What's on this week in Canberra?: 19th - 25th August 2024

The Book Week celebrations are now official! Find out what book-ish festivities are on this week, plus an experimental exhibition, a film festival dedicated to dogs, and Comic-Con, just to name a few! Check out our guide to what's on this week in Canberra for kids and families.

Canberra is the city that keeps on giving! Check out our guide to everything that's on this week in the nation's capital.

Book Week - Libraries ACT

What better place to celebrate National Book Week than one of the ACT's many libraries? Each Libraries ACT branch will be transformed into a wonderland of magic and imagination for this year's Book Week theme, Reading is Magic. Special Story Time sessions will run this week in all usual locations. Get your kiddos to dress up in their most magical costumes and join in a range of magical activities, such as a scavenger hunt and magical book displays. For more info on these free events (including registration), visit their site.

Book Week - Majura Park

Head to Majura Park to celebrate National Book Week with your kiddos, where they can create their own unique stories with a special Ad-Libs activity. This activity is free, on daily all week from 9am - 5:30pm outside Big W.

Top Dog Film Festival

Love dogs? Us too! Take the kids along to the heartwarming Top Dog Film Festival on Tuesday 20th or Wednesday 21st of August, where you can witness two hours' worth of short films all about man's best friend. Held at the beautiful National Film and Sound Archive, this is an event not to be missed if you've got kids that love pooches. Visit their website for tickets.

Oz Comic-Con

Get your cosplay ready - Oz Comic-Con is coming to Canberra again this year! From the 24 - 25th of August, EPIC will be transformed into a vibrant wonderland celebrating all things pop culture. With special guests, a lip sync battle, tabletop gaming, cosplay competition & parade, console & PC gaming, comics lounge and much more, this is a spectacle not to be missed. Get tickets here.

Haig Park Paws Party: Book Week

Dive into the magical world of stories at Haig Park! Bring along your pups, dress as your favourite book characters, join the costume contest (with prizes!), enjoy live music, explore the markets, and get some free treats for your furry friend! Happening on Sunday 25th of August from @ 11am at Haig Park in Braddon.

Experimental Fields exhibition

The Experimental Fields exhibition, held at Manuka Arts Centre from 8 August - 7 September, explores how digital technology and the spiritual world can combine to create a complex network. Suitable for teenagers, this exhibition is sure to challenge them, get them thinking, and at the very least, get them out of the house. Find more info here.

Art. Make. Create @ the NPG

Head to the National Portrait Gallery on the 25th of August for their annual family day. Inspired by their new vibrant exhibition, Joan Ross: Those trees came back to me in my dreams, the day will include crafting animals & flowers in Joan Ross’ signature fluorescent colours, as well as live music, live ice-sculpting and plenty of fun for the whole family. More info here.

19th Latin American Film Festival

The annual celebration of Latin American cinema returns to Canberra this August with 15 diverse and rare films from countries including Argentina, Peru, Mexico and Brazil. Take the kids along for free to see the gorgeous Ainbo: Spirit of the Amazon animation, an epic animated journey of a young heroine and her animal spirit guides as they embark on a quest to save their home in the Amazon Rainforest. Catch this family-friendly film on Saturday 24th of August at 6pm at the Copland Lecture Theatre on the ANU campus. More info here.

Got any events you'd like us to post about in the future? Get in touch so we can include you in our 'What's On This Week in Canberra' posts.