Thursday 13th March

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Hello Canberra,

📆 Today: An Italian festival + The Rally of Canberra.

⛅️ Weather: 32° and partly cloudy.

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Coming Up: 🇮🇹 A Two-Week Italian Festival

Viva Italia is a two-week festival celebrating Italian culture, community, and heritage in the Canberra region. Highlights include an Italian Fashion Parade, a Music Evening at Smith's, an Italian Movie Night, tile-making workshops at the Glassworks, Italian Opera at the Drill Hall Gallery, a celebration of Italian culture at the National Museum and so much more. It's packed with fantastic events! Details here.

The festival kicks off on March 28 with an opening night under the stars. The Jetty will come alive with live music, dance, and authentic Italian street food. Details here.

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Coming Up: 🏎️ Rally of Canberra

Rally racing is coming to Canberra next weekend when the Australian Rally Championship kicks off the 2025 season with the Rally of Canberra. The weekend begins with a Rally Show in the city where you can get up close to the rally cars parked on Bunda Street.

Racing takes place on Saturday and Sunday, with three spectator points around Canberra. Details here.

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On Now: 🐑 The National Sheepdog Trials

I've been hearing lots of good things about The National Sheepdog Trial Championships, which are currently underway at the Hall Showground and will be running until Sunday. If you're planning a visit, Sunday is a great day, as you’ll catch the top 20 dogs in action as they compete for the championship. It's a family-friendly event—kids get in free and they’ll enjoy the craft area, scavenger hunt and other kids activities, while adults might find it hard to resist freshly baked scones. Details here.

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🏉 Weekend Sport

Raiders vs. Broncos: The Raiders return home after their successful trip to Las Vegas for their first home game of the season. They'll be taking on the Broncos with kick-off this Saturday at 7:35pm. Details here.

Brumbies vs. Fijian Drua: The Brumbies take on Fijian Drua this Friday evening. It's the "Kids Round", and the Brumbies will be wearing a special jersey featuring designs drawn by kids with rare childhood cancers. They'll be auctioned off to raise money for the Win the Day charity. Details here.

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Comedy: 🤣 Kitty Flanagan

Comedian and star of Fisk Kitty Flanagan will be trying out some new material in an informal show at the Courtyard Studio. Some of it will be funny, some of it will 'have potential' and some of it will never be said out loud ever again. Details here.

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Comedy: 🎙️ The Festival Club

A night of comedy doesn't need to cost a fortune. The Festival Club at the Canberra Comedy Festival is an insider's favourite—go where the comedians go after the show for a late night hour or so of comedy. Tickets are just $20. Details here.

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Classifieds:

🎻 Night and Now: Canberra Symphony Orchestra's thrilling program of orchestral masterworks, 'Night and Now' draws us deeper into imagination. Three memorable pieces including Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6, one of classical music's most stirring pieces. March 26, 27, 7:30pm, Llewellyn Hall, ANU. Details here.

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Talks Around Canberra

Some upcoming talks around Canberra you might find interesting:

Tim Ross: From the 'burbs, to the bush, to the inner city, Australians are obsessed with the idea of home and the dream of home ownership. Join Australian comedian, radio host, writer and television presenter Tim Ross at the National Library as he explores the reasons why home ownership is an all-consuming distraction among Australians. Details here.

Vincent Fantauzzo: Vincent Fantauzzo will be in conversation with Helen Musa on his memoir Unveiled, the incredible true story of how a street-fighting petty criminal who was kicked out of school at fourteen became one of Australia's most celebrated and successful portrait artists. Details here.

Penny Lockwood: Penny Lockwood shares her story of growing up under the shadow of ASIO surveillance, reflecting on her father Rupert Lockwood's political battles, a journalist who became prominent during the Cold War at the time of the Petrov affair in the mid-1950s. Details here.

Not Just Commuting: Hear Teije Gorris, a visiting Dutch expert in road safety and bicycle infrastructure design, share the big picture of how active mobility is mending both people and cities around the world. You'll see examples from across Europe, the Philippines, Japan, and even 1940s Canberra. Details here.