Discover the Best Events & Festivals in Canberra

Canberra is home to Australia's Parliament House, foreign embassies, and national institutions including the Royal Australian Mint.

But there's more to Canberra than meets the eye.

Each year Australia's capital city plays host to a packed calendar of major events and festivals. Canberra's festival season is year long with events ranging from cultural celebrations to music and comedy shows, and of course, the nation's biggest celebration of Spring: Floriade.
 

Whatever type of festival you enjoy, you're sure to find something that piques your fancy in Canberra. Attending a festival is a great reason to spend a weekend (or a week!) in Canberra.
 

Here's a few of our favourite annual events to inspire your next trip to Canberra.

Held anually in February, the National Multicultural Festival in Canberra celebrates the cultural diversity that makes Australia great. The annual festival is Australia's largest celebration of cultural diversity and is a spectacular mutli-day filled with entertainment, food and drink, and fun from every corner of the globe.

During the festival, more than 170 multicultural communities share their history and culture with attendees. The central location of the National Multicultural Festival means it's easy to get to via Canberra's public transport.

The Canberra Balloon Spectacular takes place each year in March and is considered by many to be one of the best hot air ballooning events in the world. Weather permitting, balloons inflate daily from 6:15am on the Lawns of Old Parliament House.

Visitors can take to the skies with Balloon Aloft or Dawn Drifters, or pitch up and watch the action for free from the ground. The balloons come in so many shapes and sizes, gliding effortlessly across the sky. Delight in balloons shaped like a giant floating Kookaburra, or a huge Darth Vader head traversing the skyline.

Originally held to celebrate Canberra’s 100th birthday, the Canberra Comedy Festival continues to promise a crowd pleasing line-up of both local comedy heroes and international comedians. With a packed comedy program, the festival takes place in venues across Canberra.

Explore Canberra by day and have entertainment sorted in the evenings as you enjoy comedy shows by some of the biggest names in comedy from right across the globe, as well as homegrown comedians including the likes of Dave Hughes, Hannah Gadsby, Tommy Little and Peter Berner.

When you're booking your Canberra accommodation for the festival, be sure to also book your tickets online because events at the Canberra Comedy Festival sell out fast.

Don't let the name fool you, this running festival in Canberra is about more than just a marathon length run. From a 5km dash to a gruelling 50km ultra marathon, the Canberra Times Marathon Festival caters to runners of all fitness levels and experience. There's even a 2km fun run for the kids to enjoy.

The races start in the heart of Canberra up near Old Parliament House. Take a spot on the sidelines, enjoy the scenic views of nearby Lake Burley Griffin, and cheer the runners over the line, enjoying the celebration of Canberra’s local sporting heroes. If you have friends or family running, you can even use the Canberra Marathon app to track their progress throughout the day.

There’s so much positive energy in the air, you may even want to put on your runners and pound the pavement yourself!

With themed bars, food trucks and crafting stalls, circus performances and roving musicians, this festival is a celebration of all things folk. Get creative and have a dance, or kick back and let others do the entertaining during this iconic five day folk festival that showcases talent from near and far. 

The National Folk Festival attracts tens of thousands of visitors and makes for a fun way to enjoy a weekend in Canberra.

The Canberra International Music Festival was first held in 1994 as a celebration of chamber music. From humble beginnings hosted in homes and embassies, the festival grew into larger concert venues.

Today the multi-day music festival program is a celebration of classical traditions both Western and from around the world.

Canberra's own Christmas in July Festival is a wonderful opportunity to welcome winter and enjoy the magic of Christmas. This Christmas in July festival transforms the heart of Canberra into a winter wonderland, complete with twinkling lights, festive decorations, and the warm scent of mulled wine. 

Whether you're cosying up by a roaring fire, enjoying Christmas-themed cuisine, or exploring the vibrant Yuletide markets, there's no better way to experience the charm of Canberra during the winter months.

Don't miss the VIP Fire Pit experience where you can enjoy mulled wine while toasting marshmallows over the fire.

Floriade is Canberra’s flower festival and has been blooming every spring since 1988. Now, Floriade attracts over 480,000 visitors each year.

Expect great music and entertainment, after-dark light illuminations, and of course stunning floral displays of over 1 million buds spread across 8,000 square metres of city parkland.

Entry to Floriade is free, making spring a great time to visit Canberra. 

Timing your visit with one of Canberra’s many festivals is a great way to see the nation’s capital at its finest.

With dozens of annual festivals throughout the region, there’s always a reason to head to the Australian Capital Territory. All that's left to decide is which festival to experience first. 

Whether you're heading to Canberra for the music, the Christmas sprit, the flowers, or something else in between, you can start planning your trip by finding the perfect Canberra accommodation.