Wednesday 6th August

---

Hello Canberra,

📆 Today: It’s Wednesday, 6 August.

🌤️ Weather: 15° and mostly sunny.

---

Around Canberra: 🧺 Standard Products

We may have lost MUJI, but Canberra will soon be getting a worthy replacement. Standard Products, the sister brand of Japanese retailer Daiso, is opening next door to the Daiso store in Belconnen later this year. They sell functional products rooted in minimalist Japanese design—in a similar style to Muji. When Daiso opened in Canberra in 2024, there was a line that ran the entire day—I expect Standard Products will also be very popular! I’ll let you know when an opening date is announced.

---

Further Afield: 🧶 The Market at Bungendore

Fancy a weekend drive? Every second month, a market is held in the historic War Memorial Hall in Bungendore. You’ll find a range of art and craft stalls, along with unique wares and tasty treats from the CWA and Men’s Shed. Details here.

---

🎭 Coming Up on Stage

Fisherman's Friends: The original buoy band from Cornwall is coming to Canberra in January. Fisherman’s Friends is a British folk group from the picturesque fishing village of Port Isaac—you might recognise the locale from the hit TV series Doc Martin. Expect traditional shanties and stirring originals. Details here.

Alan Davies: Critically acclaimed stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and TV personality Alan Davies is bringing his show Think Ahead—his first stand-up tour in more than a decade—to the Canberra Theatre in December. An extra show has been added due to popular demand. Details here.

---

Tidbits

Summernats Records: It may be Canberra’s most divisive event, but it certainly draws a crowd! This year’s Summernats festival saw a record attendance of over 130,000 patrons. How does that compare to other large events in Canberra? The Multicultural Festival attracts around 400,000 people, and last year’s Floriade drew a total of 470,000 visitors.

Strathnairn School: Canberra’s 93rd public school has a name—it will be known as Strathnairn School, after its location in the suburb of Strathnairn. The school will cater for up to 780 students from preschool to Year 6, as well as 130 children in early childhood education and care. It will open to preschool to Year 2 students in 2026.

Commonwealth Bridge March: Following Sunday’s march for Palestine in Sydney, Canberra’s Palestine Action Group is planning to hold a march across Commonwealth Bridge this Saturday.

---

🪩 Nightlife:

Club Broadway: For fans of Musicals, Club Broadway plays all your favourite showtunes from musicals like Wicked, Hamilton, Les Mis, Hairspray and many more. It’s happening at Fun Time Pony in September. Details here.

Emo vs Pop Night: Taking Brat Saturday: Emo vs Pop Night is happening this Saturday at The Baso with DJs spinning emo and pop hits all night. Details here.

Tigerlily: Voted Australia’s #1 Female DJ three years in a row, Tigerlily is coming to Cube this Saturday. Details here.

---

Cause: ♻️ Return For Charity

If you’re grocery shopping at the Canberra Centre, you can drop off your empty containers at the Return For Charity bin. They’ve partnered with local charities to donate the 10¢ container refund. At the moment, they’re working with Rise Above—an organisation dedicated to reducing the emotional and financial burden on families affected by cancer in the ACT and Queanbeyan region. Details here.

---

🎸 Live Music This Week

Thursday

• The Rubens @ The Baso
• UC Music Night @ Pot Belly

Friday

• Dice (indie) @ The Baso
• Box Dye / Parrots with Piercings @ Squeaky Clean
• Boo Seeka (alternative) @ Smith’s Alternative
• Nate Faker @ Smith’s Alternative
• Problem Green (punk) @ Dissent
• Lindsey Kingswood & the Low Down God Time Band (country/blues) @ Pot Belly Bar
• FeeTwoMe (blues/covers) @ Canberra Bowling Club

Saturday

• The Dalmatians (rock/folk) @ Smith’s Alternative
• nonbinarycode (indie/punk) @ Smith’s Alternative
• Social Afterparty (indie) @ Dissent

Sunday

• Northlane @ The Baso
• Bonniesongs (folk/pop) @ Dissent
• Oceanique (folk) @ Smith’s Alternative
• The Lonely Fates / Corduroy Company @ Smith’s Alternative

---

Classifieds

🩰 Ballet of Lights: Ballet of Lights: Sleeping Beauty has arrived in Canberra! This beloved tale is brought to life through classical dance, stunning choreography, and beautiful glow-in-the-dark costumes. Get your tickets for Ballet of Lights: Sleeping Beauty in a Sparkling Show in Canberra! Details here.