Ten things to do around Canberra this weekend (3–5 May)

The Canberra International Music Festival is in full flight this weekend with an amazing program of concerts to choose from. Dance Week continues with the Sydney Dance Company in town to celebrate and opportunities to enjoy homegrown dance works at the Belconnen Arts Centre, and the Short & Sweet Theatre Festival is holding its Gala Finale this Saturday. It is Canberra Tree Week—the ACT Tree Climbing Championships will be on in the Botanic Gardens and you can hug a tree or enjoy a guided walk at the National Arboretum. There is also plenty of sport on this weekend with AFL at Manuka Oval this Saturday afternoon—the Giants play St Kilda—and the Brumbies playing the Blues at home this Saturday night. Finally, the National Carillion is celebrating May the 4th Day this Saturday. Enjoy the familiar strains of Star Wars coming out of the Carillion!

All weekend

Canberra International Music Festival

Where: Various venues
When: 2–12 May
The Canberra International Music Festival starts this week—ten days of curated classical music concerts featuring internationally celebrated artists. This year’s festival has a focus on Bach. Concerts this weekend include:

• Winther’s Bach I & Winther’s Bach II, Saturday 11 am & 5 pm, Fitters Workshop Kingston—these two concerts feature Kristian Winther, a Canberra-born and bred idiosyncratic solo violinist, performing the complete Bach violin solo works in one day! Tickets are $62 for adults, $52 for concession and $30 for under the 30s.
• Shall we Dance?, Saturday 2:30 pm, Fitters Workshop Kingston—SR9 (Square Root 9 = 3) are a trio of percussion musicians who will perform a program of Baroque music on three marimbas. Tickets are $62 for adults, $52 for concession and $30 for under the 30s.
• Latin Romance, Saturday 8:30 pm, Fitters Workshop Kingston—Los Pitutos is a group of young musicians from Chile and Colombia who perform the traditional boleros of their home countries. Their music oozes with nostalgia and old-fashioned charm. Tickets are $72 for adults, $62 for concession and $30 for under the 30s.
• Bach’s Orbit, Sunday 11 am, Fitters Workshop Kingston—a concert of Italian music that inspired Bach. Tickets are $62 for adults, $52 for concession and $30 for under the 30s.
• The Three B’s, Sunday 6:30 pm, Fitters Workshop Kingston—French quartet Quatuor Voce will perform a program of music by Bach, Beethoven and Anton Bruckner, a contemporary of Brahms. Tickets are $72 for adults, $62 for concession and $30 for under the 30s.

Check out the complete program of the Canberra International Music Festival here.

Short & Sweet Theatre Festival

Where: Courtyard Theatre
When: Friday 7:30 pm, Saturday 2:30 pm & 7:30 pm
Canberra’s Short and Sweet Theatre Festival continues this weekend at the Courtyard Theatre with the Top 10 plays being performed on Friday night and the Gala Finale on Saturday afternoon and evening. The festival showcases ten-minute plays written by local, Australian and international playwrights, which are directed and performed by mostly local directors and actors. The best plays from the Top 10, as voted by the audience, and the All-Stars plays that were performed last weekend will compete for glory in the Gala Final. Tickets for each show are $32 for adults and $25 for concession, book here.

3 Days of Design Mother’s Day Pop-up

Where: BDA Interiors, Cnr Franklin & Furneaux St Manuka
When: Friday 6–9 pm, Saturday & Sunday 10 am–4 pm
Ahead of Mother’s Day next Sunday, BDA Interiors in Manuka is hosting their second 3 Days of Design weekends showcasing local designers and makers. On Friday night, enjoy a glass of wine from The Pop Inn, and music by DJ Divinyl while finding a gift for your mum. The event will feature Polka Luka, Sparks and Dust, Made by Marcelle and Core Interiors.

Australian Dance Week

Where: Various venues
When: Friday, Saturday & Sunday
Dance Week wraps up this weekend with plenty of events to see or get involved in. The Sydney Theatre Company is in town performing its 50th Anniversary concert with a triple bill featuring works by Rafael Bonachela, Gabrielle Nankivell and Melanie Lane. Performances are on Friday and Saturday 7:30 pm at the Canberra Theatre. Tickets from $49 for adults, $39 for concession and $30 for under 27, book here. The Sydney Dance Company is also hosting a Masterclass and Company Class Viewing this Saturday from 2:45 pm. Tickets are $25 + bf, book here. For some local content, Belconnen Arts Centre presents Dance on the Edge, a concert of five new dance works, including:

• Great Woman Wolf Woman Bone Woman—Alana Stenning
• Wasted—Australian Dance Party
• Contents Container—House of Sand (Eliza Sanders & Brendan Anderson)
• Liability—Gretel and Chloe Burgess
• An Observant Man—Nicholas Jachno

Performances are on Saturday 5 & 8 pm and Sunday 2 pm. Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for concession, book here.

Then on Sunday at 11 am there is Dance for Wellbeing Taster Class at Belconnen Arts Centre and a Canberra International Folk Dancing Association Social Dance at Yarralumla Uniting Church Hall from 2 pm. Check out the Dance week program here.

Canberra Tree Week

Where: Various venues
When: 4–12 May
Celebrate Canberra’s trees this weekend. Canberra tree week starts this Saturday and runs until next Sunday. Events on this weekend include:

• ACT Tree Climbing Championships at the Australian National Botanic Gardens, Eucalypt Lawn this Saturday 8:30 am–4:30 pm.
• A Harvest Group Market Stall, Hug a Tree Day, kite making and guided walks at the National Arboretum this Saturday and guided walks on Sunday. More details here.
• Mountain bike ride through Kowen pine plantation on Sunday 8:30 am–12 pm

More details and the complete program of Canberra Tree Week events here.

Saturday

Connect and Participate Expo

Where: Old Bus Depot, Kingston
When: 11 am–4 pm
The Connect and Participate Expo is a community event that helps people build social connections through common interests. The Expo will feature sport and recreation groups, art, craft, music, leisure, cultural, performing arts groups, and hobby, social and ‘special interest’ groups. There will be opportunities to come and try or simply to talk to someone about how to get involved.

Pegasus Open Day

Where: Pegasus Farm, 119 Drake Brockman Drive, Holt
When: 10 am–3 pm
Pegasus is a community organisation that brings horses and people together providing therapeutic horse-facilitated programs and activities for people with disabilities. Learn more about what Pegasus does, and help them raise funds at it’s Open Day this Saturday. There will be horse demonstrations, horse parades, music, entertainment, food, stalls and tractor rides.

AFL—Giants vs St Kilda

Where: Manuka Oval
When: From 12:45 pm
AFL returns to Manuka Oval this Saturday with the Giants playing St Kilda. Gates open at 12:35 pm, kick off 1:45 pm. Tickets from $19, book here.

Brumbies vs Blues

Where: GIO Stadium
When: 7:45 pm
The Brumbies are playing the Blues from Auckland this Saturday night. Both teams will be going all out to secure a vital win as the race for the Finals gathers pace. Tickets from $12.25, book here.

May the 4th be With You

Where: National Carillion
When: 11:30 am–2:30 pm
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far, away, carillonists discovered their love of the music from Star Wars. The Force will be with them when they once again present a free public concert at Canberra’s National Carillon to celebrate May the 4th Day. Bring a picnic blanket, settle in and enjoy.

Original Article published by Zoe Pleasants on The RiotACT.