What's On in Canberra This August & Beyond

Winter is here and we're embracing the crisp mornings and stunning sunsets. The sun is shining, 2024 is halfway through and our event schedules are looking full, just the way we like it! 

This August we challenge you to get out and about whilst staying cosy. Make the most of the cooler weather by shopping at outdoor markets and heading out on Canberra's best walks. Still got some dates to fill? Read on for the best things to do in Canberra this month. 

Canberra Moon Festival

Canberra Moon Festival offers up a great chance to learn about different Asian cultures via local food and drink stalls, performances and interactive activities. It's going to be a big one this year with the festival expected to draw in over 35 000 visitors. 

Friday 6th to Sunday 8th September 

City Walk and Petire Plaza 

Oz Comic-Con Canberra 

The ultimate celebration of pop culture, Oz Comic-Con promises to be a feast for the senses. Start prepping your costumes and forming your plan of attack because there's going to be a heap to do. Think panels, performances and exhibits galore. 

Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th August 

EPIC Canberra, Flemington Road, Mitchell 

Tulip Top Gardens 

An annual highlight, Tulip Top Gardens has released their open dates for the 2024 season. Perfect for a family day out, doggos included, the gorgeous gardens are a serene spot for a picnic and a day spent wandering amongst the blooms. Coffee and tea are included in the ticket price with other food and beverages available for purchase also. Pick your date wisely as there are also live entertainment and creative workshops available on selected dates. 

Wednesday 11th September to Sunday 13th October 

20 Old Federal Highway, Sutton 

Dinner with the Stars 

If you've been looking for a chance to learn about the night sky, you won't find one better than this. Your ticket includes a two-course meal at Barrack's cafe paired with a presentation on what to look out for. You'll then move out to explore the night sky with powerful telescopes. 

From $120, bookings can be made here

Friday 16th August 

Lanyon Homestead, Tharwa Drive, Tharwa 

Omakase Experience at Koto Dining

The opening of Koto has been a true highlight for Canberra's foodie scene this year and this heavenly Japanese restaurant isn't done delighting us yet. Koto has just launched an 18-course omakase menu curated by their hatted executive chef and sushi master, Shinya Nakano. There are only ten seats available at each sitting so get in quick if you have a date in mind. 

1 King George Terrace, Parkes 

Urban Craft Beer Crawl 

Nothing quite beats an afternoon with your pals cruising from location to location and sampling the best craft beer in Canberra. The best part about the Urban Craft Beer Crawl is that it is self-guided meaning no rush and no waiting around. 

Saturday 31st August, 12pm to 4pm 

Multiple venues 

The Tipsy Sketching Club 

Winter is the perfect time to learn a new skill. Try your hand at life drawing whilst sipping away on cocktails from Wakefield's Bar & Wine. You'll get to attempt a variety of poses with drawing time ranging from 2 minutes to twenty, per pose. 

Dates throughout August

1 Wakefield Gardens, Shop 2, Ainslie 

National Photographer Portrait Prize 2024

Planning ahead? You won't want to miss this one. Discover the essence of 2023 and 2024 in photo form at the National Portrait Gallery's iconic event, the National Photographic Portrait Prize. Celebrating its 17th year, this exhibition gives a snapshot of the year's essence through a kaleidoscope of identities, both communal and personal.

With 34 talented artists in the limelight, including Zoe Helene Karouzos and Paul Knight, prepare for visual storytelling at its finest. Opening in late June, this isn't your average exhibition; it's one of the most popular events on the calendar. And with a whopping $50,000 prize package up for grabs, it's bound to be a showcase of pure photographic magic.

Opens June 22nd, 2024

National Portrait Gallery, King Edward Terrace, Parkes Canberra

Shades of Shadows

Discover a whole new world of light and shadow at the Canberra Museum and Gallery's Shades of Shadows exhibition. Glass artist Hannah Gason invites you on a journey where light dances with architectural forms, inspired by the visionary work of Frank Hinder.

Just like Hinder's iconic designs that shaped Canberra's landscape, Gason's pieces weave together harmony, movement, and luminosity. As you explore, watch how light transforms and plays tricks with glass, creating an enchanting display of shapes and textures, captivating the endless possibilities of light and glass. 

June 15th to November 17th, 2024

Canberra Museum and Gallery, Corner London Circuit and City Square, Canberra

Get Creative at the Craft and Design Centre

Itching to get your hands to work? Pop on over to the Craft and Design Centre to see what's on offer. This month you'll be able to learn cultural weaving and water colour food journalling. 

Dates throughout August

Gaugin's World: Tōna Iho, Tōna Ao

Dive into the world of French Post-Impressionist Paul Gauguin at the National Gallery of Australia's upcoming major exhibition, Gauguin’s World: Tōna Iho, Tōna Ao. immerse yourself in Gauguin's iconic masterpieces, many crafted during his travels across the Pacific.

Curated by Henri Loyrette, former director of the Louvre Museum, this exhibition unveils fresh insights into Gauguin's life, influences, and lasting legacy. Explore the evolution of Gauguin's distinctive style through painting, sculpture, and decorative arts, and engage with contemporary debates surrounding Gauguin's controversial legacy. Coming in June 2024, it is set to be one of the biggest and best art exhibitions in Canberra.

June 29th to October 7th 2024

National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place East, Parkes ACT

Attend a Candlelight Concert 

Hold hands and get swept up in the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience, all under the glow of candlelight. For an unforgettable date idea in Canberra, you simply can't look past attending a candlelit concert from Fever Up. There are orchestral tributes to the likes of Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, Coldplay and Taylor Swift, or swoon to the soaring sounds of Mozart's Requiem and Vivaldi's Four Seasons played out to a transfixing degree, in stunning and oft-historic venues around town. They even have family-friendly options with their Candlelight Kids series.

Multiple locations, visit Fever Up website for more details

Need more ideas on what to do in Canberra this month? Here’s our guide to the best weekend activities in Canberra and, if you’re heading to Sydney for the weekend, here are our tops picks.