Eight things to do around Canberra this Queen's Birthday long weekend (7–9 June)

Winter has well and truly arrived but instead of hibernating this long weekend head out the door and enjoy a new exhibition at the Gallery, a sausage and beer at the Polish Club, an improvised musical or a spot of public knitting. The National Gallery’s much anticipated Monet: Impression Sunrise exhibition opens this weekend providing the opportunity to see the painting Impression, Sunrise after which the Impressionist art movement takes its name. The Gallery is also running Monet’s Tea Salon until 21 July from which it will be serving high tea at 11 am and 2 pm each day. It is World Wide knit-in-public day this Saturday and the Trove Canberra is celebrating with a social knitting event in the courtyard outside its Dickson store. Tuggeranong Arts Centre is hosting a real queen this Queen’s Birthday with Constantina Bush—the female alter-ego of First Nations Australian artist Kamahi Djordon King—performing her solo show Bush Reflections on Friday night. Also on Friday Lightbulb Improv will be performing their improvised musical, Switched On at Smiths Alternative. Watch as the songs are made up right in front of you! On Sunday, the Polish Club is celebrating winter with Winter Fest, there will be sausages, beer and vodka and it is the annual Kids in the Shed themed market at the Old Bus Depot Markets.

All weekend

Monet: Impression Sunrise

Where: National Gallery of Australia
When: 7 June–1 September, 9 am–5 pm
The National Gallery’s latest exhibition—Monet: Impression Sunrise—opens this weekend and runs until September. It brings together paintings by Claude Monet, JMW Turner and other significant artists to examine a defining moment in art history—the establishment of Impressionism. A highlight of this exhibition is an opportunity to see Monet’s pioneering painting Impression, Soleil levant (Impression, Sunrise) 1872, from which the art movement Impressionism takes its name. The paintings reveal the formative characteristics of Impressionism—depiction of natural light, purer colour and capturing fleeting moments and are on loan from the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris, the Tate, and Australian and New Zealand collections. Impression, Soleil levant rarely leaves Paris and this is the first time it has travelled to the Southern Hemisphere. Tickets are $22 for adults, $20 for concession and $17 for Gallery members. Kids under 16 are free when accompanied by an adult. Season passes and premium tickets are also available. Premium tickets enable you to get into the exhibition at 9 am an hour before the crowds. And between 7 June –21 July the Gallery is hosting Monet’s Tea Salon where you can enjoy a delicious high tea before or after visiting the exhibition. Check out the high tea menu here and book tickets here.

The Allusionist Live

Where: Canberra Theatre
When: Friday & Saturday, 7:30 pm
The Allusionist is a British podcast about language hosted by Helen Zaltzman. In each episode, Helen dissects language with infectious verve and a generous helping of pop-culture. She is recording live episodes on Friday and Saturday in Canberra and will be joined on stage by her house band Martin Austwick. Have you heard of Toki Pona, a language comprising 120 words from 14 letters, or the scientifically proven health benefits of swearing? Have you winced at Western yogic deployments of ‘namaste’ or opening lines on dating apps? These and many other language-related anecdotes are discussed on The Allusionist. The fun kicks off from 6:30 pm with Happy Hour, the podcast starts at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $29, book here.

Friday

Bush Reflections with Constantina Bush

Where: Tuggeranong Arts Centre
When: 7 pm
Celebrate the Queen’s Birthday with a real queen! Tuggeranong Arts Centre welcomes Australia’s premiere showgirl from the bush—the female alter-ego of First Nations Australian artist Kamahi Djordon King—Constantina Bush. Heralding from the Northern Territory, Constantina impressed local audiences last year with an intimate cabaret performance featuring soaring vocal numbers and comedic and crass repartee. This year, she’s back with a full-scale solo show—Bush Reflections—which is a journey through the songs that have had a big impact on her throughout her life—from 70s disco to today’s club music. And before Constantina hits the stage, Canberra’s own drag mother MadB will host some of her favourite local drag and queer performers. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for concession, book here.

Switched On—The Musical

Where: Smiths Alternative
When: Doors open at 7 pm
Lightbulb Improv, Canberra’s finest troupe of improvisers is pulling out all the stops this Friday evening with a musical extravaganza. What’s the plot? They don’t know yet. What’s the big musical number? Be the first to hear! With live musical accompaniment, Lightbulb will make up songs on the spot. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for concession, book here.

Saturday

World Wide Knit in Public Day

Where: Trove Canberra, Dickson Place
When: 1–3 pm
This Saturday is World Wide Knit in Public Day and to mark the occasion Trove Canberra will be hosting a knitting session in the courtyard outside its new Dickson store. There will be expert knitters and crocheters on hand to provide advice and assistance and Trove will have baked goodies for sustenance.

Sunday

Kids in the Shed

Where: Old Bus Depot Markets
When: 10 am–4 pm
The kids are taking over the Old Bus Depot Markets this Sunday. There will be a jumping castle, clowns, a reptile show, a fire truck, rides and other activities. And there will be speciality stalls with products for kids — handcrafted toys, accessories and artworks for kids rooms, and kids clothes.

Winter Fest at the Polish Club

Where: White Eagle Polish Club, Turner
When: 1–6 pm
This Sunday afternoon, the Polish Club is celebrating the arrival of winter and the first snow of the season. There will be Polish BBQ Kranskies, Pierogi, Polish Folk Dancing, Cake Stalls and more. There will also be a selection of Polish and Baltic beers and over 50 vodkas. So wrap up warm in your beanies and scarves and head to the Polish Club for some old-school European winter hospitality.

Monday

Sri Chinmoy Half-Marathon

Where: Lennox Gardens
When: From 8 am
Canberra’s Sri Chinmoy club is holding its annual one-mile loop half marathon this Queen’s Birthday holiday. Run 13 laps around Lennox Gardens to complete a half marathon. There are also 5 mile and 2-mile events. The half marathon starts at 9 am and the 2 mile and 5-mile events start at 9:30 am. Either register online until 5 pm Friday or from 8 am on the day. Online registration is $31 for the half marathon, $27 for the 5-mile event and $13 for the 2-mile event. On the day, registration is $40 for the half marathon, $30 for the 5-mile event and $20 for the 2-mile event.

Original Article published by Zoe Pleasants on The RiotACT.