Thursday 27th February

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Hello Canberra,

📆 Today: It's Thursday, February 27.

⛅️ Weather: 34° and mostly sunny in the morning. A slight 20% chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon.

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On Now: ✨ Constellations

Constellations at the National Film & Sound Archive is an immersive audiovisual experience by Australian musician and artist Robin Fox in which sound, light, and space collide. Suspended crystal refractors catch beams of laser light and scatter them across space, creating bursts of colour and light that appear to transcend the laws of physics. The free installation opens today. Details here.

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Looking Ahead: 🎶 Jimmy Barnes is Coming to Canberra

Touring in celebration of his 21st studio album DEFIANT, Jimmy, with his 9-piece band, will play his final tour show at Canberra Theatre on June 28. Tickets go on sale tomorrow. Details here.

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Coming Up: 🕺 Nostalgia Week + Private Bin Throwback

Verity Lane is hosting a two-week celebration of nostalgia with retro meals and classic cocktails. Vendors will be serving special dishes, and the bar will serve classics like Appletinis and Cosmos. To kick things off, there will be a free screening of The Princess Bride tonight. Details here.

Private Bin Throwback: The Private Bin nightclub opened in Canberra in the early 1970s. Located in the Sydney Building, Private Bin was infamous for its sticky floors, dark corners, and often underage patrons! Verity Lane is throwing a Private Bin Throwback party on March 8, featuring nostalgic music and retro cocktails (think B52s and Flaming Lamborghinis). Details here.

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This Weekend: 🥕 Canberra City Farm Open Day

Visit the Canberra City Farm Open Day and learn more about the community garden in the heart of Canberra. There will be workshops, including one with ACT for Bees, a guided tour showcasing their composting, brewing, and biochar systems, a pizza stall, plus plenty of CCF goodies for your home and garden. Details here.

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🍽️ Canberra Eats

Miss Vans at The Inn: Canberra lost a favourite dining destination when Miss Vans closed last year. The good news is you can experience some of those flavours at The Inn in Ainslie next week. In the latest instalment of Cooking with Friends, The Inn will host Miss Vans' Andy Duong. It's happening on March 5 and 6. Details here.

Lake Side Sesh: The Boathouse is celebrating the end of the summer season with an afternoon and evening of lakeside party vibes. There will be bottomless cocktails, beers, and wines, and the Boathouse kitchen will be serving up a delectable array of canapés, as well as a charcoal station and a live-cooked paella pan. Details here.

Fresca: There's a new sandwich cafe in Queanbeyan. Fresca, from the people behind Pronto (Weston Creek and Queanbeyan), specialises in schiacciata sandwiches. Details here.

Members' Bar Drinks: For four nights only, the exclusive Members' Bar at Old Parliament House, once reserved for parliamentarians and their guests, will be open to the public. On February 28, 1, 7 & 8 March, as part of Enlighten, enjoy delicious cocktails with a dash of political history. Details here.

Italian Feast at the Museum: Enjoy an evening of food, wine, and music featuring Italian-born opera singer, actress, and celebrity chef Silvia Colloca at the National Museum. Details here.

Brodburger Celebration: Tuggeranong Brod is celebrating its first birthday with kids' activities, live music, and special deals, including a free drink with any burger. Details here.

Meating Room Closing: Popular Weston bar and grill, Meating Room, has announced they will be closing at the end of April after 10 years in business. The owners were unable to reach an agreement with their landlord on a lease renewal. Details here.

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Tidbits

New Mecca Flagship Store: Yesterday, I wrote about Zara closing in The Canberra Centre. That space will be filled by a Mecca flagship store, which is set to be one of the largest Mecca beauty stores in Australia.

Another Genius Childcare Closes: Genius Childcare centre in Symonston has closed its doors and owes thousands in unpaid rent. More.

Better Links on Canberra Digest: Not on Facebook or Instagram? No worries! Many Canberra events are only listed on social media, but I know some readers prefer to avoid those platforms. From now on, I'll mostly link to a page on Canberra Digest with event details instead of directly to FB or Instagram. You'll still find a link to the original post if you want to check it out, but you won't need to log in just to see what's on. Links to websites and ticketing platforms will still be direct.