The Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets will hold the third annual Beer Day Out on Sunday 8 November. The free event, run with Plonk, will let visitors sample beers and talk with brewers from nearly two dozen breweries across the region and the nation. Live music will feature, and the relaxed setting suits both beer enthusiasts and newcomers. Canberra brewers Cypher Brewing, Capital Brewing and Bentspoke Brewing will attend, alongside breweries from interstate and New Zealand. Entry is free but ticketed, with registration through Humantix.
Five Canberra cafes offer sunny outdoor spaces for coffee and brunch. Under Bakery in Fyshwick catches the morning sun and has a play area for children. Cafe Stepping Stone at Strathnairn serves vegetarian brunch with views over the Brindabellas. Gang Gang in Downer has a sunny outdoor area next to an oval. Margot in Parkes sits beside Lake Burley Griffin, and Pollen Cafe is set in the Australian National Botanic Gardens.
A food writer has picked seven favourite meat pies in Canberra, judging them on quality ingredients, flaky pastry and a filling that avoids a soggy base. Smoke Masters BBQ in Fyshwick is praised for its brisket pies, which often sell out early. Red Hill Butchery's pies use dry-aged beef, while Griffith Butchery offers homemade pies sold hot or cold. Gum Tree Pies, based in Yackandandah, is included because it sells at the Capital Region Farmers Market. A second instalment is promised.
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A Canberra food guide has named five places south of the lake serving favourite bowls of phở. +84 Kitchen in Woden offers beef toppings and a stone bowl version, with a special sauce. LL's Bakery in Fyshwick serves rare beef or a special mix of tripe, tendon, brisket and beef balls. 29 Cafe & Eatery in Curtin is praised for its brisket. Noi Noi in Kingston has a clear, spiced broth, and O Bach in Tuggeranong is recommended for cold days.
Artist Penelope Boyd is showing a new exhibition, Surrender, at Grainger Gallery in Fyshwick, free to attend on several days this week. The Canberra Writers Festival runs from 15 to 18 October, marking its 10th anniversary with 110 events and 200 artists. The Canberra Fitness Expo is held at Exhibition Park on 17 and 18 October. The UC Capitals open their home campaign against Bendigo Spirit at AIS Arena on 17 October. The RSPCA ACT Drag Variety Night takes place at the German Harmonie Club on 22 October, raising funds for the charity.
Fyshwick second-hand shop owner Adam Charif has given his own Toyota Corolla to a Canberra mother in genuine need. Around 150 nominations were received, and Karen, a youth worker and mother of two, was chosen. For two years she had relied on a friend's borrowed car after a separation made money tight. Nat's Car Care in Queanbeyan serviced the Corolla before Adam handed it over with the rego papers. The week after receiving it, Karen drove to the coast with her son. She described the car as freedom and access to beautiful experiences.
The Lilleyman family of Kambah has built a self-service micro-market at the front gate of their farm on Kambah Pool Road. The shop was installed in 2024 and is stocked daily with beef, eggs, microgreens and preserves. Guy Lilleyman says selling eggs directly, rather than at wholesale prices, has made the farm financially viable. The family is now seeking approval to run farm tours. The micro-market is open from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm every day of the year.
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.
Canberrans are encouraged to visit local bookshops this Saturday for Love Your Bookshop Day. The event features 23 participating stores, author events, children's activities, and special offers. The theme 'Ask a bookseller. Shake up your shelf' promotes personalised book recommendations. The Canberra Bookshop Trail will also launch, with a physical map guiding visitors to bookshops across the city and region.
