CANBERRA MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL: 17-19TH FEBRUARY
The Multicultural Festival started out as a single day event and now it’s a 2 week extravaganza that celebrates the cultural diversity that makes Australia great.
If you only have one day to spare, make it February 18th. This is the biggest day of the festival, with showcases from the Latin Quarter & American Experience, Pacific Islands, Malaysian Village, African Village and India in the City – it’s a spectacular day filled with entertainment, food and drink from every corner of the globe.
CANBERRA BALLOON FESTIVAL: 11-19TH MARCH 2017
The Canberra Balloon Spectacular 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 a giant floating Kookaburra, or a huge Darth Vader head traversing the skyline.
CANBERRA COMEDY FESTIVAL: 19 – 26th MARCH 2017
Originally held to celebrate Canberra’s 100th birthday, 2017 will be the Festival’s 4th year and promises a line-up of both local comedy heroes and international jokesters.
Explore Canberra by day and have entertainment sorted in the evenings with international laughs from big names including Stephen K Amos, Jeff Green, Jimeon and Daniel Sloss, and home grown comedians from the likes of Dave Hughes, Hannah Gadsby, Luke Heggie, and Becky Lucas. Grab tickets online as these events sell out fast.
CANBERRA RUNNING FESTIVAL: 8-9TH APRIL 2017
From a 5km dash to a gruelling 50km ultra marathon, the Canberra Running Festival caters to runners of all fitness levels and experience. Take a spot on the sidelines and cheer the runners over the line, enjoying the celebration of Canberra’s local sporting heroes. There’s so much positive energy in the air, you may even want to put on your runners and pound the pavement, raising money for charity with every step.
CANBERRA FOLK FESTIVAL: 13 – 17TH APRIL 2017
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 a 5 day bonanza that showcases local talent.
Tickets can be bought per day, for multiple days, or for the whole festival with camping. If you’re visiting Canberra, what better way to experience the festival than with Rent a Tent – just turn up and camp!
CANBERRA FLOWER FESTIVAL: SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2017
Floriade, Canberra’s flower festival, has been blooming since 1988, now attracting over 480,000 visitors per year. 2017 will be the festival’s 30th year so you can expect great music, dramatic lighting displays 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 27 annual festivals throughout the region, there’s always a reason to head over to the Australian Capital Territory.
