Happy Birthday Canberra! Our beautiful city is 110 years old and there are so many reasons to celebrate what we love about where we live this long weekend.
Canberra Day is celebrated on the second Monday of March each year and commemorates the day our city was officially named – March 12, 1913.
“Canberra is a vibrant, dynamic, inclusive and unique city that I’m incredibly proud to call home,” said MARQ Licensed Agent, Rachel Anasson.
“There is so much to love and celebrate about Canberra and this long weekend is the perfect time to revel in everything it offers and remember why we all love and choose to live here.”
From the plethora of events at the Enlighten Festival, to a barbecue with family and friends, a peruse of some of our city’s most prized sites and galleries, a bike ride around our beloved Lake Burley Griffin or time in the great outdoors at one of our many nature reserves, the opportunities to enjoy Canberra are endless.
Here are some ideas about how to spend Canberra Day close to home.
Lights! Canberra! Action!
Kick off the long weekend with Enlighten’s short film festival – Lights! Canberra! Action! – on Friday, March 10. The short film festival shines a spotlight on local filmmaking talent and our awesome city, based on this year’s theme – Pride.
The works of the 12 finalists will screen under the stars at the Senate Rose Garden at Old Parliament House from 8pm, with live music from 7pm. Grab a picnic and get on down.
Illuminations @ Enlighten Festival
Illuminations @ Enlighten Festival will light up some of Canberra’s most iconic national attractions and architectural treasures in a stunning display of light, sound and movement.
Projections illuminate Australian Parliament House, the National Portrait Gallery, National Library of Australia, National Gallery, Questacon and the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House, among others.
Additional lighting displays include the Telstra Tower, Malcolm Fraser Bridge, the National Film and Sound Archive and light rail stops across the city.
This year, Enlighten Festival will expand its eye-catching creations across the lake with installations through City Walk, Ainslie Place and Civic Square as part of Before Us: A Night Walk Through Time.
The city centre will host a range of finely crafted, illuminated creatures and puppets between 6.30pm and 9.30pm each night, while architectural projections will operate between 8pm and 11pm nightly until March 13.
Canberra Balloon Spectacular
All eyes will be sky high for the iconic Canberra Balloon Spectacular. Hot air balloons will float across the city for nine days from March 11 to 19, with a special Pride Flight on the opening morning where balloons will fly with LFTBIQA+ flags.
The balloons are scheduled to fly daily, weather permitting. They will inflate from 6.15am at the Patrick White Lawns and launch from 6.45am, with the best views around Lake Burley Griffin and from the Arboretum.
Canberra Day
The Canberra Day @ Enlighten Festival brings Commonwealth Park to life on Monday, March 13 with a range of stalls, roving entertainers and top notch local musicians, including multi-instrumentalist, producer and DJ Rob Aspinall, new indie five-piece Muesli, and headline act Canberran trio SAFIA.
Chief Minister’s Gold Awards
A big part of the allure of Canberra is its people, especially those who achieve incredible things, devote their time to amazing causes and help make our city all that it is.
The Chief Minister’s Gold Awards recognise the unique contribution made by individuals and groups who make a long-term commitment to the ACT. The Gold Award praises the dedication of those who have resided or operated in the ACT for 50 years or more.
Awards are presented by Chief Minister Andrew Barr as part of Canberra’s birthday celebrations.