
What’s on 8 MARCH
13 22 81 events.act.gov.au
8 MARCH – 10 JUNE
02 6262 1111 nla.gov.au
SENATE ROSE GARDENS, OLD PARLIAMENT P HOUSE LIGHTS! CANBERRA! ACTION! Sit back and enjoy the results of this fun festival that gives budding filmmakers 10 days to write, shoot, edit and produce a seven minute short film around 10 theme specific items.
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA THE DREAM OF A CENTURY: THE GRIFFINS IN AUSTRALIA’S CAPITAL Discover the vision of the original designers of Canberra through drawings, photographs as well as ephemera, most of which has never been publicly displayed before.
9–17 MARCH
13 22 81 events.act.gov.au Manly Beach: Summer is here (detail), Ethel Carrick-Fox (1872-1952), Manly Art Gallery & Museum Collection, Glorious Days, NMA 9 M A R C H – 1 9 M AY
02 6102 7000 portrait.gov.au
10 MARCH
02 6241 3888 thoroughbredpark. com.au
the church play at the Big Birthday Weekend
11 MARCH – 29 NOVEMBER
02 6248 2000 nfsa.gov.au
16 MARCH
02 6230 5332 capitalpunishmentmtb. com.au
Create music with Graeme Leak at the Big Birthday Weekend
16 MARCH
13 22 81 events.act.gov.au
23–24 MARCH
0405 635 651 mont24.com.au
2 7 M A R C H – 9 M AY
02 6260 7005 canberraglassworks. com
28 MARCH –1 APRIL
02 6262 4792 folkfestival.org.au Thoroughbred Park
OLD PARLIAMENT P HOUSE LAWNS,, P PARKES CANBERRA BALLOON SPECTACULAR See a stunning array of hot air balloons, including Darth Vader and Simba, inflate at dawn and slowly drift over Canberra’s iconic national attractions. Catch the action on the ground with live music and a delicious variety of hot breakfast options.
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC PORTRAIT PRIZE 2013 See the best in photographic portraiture at this annual event promoting contemporary professional and aspiring Australian photographers.
THOROUGHBRED PARK P KAMBERRA WINE COMPANY OMPANY B BLACK LACK OPAL STAKES & ACTTAB CANBERRA CENTENARY ENTENARY C CUP UP RACE DAY Enjoy a family day of fun, excitement and colour at the horse races. Myer Fashions on the Field will be hotly contested.
NATIONAL FILM AND SOUND ARCHIVE CINECITY INECITY C CANBERRA ANBERRA 1913–2013 See a free exhibition highlighting the enduring connection of Canberra and its residents with film, through stills, photographs, posters and moving images.
V VARIOUS VENUES (EVENT HUB, STROMLO FOREST PARK P PARK)) CAPITAL PUNISHMENT MTB ENDURO Offering 50km and 100km mountain bike endurance races for solo riders, this challenging and exciting event links Canberra’s iconic mountain bike trails including Kowen Forest, Majura Pines, Black Mountain and Mount Stromlo.
COMMONWEALTH PARK P PARK,, PARKES P FM 104.7 SKYFIRE 25 Canberra lights up for FM 104.7 Skyfire on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, with a magnificent display of fireworks set to a soundtrack broadcast on FM 104.7.
EAST KOWEN FOREST MONT 24 HOUR MOUNTAIN BIKE RACE Ride the kow in Australia’s most popular 24-hour bike race over new and expanded mountain bike trails.
CANBERRA GLASSWORKS TEN SQUARED CURATED BY CLARE BELFRAGE Browse the exhibition by ten artists over ten decades and learn about glassmaking, tour the boiler room and see molten glass in the hotshop.
EXHIBITION PARK P IN CANBERRA, MITCHELL NATIONAL FOLK FESTIVAL Come and see a cultural celebration of traditional and contemporary music, dance, poetry and storytelling staged across the Easter break.
APRIL 6 APRIL
02 6243 4211 awm.gov.au
6–7 APRIL
1300 554 114 canberrawines.com.au
13–14 APRIL
runningfestival.com.au
AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL OPEN DAY Tanks, planes, guns and bands will be out on show at the first open day for six years. It will be an exciting occasion for the whole family.
V VARIOUS VENUES CANBERRA DISTRICT WINE HARVEST FESTIVAL Celebrate autumn in the vineyards, a beautiful time of year when grapes are harvested and turned into wine. Visit the wineries to see the vineyards at their best, meet the winemaker and enjoy special activities.
Capital Wines Epicurean Centre, Gundaroo
EVENT HUB, TELOPEA PARK P PARK,, MANUKA AUSTRALIAN RUNNING FESTIVAL Get moving and select the 5km or 10km fun run around the iconic Parliamentary Triangle or met the challenge of the ultra marathon, marathon or half marathon.
19 APRIL
13 28 49 ticketek.com.au
CANBERRA STADIUM RUGBY UGBY LEAGUE LEAGUE TEST: AUSTRALIA KANGAROOS VS NEW ZEALAND KIWIS Don’t miss this compelling Anzac test match between the best players in rugby league.
25 APRIL
02 6243 4211 awm.gov.au
28 APRIL
02 6214 1010 ausport.gov.au/tours
28 APRIL
02 9331 4558 gtm.net.au
AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL ANZAC DAY AT THE AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL Take part in the national Anzac Day ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War.
Anzac Day, Australian War Memorial
AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF SPORT AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF SPORT OPEN DAY See how Australian sporting champions are made. Find out what it takes to become an elite athlete with a behind-the-scenes tour of the AIS facilities and services.
THE MEADOWS, UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA GROOVIN’ THE MOO Featuring touring national and international acts from all genres, this single day music event has emerged as a highly popular fixture on the Australian festival circuit.
MAY 9 M AY
02 6277 7111 aph.gov.au
1 0 – 1 9 M AY
02 6230 5880 cimf.org.au
2 3 - 2 5 M AY
02 6275 2700 canberratheatrecentre. com.au
2 9 M AY – 1 J U N E
02 6275 2700 canberratheatrecentre. com.au
PARLIAMENT HOUSE 25TH ANNIVERSARY
Human Brochure weekend, Australian Institute of Sport
During the year, events Celebrating threads of a nation will recognise how this meeting place brings together the diverse threads of our nation. Don’t miss the open day on 14 September.
V VARIOUS VENUES CANBERRA INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL Listen to brilliant international and Australian artists in venues such as embassies, national attractions and churches.
CANBERRA THEATRE THE AUSTRALIAN BALLET PRESENTS SYMMETRIES See a double bill celebrating classical purity in different forms. Parliament House, a national icon, is translated into dance in Monument. Études shows ballet technique from basic barre exercises to exuberant bravura displays.
THE PLAYHOUSE THE MAJOR MINOR PARTY P SEX! Now that we have your attention... A world premiere from this Helpmann Award-winning team explores the rise of the ACT-based Australian Sex Party.
National Folk Festival
What’s on MARKETS Sundays
Old Bus Depot Markets (10am–4pm)
Kingston
Special themes 17 March International day at the markets 31 March Portobello Road at Easter
Old Bus Depot Markets
21 April
Retro Depot in April
19 May
A celebration of wool
9–10 March
Handmade Market (10am–4pm)
National Convention Centre Canberra
4 May
Handmade Market (10am–4pm) Fashion event
National Convention Centre Canberra
1st Sunday
Hall Markets (10am–3pm)
Hall
3rd Sunday
Bungendore Markets (10am–4pm)
Bungendore
4th Saturday
Braidwood Markets (8am–2pm)
Braidwood
THEATRE AND MUSIC 1– 2 March
GWS GIANTS, Manuka Oval
Kungkarangkalpa: Seven Sisters Songline
National Museum of Australia
23 February – 9 March Bell Shakespeare’s Henry 4
The Playhouse
19–23 March
Canberra Comedy Festival
Arts Centre Theatre, ANU
26–28 March
Wunderkammer
Canberra Theatre
3–4 April
Ross Noble: Mindblender
Canberra Theatre
10–13 April
Wulamanayuwi and the Seven Pamanui
The Playhouse
29 April
Anh Do: The Happiest Refugee LIVE!
Canberra Theatre
3–4 May
The Seekers
National Convention Centre
4 May
Possum Magic: The Final Farewell Tour
Canberra Theatre
12 May
Ten Tenors: Mum’s the word
Canberra Theatre
22–25 May
A Clockwork Orange
The Playhouse
25 May – 1 June
Max Cullen: How to be (or not to be) Lower
The Street Theatre
HORSE RACING
Super 15 Rugby: Brumbies, Canberra Stadium
10 March
Kamberra Wine Company Black Opal Stakes and ACTTA ACTTAB TT B Canberra TTA Centenary Cup Race Day
Thoroughbred Park
26 April
Brema Group Race Day
Thoroughbred Park
24 May
Family in Business Race Day
Thoroughbred Park
FOOTBALL SUPER 15 RUGBY: BRUMBIES CANBERRA STADIUM 9 March vs Waratahs 30 March vs Bulls 5 April vs Kings 27 April vs Force 5 May vs Crusaders 31 May vs Hurricanes
AFL: GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY GIANTS MANUKA OVAL 8 March vs Essendon (pre-season) 13 April vs St Kilda 27 April vs Gold Coast Suns
NRL: RAIDERS CANBERRA STADIUM 24 March vs Dragons 7 April vs Roosters 13 April vs Warriors 12 May vs Knights
For more information on events and exhibitions in Canberra, phone the Canberra and Region Visitors Centre on 1300 554 114 or go to visitcanberra.com.au. Every effort has been made to ensure that information is current and correct at time of printing.
CANBERRA AND REGION VISITORS CENTRE
330 Northbourne Avenue Dickson ACT 2602
For information, accommodation deals and bookings:
Open 9am-5pm weekdays 9am-4pm weekends/public holidays except Christmas Day
1300 554 114