Friday 13th June

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Hello Canberra,

📆 Today: This weekend in Canberra + the Winter Solstice.

⛅️ Weather: 13° and partly cloudy. A low of -2° tonight.

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👉 This Weekend in Canberra

The Lifeline Bookfair is at the Convention Centre; the Handmade Market is at EPIC; the Brave are back at AIS; and there’s a Sustainable House Day in Whitlam

Get the full rundown of weekend events.

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This Weekend: 🪛 Made Local Markets & Repair Café

Hawker Men's Shed is hosting its marquee quarterly Hawker Community Repair Café and "Made Local" Markets this Sunday. Expect over 25 stalls featuring local produce, ceramics, artworks, bric-a-brac, jewellery, pre-loved tools and more.

If you have broken items—like clothes, small electricals, leather goods or jewellery—bring them along for free repairs and advice. While you wait, you can watch a local jeweller and weaver in action and check out the electric vehicle display. Details here.

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The Winter Solstice in Canberra

Next Saturday, June 21, Canberra will experience the winter solstice, officially marking the shortest day and longest night of 2025. A few places around town are warming things up for the solstice:

Macabre Dreams at Gang Gang: Head to Gang Gang Café for a night of dark beauty and wicked revelations, with some of Canberra's finest artists of the eerie and uncanny helping to honour the winter solstice. Details here.

Midnight Mass: Celebrate the longest night of the year at the Capital Brewing Taproom with Midnight Mass—live music, interactive performances, dark beers and a BBQ pit. Details here.

Lifeline Nude Swim: If you're looking to do something completely bonkers, sign up for the Winter Solstice Nude Swim. There's still time to register and raise money for Lifeline. Details here.

Ray of Light: Celebrate the solstice with family and friends at the Ray of Light festival, happening next weekend at the Polish Club. Expect bands and buskers, funky stalls, free face painting and kids' crafts, plus a sausage sizzle. Details here.

Paranormal Wines: Paranormal Wines is going full solstice mode next Saturday, with food from culinary duo Ruzo, wines from Vivant Selections, wintry arrangements by Poetry in Pollen, and sounds by Xaphania. Details here.

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Coming Up: 🩰 Carmen

60 years ago, Canberra Theatre opened with what I imagine was a fairly stuffy performance from the Australian Ballet. Now, to mark the anniversary, the Australian Ballet is returning with an anything-but-stuffy, contemporary retelling of Carmen. There are still plenty of tickets available (they are a bit pricey).

After opening night, you can buy an add-on to attend the 60th Birthday Celebration, featuring champagne and canapés. Details here.

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Something to do: 🧭 The Women Only Adventure Race

Looking for a challenge? Paddle, bike, run and walk for checkpoints in teams of two as part of the Women's Only Adventure Race, happening across Canberra this September. Details here.

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Classifieds

🎻 The Music of John Williams - LIVE with Full Orchestra: From galaxy-shaking Star Wars themes to the roar of Jurassic Park, the adrenaline of Indiana Jones to the magic of Harry Potter – this concert brings John Williams' greatest scores to life in a symphonic celebration of cinema. July 24/25, 7:00pm. Llewellyn Hall, ANU. Details here.

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🚲 Aspen Holidays Barlings Beach: Hit the Mogo Trails! Stay just minutes from the action at Aspen Holidays Barlings Beach—your perfect coastal base for a weekend adventure. 125km of trails now open! Book now and save 10% with code ASPENMOGO. Follow this link to secure your stay: Details here.

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🚴‍♂️ Handlebars of Happiness - Stories about cycling: Join us at Smith's Alternative on Alinga St for storytelling and songs about how cycles have made positive differences to people from all walks of life across the ACT and beyond. 6:30-8pm, Tues June 17. Register here.

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🎶 Kooln'Krazy Vinyl Records – Now at a New Location: Inside South.Point Shopping Mall, Tuggeranong, next to Lincraft / PetO / The Good Guys & Café area. Saturday June 14, 9.30am to 2.30pm. 16 crates of new & used LP gems in good condition at fair prices. Retro music: 1930s to 1980s. Jazz * Funk * Soul * Rock * Folk * Blues. Enquiries: [email protected]

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Classifieds support Canberra Digest

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Tidbits

Moncrieff Development: Residents in Moncrieff will be pleased to hear that a tender has been awarded to develop the local shops. The new centre will include a Woolworths supermarket, retail and dining space, 90 multi-unit dwellings, and 16 affordable homes. Details here.

Meet Boss: Poor Boss is hitting an unfortunate milestone—the striking Staffordshire Bull Terrier known as 'Boss' has now lived at the RSPCA Shelter for more than a year. He arrived at the shelter with a fractured leg as a two-year-old. He's been described as "unproblematic" and would make a great family pet. More.

Fire in Fyshwick: An automotive repair business in Fyshwick has been destroyed after a significant structure fire yesterday afternoon. The owner of the business wished to remain anonymous. The cause of the blaze is not yet known, and ACT Fire and Rescue are investigating.

Is this your jewellery? ACT Policing is seeking to identify the owner of several items of jewellery that were seized earlier this week. More.