Canberra Craft Beer and Cider Festival 2014

The Canberra Craft Beer and Cider Festival is one of our ‘must-dos’. Sunshine, a great venue and, of course, beer all make for a great afternoon out… but the festival still has a few issues to get on top of.

Auto Italia 2014

Auto Italia is one of my favourite Canberra events. Don’t get me wrong: I know next to nothing about cars, but I do know what I like. And there’s lots to like at Auto Italia. What’s more, there’s Italian food, it’s got a great location on the lawns in front of Old Parliament House, and it’s free.

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One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Canberra Theatre

I like the Courtyard Studio at the Canberra Theatre: its seats are relatively comfortable, the tiering between rows is right so you can actually see, and there’s a real intimacy – perfect for many forms of theatre. It works just right for the local production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

Canberra – a review by my parents

My parents don’t live in Canberra, but they come here at least once a year. They love this city, and often remark on how much there is to do – on occasion they seem to have a better idea of events and activities going on than I do! I love hearing their ‘outsider’ perspective, and thought you’d love to, too.

Me with mum and dad when they were visiting last year (during Floriade)

Delicious AfterDARK dinner and tour, Botanic Gardens

My parents are in town, so earlier this year we worked out a number of fun events to take them to throughout their week in Canberra. It wasn’t hard: with the Canberra long weekend there was plenty to choose from. Mum’s a big nature lover, and we all like food, so the Delicious AfterDARK dinner and tour at the Australian National Botanic Gardens seems like a winner.

End of Summer Riesling, Parlour Wine Room

The Summer of Riesling was meant to be events across Australia during summer embracing all things riesling. Easy enough, right? Unfortunately, even though we’re a riesling region, there was little take up across the ACT (we’ve got to fix that next summer!), with only Parlour Wine Room holding the torch. After showcasing a variety of rieslings each week throughout summer, Parlour also had quite a few bottles of rieslings with which to celebrate the end of summer and needed people to help empty them…

Enlighten 2014: Deviator*

The 2014 Enlighten program has a lot of very cool events… it’s hard to know where to start. I’m invited to tech run/preview the Museum of Australian Democracy’s event Deviator and I can’t help but agree – at the very least to find out exactly what it’s all about! My initial impression is that it’s a bit of a ‘treasure hunt’ but rather than finding things, it’s doing things a little out of the norm… and right in our Parliamentary Triangle. I’m not far wrong!

First look at Enlighten Canberra 2014

Enlighten Canberra 2014 looks set to be an absolute cracker again. I loved 2013 and there looks to be a lot to love for 2014. I was in the area for another Enlighten event and took a moment to take a few snaps… get excited!

Bright and exciting!

Questacon’s projections over two sides of the building are always brilliant

My favourite institution which displayed projections last year was the National Library… I think it’s my early favourite again!

Like the National Gallery, the National Library uses its Mapping Our World theme – and wonderfully

There are plenty of events on the Friday and Saturday of the next two weeks

My favourite this year… so far

I believe this to be the Circle of Light

Gorgeous!

Old Parliament House is always a huge feat with projections stretching across the long building. The “Guys and Polls” montage is excellent.

Guys and Polls

Great to see Canberra political cartoonist Dave Pope’s popular cartoon on the ‘big screen’!

Gorgeous

PJK!

See you there?

For more info and events over the next two weeks, try here.

Coming Up in 2014 #2

I didn’t expect that the second of these posts would come around so soon, but there’s so much on at the moment to tell you about! A number of the things I wrote about in the first post haven’t come around just yet, so head there for even more ideas.

Small Brewers Beer Fest – take two

In March, we had a good time at the inaugural Small Brewers Beer Festival at the Botanic Gardens (not to be confused with the Canberra Craft Beer and Cider Festival). It had a huge turnout, and, with it, a few teething problems: the lines were enormous, there wasn’t water available on the hot day, and some of the beer served was hot. With news that the festival was returning for a second time in late September, I was excited – the second time was surely going to be better, with the benefit of lessons learned from the first festival. The first good news is early bird tickets: for the same price it’s 20 tokens instead of 10, meaning double the beer. The second good news is its move to EPIC – an inside event, like Oktoberfest, will be ideal. Even though there are 50km/h winds, I don’t bring a jacket – what will be the point if we’re inside? My expectations plummet when we arrive to find the festival in …