16 April 2021

Ten things to do in Canberra this week (16 - 22 April)

| Lottie Twyford
People hugging

Communities@Work is encouraging conversations that count in the community. Photo: Supplied.

It’s shaping up to be another busy week in the capital region, with a little something for everyone.

Whether you’re a keen bike rider, a music, food and wine, pottery or plants lover, or want to get more involved with your local community, you’re not likely to be bored.

Communities@work will be continuing their ‘Infusion – Conversations that Count’ initiative. They invite you to share a cuppa with people from your neighbourhood and have some meaningful conversations that deepen connections.

The Canberra International Music Festival is bringing the sophistication of Vienna to the capital to kickstart its pre-festival lineup, while Canberra Strings will be performing Schubert’s Death of a Maiden.

Over the weekend, plants lovers can rejoice as the huge indoor plant sale is back, as is Marymead’s Garage and Plant sale.

The Palerang Food & Wine Festival offers some of the finer things in life, and make some room on the mantlepiece (or in the pool room) for some works from Canberra Potters Autumn Market.

There’s fun for all on Sunday with Epilepsy ACT’s Family Bowling, and those keen to push their limits should check out the Rotary Five Peaks Challenge also taking place.

Want to learn more about Australian history? Friends of Ireland is hosting a talk with Professor Melanie Nolan of the ANU on Irish-born Australian Women in the Australian Dictionary of Biography.

Have a great week, Canberra!

All week

Infusion – Conversations that Count

When: Monday 19 April, Tuesday 20 April, 10:30 am to 1:30 pm
Where: Various locations around Tuggeranong
Cost: Free.

Communities at Work invites you along for a cuppa to make a difference.

Through this mobile morning tea initiative, we want to work alongside the Canberra community to foster community connections and help you get to know your local communities and even empower you to identify and utilise your assets and skills to help you develop your community the way you want to.

Our Infusion mobile morning tea van will be visiting various sites over the next few months – drop by for a free cuppa and engage in conversations that count with your fellow community members.

More information is available at Communities@Work.

Canberra International Music Festival 2021

Canberra International Music Festival brings the idea of Vienna to Canberra in 2021. Photo: Supplied.

Canberra International Music Festival – Pre-Festival Events

When: 16 April to 29 April, various times
Where: Various locations around Canberra, some events virtual
Cost: See CIMF for details.

In 2021, Canberra International Music Festival is bringing the music of Vienna to Canberra, performed by an exceptional cast of Australian artists.

It’s the city where Schubert and Strauss were born. The place where Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven made history. The opera house that Mahler transformed for the 20th century. The circles where Schoenberg foreshadowed the tragedy of two world wars.

The festival itself starts on 30 April, but a series of pre-festival events will run in the weeks prior.

The event kicks off on Friday, 16 April with a live stream of BalletCollective Aotearoa and the New Zealand String Quartet’s Transfigured Night from Wellington.

On Saturday at the Street Theatre, saxophonist Matt Keegan delves into his family’s history to create a new musical story against the old tale of migration and cultural fusion with Matt Keegan: Vienna Dreaming.

Another live-streamed event will run on Sunday with RAMSCH & ROSEN (Rummage & Roses) from Vienna. It’s a musical piece performed by Julia Lachersdorfer and Simon Zöchbauer, two of Vienna’s most enterprising musicians.

On Wednesday, 21 April, Josh Cohen will perform Radiohead for solo piano at Verity Lane Market.

Visit CIMF 2021 to learn more.

All weekend

Indoor plant sale

Don’t miss the ultimate indoor plant sale! Photo: Supplied.

Huge Indoor Plant Warehouse Sale – Foliage Fiesta

When: Saturday 17 April and Sunday 18 April, various times
Where: Causeway Hall Kingston, 14 Spinifex Street, Kingston
Cost: Free, book here.

The Huge Indoor Plant Warehouse Sale is coming back to Canberra, with a big event focusing on foliage and lush tropical jungle leaves!

Enjoy the jungle tunes and vibes and take a look at thousands of indoor plants lined up in one big warehouse and receive style inspiration on how to incorporate plants into your home. There will also be a horticulturalist on-site to answer any specific questions you might have.

This time, there will be no dress-up promotion, but if you share your day on Instagram in your stories or feed and tag @jungle_collective and #junglecollective you’ll get $5 off your purchase (minimum $20 spend, EFTPOS only)! Just show your share at registers.

In order to ensure the plants you are after are on display, they ask that you comment on their Facebook event to let them know what you want to see.

Rare plants will be limited to one per customer, and some will be reserved for Sunday morning so that nobody misses out. They have a limited number of boxes to cart plants home in, so you may want to bring your own to be on the safe side. Likewise, parking is limited, so you’re asked to park on the street and come to the pick-up area after purchasing.

It is a free event, but in line with COVID restrictions, registration for your preferred time slot is essential. There is a 30-minute shopping limit per customer, and you must follow the arrows when moving around the room.

Canberra Potters Autumn Market

Canberra Potters market is back for its Autumn event. Photo: Supplied.

Canberra Potters Autumn Market

When: 16 to 18 April, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Friday, and 10:00 am to 4:00 pm over the weekend
Where: Canberra Potters’ Gallery, 1 Aspinall St, Watson
Cost: $5 for the VIP evening, free entry Saturday and Sunday.

This April, discover some of Canberra’s finest potters and ceramic artists at the Canberra Potters Market! Established by the Canberra Potters, this market has been created to connect our fantastic community of makers directly with the public.

Come and buy original, handmade ceramics, including planter pots, tableware, sculptures, jewellery, vases and more. Discover the vibrant Watson Arts Centre and Canberra Potters and enjoy a coffee in the sunny gardens. This is one not to miss!

There will also be a VIP opening evening on Friday, 16 April. Attendees will receive exclusive early access to the market, have an opportunity to meet the makers and get an entry for the lucky door prize, a sculpture by the late Suzanne Oakman. You will also be treated to a glass of champagne on arrival and light refreshments.

Saturday

Garage sale

Come one, come all. Photo: File.

Marymead’s Autumn Garage and Plant Sale

When: Saturday 17 April, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Where: Marymead, 255 Goyder St, Narrabundah
Cost: Free.

Come along to the Autumn instalment of Marymead’s Garage and Plant Sale.

There will be plants, clothes, books, homewares, jewellery, bric-a-brac, handbags, craft, toys, accessories and more!

All proceeds will go to Marymead.

The event has COVID-safe protocols in place.

For more information, call 6162 5800 or email [email protected].

Sunday

Irish-born Australian Women flyer

Friends of Ireland is hosting Professor Melanie Nolan for a talk about Irish-born Australian women. Photo: Supplied.

Irish-born Australian Women

When: Sunday 18 April, 2:00 pm
Where: Canberra Irish Club, 6 Parkinson St, Weston ACT 2611
Cost: Free.

Friends of Ireland is hosting a talk with Professor Melanie Nolan of the ANU on Irish-born Australian Women in the Australian Dictionary of Biography.

Melanie Nolan is professor of history, Director of the National Centre of Biography and General Editor of the Australian Dictionary of Biography, ANU.

Some notable figures whose stories will be discussed will be Martha Simpson, a kindergarten teacher and school inspector, education pioneer and poet and Mary Lee, a women’s suffragist and activist, trade unionist, social reformer, welfare worker and single taxer.

As this is a COVID-safe event, it is essential that attendees RSVP by emailing [email protected].

family bowling with Epilepsy ACT

Family bowling with Epilepsy ACT. Image: Supplied.

Family bowling

When: Sunday 18 April, 11:00 am
Where: Zone Bowling, 1 Emu Bank, Belconnen
Cost: Free, bookings essential.

Epilepsy ACT invites young and old to come along and have some fun bowling.

This is a free event, but please email [email protected] to secure your place. The event will be stigma-free and a safe space, but please note it is loud and lighting unusual.

Canberra Strings

Canberra Strings will be performing Schubert’s String Quartet no. 14, Death and the Maiden. Photo: Supplied.

Canberra Strings: Schubert’s Death and the Maiden

When: Sunday 18 April, 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Where: Wesley Music Centre, 20 National Circuit, Forrest
Cost: $15 to $30.

Canberra Strings presents Schubert’s Death and the Maiden at Wesley Music Centre in Forrest.

Written in 1824 after a period of serious illness, Death and the Maiden is built around Schubert’s lied of the same name. It has long been interpreted as an evocative depiction of Schubert’s struggle with his own mortality, from the poignant, ghostly variations in the second movement to the terrifying dance of death at the end.

Canberra Strings is a group of some of the region’s top professional string players dedicated to the performance of string chamber music. Featuring former TSO concertmaster and Aria Award winner Barbara Jane Gilby (now a Braidwood resident) as first violinist, the group also includes CSO players Pip Thompson, Lucy Carrigy-Ryan, Jack Chenoweth, Samuel Payne and Julia Janiszewski. The group has received two Critics Circle awards for performances in and around Canberra.

Cyclists

The Five Peaks Challenge can be scaled to suit your abilities. Photo: Supplied.

Five Peaks Challenge Canberra

When: Sunday 18 April, on-the-day registration opens at 6:00 am
Where: Stromlo Forest Park
Cost: $97 to $110, register here.

Woden Rotary Club is bringing the Five Peaks Challenge back to Canberra.

It provides a great challenge to ride the six peaks of Canberra – Mount Stromlo, Red Hill, Mount Pleasant, Mount Ainslie and Black Mountain and Dairy Farmers Hill (in the Arboretum).

It has been named ‘Five Peaks Challenge’ since its inception in 2004, but since 2015, when Dairy Farmers’ Hill (in the Arboretum) was added, it has six peaks for you – a 20% bonus!

Five Peaks Challenge has two length options, 88 km or 120 km (both with six peaks). You can ride as many or as few peaks as you wish and ride the distance that suits you between 57 km and 120 km.

All profit from the event goes to selected charities, Sleepbus for homeless women and children in Canberra and Rotary Australian Health for mental health research.

Registration is essential, and on-the-day registration will only occur if spots are remaining.

Wednesday

Tequila bottle on a dark bar

QT and Patrón are proving that tequila is more versatile than shots alone. Photo: Supplied.

QT X Patrón Dinner

When: Wednesday 21 April, 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Where: QT Lounge
Cost: $150 + booking fee, tickets available here.

Who said tequila was reserved for shots and margaritas?

QT and Patrón have collaborated to deliver a culinary experience guaranteed to make your palate shout Olé.

Enjoy the sweeping views of Canberra from the exclusive QT Lounge while Executive Chef Josh Smith-Thirkell takes you on a journey of flavours including Tequila Cured Salmon paired with a Hazelnut Tequila Old Fashioned.

You’re advised to get in quick as seats are strictly limited.

Tickets are available online.

Original Article published by Lottie Twyford on The RiotACT.

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