Monday 26th May

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Hello Canberra,

📆 Today: It's Monday, May 26.

🌧️ Weather: 16° and showers. 100% chance of rain from late morning.

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📆 This Week in Canberra

Brave at AIS: The Canberra Brave—our professional men’s ice hockey team—will play the rest of this season’s home games at AIS Arena. They face off against Adelaide Adrenaline this Saturday and Sunday. Details here.

Cézanne to Giacometti: The National Gallery’s next major exhibition, Cézanne to Giacometti: Highlights from Museum Berggruen / Neue Nationalgalerie, opens this Saturday. See works by Paul Cézanne, Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Henri Matisse, Paul Klee and Alberto Giacometti—alongside pieces by Australian artists they inspired. A number of events are happening this Saturday to celebrate the opening. Details here.

Sly Fox Markets: Held on the bike path between Macarthur Avenue and David Street in O’Connor, the Sly Fox Markets are a flea market with food, handmade arts, crafts, books, music and vintage goods. If you live in the Inner North, it’s worth walking or riding by to grab a coffee and browse. It’s on this Saturday from 10am to 3pm. Details here.

Indigenous Stargazing: Join Indigenous astronomer and proud Gamilaraay/Yuwaalaraay man Peter Swanton and astrophysicist Dr Brad Tucker at Parliament House to learn about Indigenous astronomy and explore the stars through powerful telescopes. Details here.

Lior: One of Australia’s most respected singer-songwriters performs an intimate concert at The Street, drawing from his vast back catalogue. A few tickets remain. Details here.

Slam Pro Wrestling: The SLAM! Pro Wrestling League returns to Canberra for a night of high-energy action—part athleticism, part chaos. Details here.

Life Behind the Lens: Veteran photojournalist Mike Bowers is joined by two of Australia’s greatest photographers, Lorrie Graham and Rick Stevens, for a behind-the-scenes conversation about their craft. Details here.

Brumbies v Crusaders: The Brumbies will play their final home game of the regular season this Friday night when they take on the Crusaders. Details here.

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This Week: 🏛️ Reconciliation Week Illumination

For three nights this week—Tue 27 May to Thu 29 May—watch the façade of Parliament House come alive with Michelle Lewis’s 2023 artwork Tjala Dreaming (Honey Ant). The Pitjantjatjara artist paints honey-ant tunnels, waterholes and desert scrub as seen from above, celebrating the vibrant landscape of the APY Lands. Details here.

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Coming Up: 🍷 The National Wine Festival

To mark its 50th anniversary, the National Wine Show is launching the inaugural National Wine Festival—three days of tastings, masterclasses and special events. The festival runs from Friday 13 to Sunday 15 June. Highlights include:

Tasting Sessions: Sample more than 900 award-winning wines at the Hyatt Hotel. Every entrant in the 2025 National Wine Show will be available to taste, including the top trophy winners. Details here.

Masterclasses: Led by leading winemakers, judges and experts, these masterclasses and workshops range from an introduction to wine tasting to an Australian Sparkling Masterclass. Details here.

Canberra District: Enjoy a relaxed evening of wine tasting at Hotel Realm, exploring wines from Canberra District wineries. Meet the winemakers and judges and indulge in canapés and the region’s finest wines. Details here.

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Looking Ahead: 🎙️ The Imperfects

On this podcast, The Resilience Project founder Hugh van Cuylenburg, his good friend Ryan Shelton, and his brother Josh van Cuylenburg talk with a wide range of guests—some vulnerably sharing their struggles and imperfections, others offering wisdom on the topic. The Together Again live tour is coming to Canberra in November. Details here.

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Looking Ahead: 🎶 Katie Noonan Sings Jeff Buckley

Five-time ARIA Award-winning artist Katie Noonan will perform songs from Jeff Buckley’s iconic album Grace, joined by special guest Jack Carty. They’re coming to Canberra on October 12. Details here.

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Kids: 🎶 Canberra Children's Choir Open Day

The Canberra Children’s Choir is hosting an open day at the Ainslie Arts Centre this Thursday afternoon. Families are invited to discover this iconic local choir program, designed for children aged 5 to 14. No experience is required—just a love of singing. Details here.

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Classifieds

🚲 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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Classifieds support Canberra Digest

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Tidbits:

Gundaroo Drive: It’s felt like an absolute age, but it’s finally done! The temporary traffic arrangements on Gundaroo Drive have been lifted, and the speed limit between Chuculba Crescent and Baldwin Drive has returned to 80km/h.

Mini Q Makeover: One of Questacon’s most popular areas—the Mini Q gallery for children aged 0–6—is set for a major redevelopment. The space will close from June 1 until October 2025 to make way for new experiences, including a huge (but friendly) octopus, mangroves, coral, and a fun-filled ship. If you’re planning a visit to Questacon, a temporary Mini Shed space will be available for young scientists.

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I’ll be travelling overseas for the next three weeks. I might not be able to reply to emails straight away, but please do keep sending in your replies, events and news.