December 19

Hello Canberra,

Hello Canberra,

📆 Today: It’s Thursday, December 19.

☀️ Weather: 28° and sunny.

Coming up: 🤣 Aaron Chen

Comedian Aaron Chen, star of hit series Fisk and loyal assistant to Guy Montgomery on the ABC hit Spelling Bee, is bringing his latest show, Funny Garden, to Canberra. Tickets go on sale today and are sure to sell out quickly. Details here.

Kids: 🦖 DinoFest

This January, step back 66 million years to when dinosaurs roamed the Earth at Black Mountain Peninsula. Experience life-size walking dinosaurs up close and enjoy activities like a Dino Dig and Feel a Fossil. Details here.

Something to do: 🏐 Beach Volleyball

ACT Volleyball’s Beach Leagues will be starting in January. There are competitions for everyone, from beginners to elite players. If you don’t have a team, ACT Volleyball can find one for you. Games are played at the 8-court beach facility in Lyneham. Details here.

🪲 Christmas Beetle Count

Anecdotal reports suggest that Christmas Beetles have been declining in recent years. Invertebrates Australia is investigating whether this is actually the case through crowdsourced citizen science. You can take part in the Christmas Beetle Count by uploading sightings to the iNaturalist App. Details here.

Cinema: 🎥 Christmas Movies at Sunset + IMAX

There are several Christmas movies showing at the outdoor pop-up Sunset Cinema in the Botanic Gardens. Tonight, The Holiday is screening, followed by Love Actually and Home Alone on Friday and Saturday. Details here.

And the new IMAX theatre, only the third IMAX cinema in Australia opened yesterday at Dendy. IMAX theatres are known for their massive screens and immersive sound. Details here.

Tonight: 🎸 Goodbye Sideway Screening

Canberra lost one of its best live music venues when Sideway closed its doors earlier this year. A short documentary celebrating the venue has been produced and will be screened tonight upstairs at Verity Lane. Details here.

With events winding down for the year, issues this week will be a bit shorter. This Saturday will be the last issue of Canberra Digest for 2024.