September 26

Hello Canberra,

📆 Today: It's Friday, 26 September. The Bookfair kicks-off today! In today's issue I have details on a huge new dog park, what's happening this weekend, plus some free things to do with kids during the school holidays.

💨 Weather: 22° and windy.

This Weekend: 📚 Lifeline Bookfair

The Lifeline Bookfair kicks off today at EPIC. It offers a vast range of fiction and non-fiction—children's books, textbooks and foreign language titles—plus magazines, sheet music, comics, maps, records, CDs, DVDs, games and jigsaws—something for everyone. Entry is by gold coin donation, with all proceeds going directly to Lifeline's crisis support and suicide prevention service. Details here.

📆 This Weekend in Canberra

Kite Fest is back at the Arboretum, there's a Kids Day Out at Lanyon, a Family Day at the Portrait Gallery and much more happening during the first weekend of the spring school holidays.

Get the full rundown of weekend events.

Around Canberra: 🐶 South Jerrabomberra Dog Park

A new dog park is opening near Hume. The South Jerrabomberra Dog Park, part of the new development at Tralee, is over 5 hectares and features spaces for small and large dogs, agility zones, BBQ areas and a bone-shaped walking track. The park launches this Saturday with a complimentary BBQ, food vendors, treats for the dogs and entertainment. Details here.

Kids: 🔭 Free Things To Do These School Holidays

Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex: After being closed to the public for a number of years, the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex, operated by NASA, reopened its visitor centre in December last year. Seeing the largest antenna complex in the southern hemisphere up close is quite a sight, and there's a space museum that's free to visit. Unfortunately, the café is closed, but you can bring along a picnic to enjoy in the grounds. The Visitor Centre is usually open on Saturdays and Sundays, but during the school holidays it will also be open on Thursdays and Fridays (10am–4pm). Details here.

South.Point Putt Putt: South.Point in Tuggeranong has set up a free putt putt golf course on its roof. The floral-themed course, designed as part of Floriade About Town, takes around 20 minutes to complete. Details here.

Constable Kenny: The AFP Museum presents an exhibition celebrating 50 years of the iconic community policing mascot Constable Kenny. It features five decades of memorabilia, puppets, costumes, media and interactive learning tools. It's open daily at the National Capital Exhibition, and during the school holidays, there are several craft workshops for kids. Details here.

Mr Squiggle and Friends: There are just two weeks left to see Mr Squiggle and Friends at the National Museum. Great for all ages—the exhibition features over 300 objects that bring to life the world of Mr Squiggle and showcase the work of one of Australia's greatest puppeteers. Entry is free (although you may be tempted to pick up one of the limited-edition totes available when reserving tickets online). Details here.

Looking for more things to do these school holidays? I've put together a comprehensive list on the website. Details here.

🤣 Canberra Comedy

Bec Charlwood: Handpicked to open for comedians like Alan Carr, Joanne McNally, Wil Anderson, Saturday Night Live's Jay Pharaoh, and Anna Akana, Bec Charlwood is performing at Smith's tonight. She's appeared on Spicks & Specks and is a regular host on Triple J. Details here.

Canberra Comedy Club: Canberra Comedy Club features Hamish Hudson back for a rare headline set, with Tom Gibson as MC, and support acts including Jacqui Richards, Billie Miles, Cameron Ribbons and Jack Curtin. Details here.

Alexandra Hudson: This will be the first incarnation of Hudson's 2026 festival show—filled with funny, sometimes disastrous stories, questions, queries, lots of jokes and plenty of heart. Details here.

Daniel Muggleton: Known for his bright red tracksuit, comedian Daniel Muggleton is performing at Smith's this Saturday. Details here.

📰 Tidbits

Raku is Moving: One of Canberra's most popular restaurants, Raku, will be moving into the Crystalbrook Aurora. The five-star hotel in Garema Place is currently under construction. The restaurant will occupy a 300-seat, two-storey space. More.

Undercurrent Moves to Gorman Arts Centre: This year's edition of the Undercurrent Design Market has a new home—the Gorman Arts Centre in Braddon. Last year's event was held in The Vault at Dairy Road, and it was a bit cramped. The move means there'll be more space, and the Arts Centre is a great match as the market always attracts high-quality artists and makers. I know parking is always a hot topic—while there's a small amount at the nearby Ainslie Centre, the Canberra Centre carparks are just a five-minute walk away. The three-day market begins on 21 November.

Volunteer for the Multicultural Festival: The National Multicultural Festival has put out a call for volunteers for the 2026 event. It's a great way to socialise and meet new people, and there are roles for everyone. Details here.

🎭 Coming Up On Stage

Human Nature: Human Nature are bringing their acclaimed MTWN 20 arena show to Canberra. 'Reach Out' and 'Get Ready' to be 'Dancing in the Streets' one more time with Australia's iconic pop group and their Motown sound. Details here.

Sarah Blasko: Nationally revered singer, songwriter, musician and producer Sarah Blasko celebrates her 21st anniversary as an artist with a rare performance of her two seminal albums The Overture & the Underscore and What the Sea Wants, The Sea Will Have on a national tour this October.

Dracula Ballet: Dracula rises in a thrilling world premiere at the Canberra Theatre Centre this October. Driven by masterpieces from Tchaikovsky, Bach, Stravinsky and Rachmaninov—this haunting retelling unleashes a collision of desire, torment and immortality. Details here.

The Tallis Scholars: The Tallis Scholars bring their exquisite sound to the Canberra Theatre Centre for one night only. Known for their stunning a cappella performances and celebrated for their mastery of sacred vocal music, The Tallis Scholars present a superbly curated program inspired by the timeless beauty of Gregorian chant. Details here.

An Evening with Fatty & Sterlo: They made history on Australian television screens with their off-the-cuff comedic timing and performances. Now they've joined forces again to tell their funny stories and bring back to life some of the most memorable moments in Fatty & Sterlo style. Details here.

Classifieds

✍️ Women Writers' Workshop, Unleash Your Voice: 1 October, 9am-1pm, Pearce Community Centre. Ever feel too embarrassed to share your writing? Your words matter. Join us in a space where your story is safe to bloom. Gain clarity and confidence to write and sell with integrity. Connect with others reclaiming their voice. Led by local accredited Writer's Mindset Coach, Helen McCandless. Details here.

🍲 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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