Wednesday 21st May

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Hello Canberra,

📆 Today: It's Wednesday, May 21.

🌦️ Weather: 17° and a shower or two. A 50% chance of rain, most likely in the afternoon and evening.

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Looking Ahead: 🧑‍⚕️ 21 Hearts

Coming to the War Memorial’s theatre in July, 21 Hearts tells the true story of Vivian Bullwinkel and the 65 Australian nurses who faced horror on Banka Island in 1942, celebrating their resilience, solidarity and humour. Written by Jenny Davis and directed by Stuart Halusz, the show is the centrepiece of the Australian War Memorial’s commemorative program marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Details here.

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Something to do: 🎳 Origin at Kingpin

Sure, you can catch Origin at any club or pub around Canberra, but this event at Kingpin offers something extra. On Origin nights, enjoy free bowling while watching the game on the big screen. Details here.

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Coming Up: 🏎️ Sportscar Together Day

An event for all sports car enthusiasts—Porsche Centre Canberra is hosting an open day on June 9. Enjoy a display of heritage and current Porsche models, including the newly launched 911 GTS, while indulging in freshly brewed coffee, cookies and crepes. The event will also feature an interactive Pit Stop Challenge in the Porsche service bay, with the fastest participant winning a $500 Porsche Lifestyle voucher. Details here.

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Coming Up: 🤣 Improv in Canberra

Lightbulb Improv is Canberra's dedicated improv troupe. Their next show, Double Dare, sees the players take on outlandish dares while creating hilarious scenes and wild improv magic. Details here.

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Kids: ✂️ Art Lab

Upcycle and bling out pre-loved clothes in this free Art Lab for teens, led by the 'Queen of Bling', Wiradjuri designer Kristy Dickinson of Haus of Dizzy. It's on at the National Gallery this Reconciliation Day. Details here.

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Tidbits

The Crystalbrook Aurora: The hotel being built in Garema Place now has a name—it'll be known as the Crystalbrook Aurora. The 10-storey hotel will feature 225 rooms, a pool, a modern European rooftop restaurant, and ground-floor dining and retail. It's set to open in 2027.

Missing Middle: The ACT Government is looking to increase the "missing middle" of housing in Canberra. Draft changes to the Territory Plan would let Canberrans build two-storey townhouses, terraces and low-rise apartments in RZ1 areas, scrap minimum block sizes and the 120m² cap on secondary dwellings, and lift tree-canopy targets to 25 per cent—part of the government's push for 30,000 new homes by 2030. Details here.

Floriade Theme: This year's Floriade theme has been unveiled—Science and Naturewill celebrate the connections between the natural world and science with garden bed displays inspired by disciplines including physics, chemistry, astronomy, biology, and botany.

Dry Autumn: The average rainfall during autumn in the ACT is 137mm, but only 96mm has been recorded this season. May is also on track to be the hottest on record. The dry conditions are hitting local farmers hard, with some having to sell livestock to survive. More.

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Cause: Drag Bingo for Brain Cancer

Grab a table for Timberlina's glitter-soaked Drag Bingo fundraiser, backing local legend Dave Marchant's 150 km Big Three Trek from Sydney to Newcastle while he undergoes brain cancer treatment. Expect cheeky calls, big prizes, and every dollar raised going to the Mark Hughes Foundation. Details here.

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Live Music This Week

Thursday

• Xani Kolac @ Dissent
• Bush Gothic (folk) @ Smith’s Alternative

Friday

• Absent Ace Tones / Adventure Street @ Irish Club

Saturday

• Voxneon (rock) @ The Baso
• Djaarmby Band (rock/folk) @ Smith’s Alternative

Sunday

• Dept of Rock @ Smith’s Alternative
• Forewarned @ Shadows
• The Date Brothers (folk) @ Smith’s Alternative
• The Wet Whistles (country/rock) @ The Baso

Later:

• The Bennies @ The Baso
• Private Function (punk) @ Gang Gang (May 31)

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Classifieds

🍲 Dinner Delivered: Dinner Ladies makes ready-to-heat homely meals delivered to your door. Stack your freezer with their crowd-pleasers, and any time you need it, you're just a hot step away from a belly full of comfort. New customers can use code 'CANBERRADIGEST20' to get $20 off their first order. Details here.

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Classifieds support Canberra DIgest