Get the appCanberra cafés and bakeries are offering Halloween-themed food and drinks this month. Easy Oar in Acton has a pumpkin spice iced latte and a matching cookie from 25 to 31 October. Good Neighbour in Kingston is selling two themed matcha drinks and four cookie options. Milky Lane in Braddon has a Halloween milkshake and a burger, and The Inn in Ainslie has a spooky cocktail called the Jack O Lantern.
Canberra will host the three-day Golden Oar rowing festival at Black Mountain Peninsula, from Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November. Organisers say it features more than $200,000 in prizes and athletes including Olympians from Croatia, Romania and Australia. Entry is free, and the festival includes a demonstration of coastal rowing beach sprints, family activities and food stalls. Organisers expect more than 4500 visitors across the weekend, with livestreaming and international media coverage planned.
Canberra cafés are serving smoothies that rival the popular Erewhon drinks from Los Angeles. Easy Oar in Acton, on Black Mountain Peninsula, makes Erewhon-style dupes, including a Blue Green Algae option with blue sea moss and blue spirulina coconut cream. Rose N’ Brew in Greenway offers three fruity drinks, the Sunset, the Tropical and the Rose Glow. Urban Pantry in Manuka and Good Neighbour in Kingston also serve smoothies, with Good Neighbour's peanut butter and chocolate blend made with NRG Pilates.
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Get the appTony Swan says he thinks of his father, engineer Eric Swan, whenever he passes the National Library of Australia or the National Press Club. Tony arrived in Canberra from Nauru in the early 1960s and grew up in Curtin. Eric worked on the Canberra Hospital extension, the library and the press club, and later became development manager at A.V. Jennings. Tony later worked on the press club as a labourer and spent about 35 years in government and academic roles in the city.
Canberra's Capital Film Festival returns for its fifth year, screening international films at Dendy Cinemas and the National Film and Sound Archive from 21 to 25 October. The Canberra Nara Candle Festival lights up Lennox Gardens on 24 October with candles, Japanese cuisine and traditional dance. Other events this week include a birdsnest pop-up store in Tralee, Circus in the City in Garema Place, and Oktoberfest in the Gardens at Patrick White Lawns on 24 October.
ACT Fire & Rescue crews are attending a structure fire on Linnaeus Way at the Australian National University in Acton, Canberra. The blaze has been contained, and authorities say it poses no threat to the wider community. Firefighters are expected to remain at the scene for some time. Residents are being asked to stay away from the area while crews work.
A roundup of more than 85 events and activities across Canberra is available for the weekend of 17 and 18 October. Listings include the inaugural Canberra Art Fair at EPIC, the Canberra Writers Festival running until Sunday 18 October, and the First Nations Capital Runway at the National Museum of Australia. Markets, theatre performances, film screenings and high teas are also included, along with the ANU 80th anniversary AfterHours concert on Saturday 17 October.
More than 105 events are listed across Canberra this week. The Canberra Writers Festival marks its 10th anniversary from Thursday 15 to Sunday 18 October, with more than 110 events. The inaugural Canberra Art Fair runs at the Quokka Pavilion at EPIC from Friday 16 to Sunday 18 October. Other events include the Kultural Dreaming Capital Runway on Saturday 17 October at the National Museum of Australia and a Loose LEGO Sale on Sunday 18 October in Woden.
The National Museum of Australia will host Kultural Dreaming Capital Runway on Saturday 17 October, a First Nations fashion event. More than 30 models and 13 designers will show casual wear, activewear, wearable art and couture. Organisers say it is the first event of its kind in the nation's capital. Co-producer Kathleen Bolt says the aim is to give local Indigenous designers wider recognition and new opportunities. Organisers also plan to support models through mentoring, workshops and cultural guidance.
The first Kultural Dreaming Capital Runway show will take place on 17 October at the National Museum of Australia. The event, organised by three First Nations women, will feature 13 local and national First Nations designers. It aims to showcase First Nations fashion, cultural performances, traditional dance, and live music, while also highlighting career pathways in the industry. The organisers hope the event will become an annual celebration of First Nations culture and identity.
Canberra's weekend events include Floriade's final days, a Jungle Collective Plant Sale, and Government House Open Day. The National Film and Sound Archive hosts a 30th-anniversary screening of Romeo + Juliet with a costume party. Other highlights include a cheese and wine evening at Grainger Gallery, Disney's Frozen musical, and a circus show by The Quizzical Mr Jeff. Book lovers can attend a screening of The Shawshank Redemption followed by a discussion, while car enthusiasts can explore the history of Holden at the National Archives.