What's On This Weekend in Canberra
By: Anthony Feint
22nd August 2025
Here's what's happening this Weekend in Canberra. This page is updated weekly with a curated collection of the best things to do in Canberra this weekend including markets and live music. New weekend events get added throughout the week.
📆 This Weekend is: Saturday 23 - Sunday 24 August
🎶 Music on the Green
Celebrate the end of winter with Music on the Green at the Suburban Land Agency Display Village in Whitlam. Enjoy an afternoon of food, music and fun activities for all ages. Details here.
New Exhibition: 🔥 Inferno
The National Film and Sound Archive is debuting its first-ever commissioned artwork: Inferno, an immersive installation by Australian artist Mikaela Stafford. Think epic-scale motion graphics, kinetic sculpture and dynamic lighting stitched to a multidimensional soundscape by electronic composer Kate Durman. At its centre is a large resin sculpture that appears to ooze out of a 12-metre digital screen, with a Dante-inspired tome setting the tone for a dreamlike descent through identity, memory and tech saturation.
🪩 Dragon Dreaming Warm Up
Before the festival kicks off, Dragon Dreaming is heading back to its roots for a one-night-only warehouse experience. Born in Kowen Forest and now thriving on the shores of Lake Burrinjuck, the festival has always been about community, creativity, and connection. This warm-up party promises to bring that same magic back indoors for an unforgettable night. Details here.
🧔 Canberra Beard and Moustache Competition
This Sunday, King O’Malleys will be holding their 2025 Beard and Moustache Competition. Categories include Moustache (styled or freestyle), Partial Beard (goatee, chopps, sideburns), Creative (designs and styled), plus Full Beard with prizes for both longest and best natural. The event supports men’s health including Movember & Skin Check Champions. It starts at 4pm on Sunday. And if you’ve got some competition-worthy facial hair you can enter on the day, with $500 in prizes up for grabs. Details here.
🍷 Contentious Comedy Debate
Enjoy a night of great wine, delicious food, and raucous laughter at the Contentious Comedy Debate. Comedians will be debating the topic: When life gives you sour grapes, it is time to wine!. Details here.
đź‘” Formal Wear Op Shop
Need an affordable dress or suit for your school formal? The Kingsford Smith School’s Formal Wear Op Shop is happening this Saturday and is open to all Northside students. Shop for suits, dresses and other formal wear while giving new life to preloved fashion. Funds raised will go to Vinnies and The Junction Youth Health Service. Open Saturday 23 August, 9:30am–12:30pm at Kingsford Smith School in Holt.
Exhibition: ✒️ Words of Wisdom:
The Canberra Calligraphy Society’s annual exhibition and sale, Words of Wisdom, is on at the Old Barn Gallery in Pialligo. “Calligraphy is more than just beautiful handwriting...it’s the creation of wonderful shapes and interpretations, forming beautiful symbols by hand and bestowing words with harmony, beauty and integrity.” Details here.
Stage: 🧑‍🌾 The Drawerboy:
This brilliantly touching and often hilarious multi-award-winning play follows Miles, a young actor from the city who moves in with two ageing bachelor farmers, Morgan and Angus, to do research for a new play. Mockingbird’s staging of The Drawerboy, one of Canada’s most beloved plays, opens at Belco Arts this week. Details here.
Stage: 👸 Der Rosenkavalier
Join National Opera at The Street for a fast-paced, thoughtfully condensed version of Richard Strauss’s beloved opera, Der Rosenkavalier. Presented in under 90 minutes, this adaptation offers audiences a fresh way to experience the charm, emotional nuance, and elegance of one of Strauss’s most enduring works. Details here.
Stage: 🎠Shakenspeare: Faketh till you maketh
Based on a single audience suggestion, watch Lightbulb Improv create two fully improvised Shakespearean masterpieces right before your eyes. Nothing has been planned or written in advance for the comedy and drama about to unfold in this art of “faketh till you maketh”. Details here.
đź«› Canberra Seed Swap
Canberra Seed Savers is a community group working cooperatively to protect our abundant, common heritage of open-pollinated food seeds. They are hosting their Spring Seed Swap this weekend. If you have seeds to swap, bring them along and take home some new gems for your garden. If you don’t have any to swap, they also have a seed library you can browse and purchase packets—all suited to Canberra’s growing conditions and climate. Details here.
🎥 Latin American Film Festival
The ANU Film Group is hosting the Latin American Film Festival this August, with 13 films screening—free entry for all. Films are shown in their original language with English subtitles. Details here.
Markets This Weekend in Canberra
Capital Region Farmers Market: Canberra's largest farmers market, with over 100 stalls offering fresh produce, including fruit and veg, baked goods, meat, seafood and more. It runs every Saturday morning at EPIC from 7am to 11:30am. Details here.
Haig Park Village Markets: The markets are held in Haig Park every Sunday from 8am to 2pm. You'll find a mix of fresh produce, baked goods, handmade products and food and drink stalls. Details here.
Old Bus Depot Markets: Visit the landmark Sunday market inside the Old Bus Depot building on the Kingston Foreshore for food and drink, plants, handmade items and more. Details here.
Southside Farmers Market: The Southside Farmers Market is held every Sunday morning at Canberra College in Phillip. Details here.
Jamison Trash and Treasure: Runs every Sunday in Belconnen. As well as pre-loved and vintage items, you'll find fresh fruit and vegetables, eggs, honey, and plants. Details here.
🎸 Live Music This Weekend
Friday
- The Gruntled @ Dissent
- Lounge Baby @ Burns Club
- The Iconics @ The Irish Club
- Come to the Sabbat @ The Baso
- The Internet Was Busy (various) @ Smith’s Alternative
Saturday
- Kial Malone & Benny Elder @ Dissent
- Hell's Symphony Tour (metal) @ The Baso
- Topshelf @ The Burns Club
- The Wranglers @ Slovenian Club
- Cameron Jones Trio (jazz) @ Smith’s Alternative
- Hence Confetti / Slowbeard / Shockwave @ Pot Belly Bar
Sunday
- Gutslit (metal) @ The Baso
- Ben Drysdale @ Dickson Taphouse
- Mal Webb And Kylie Morrigan @ Smith’s Alternative
Discover More Events Happening This Weekend in Canberra
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