The four-day Easter long weekend on 2-5 April is a wonderful time for celebrating with family and friends. On the (Easter egg) hunt for things to do in Canberra? Look no further than our list of events and activities.
Good Friday, 2 April
The Great Corin Easter Egg Hunt, Corin Forest
The Great Easter Egg Hunt of Corin Forest will be back in 2021 from 2-5 April, however due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions this year’s event will operate slightly differently.
Guests who book tickets for the Alpine Slide, Snowplay, or both, between 2-5 April will receive a free bag of Easter eggs upon arrival to be set up for a socially distanced Easter egg hunt.
The picnic area will be available for all guests and has plenty of egg hiding spots.
Tickets are strictly limited so be sure to book early here.
Family orienteering, National Arboretum
Active kids? Pick up your map and clue sheet from the Village Centre and head out into the forests and gardens on a letter search to discover one of our colourful forests at the National Arboretum.
On between the hours of 9am-4pm over the whole school holidays, 2-18 April, Family Orienteering at the National Arboretum costs $5 per family and is suitable for all ages. Bookings aren’t essential as it is a drop-in activity.
Gordon Friday Festival, Gordon Park
The Lanyon Valley Anglican Church’s annual free community event is on at Gordon Park, Friday 2 April 10am-1pm. View their Facebook event for more details.
Easter Saturday, 3 April
Good Folk, Queanbeyan, 3-4 April
What is perhaps the capital region’s best known Easter weekend event, the National Folk Festival (NFF) will be back for 2021, albeit in a wildly different form as Good Folk – a folk experience in Queanbeyan.
With the decision last October to cancel the NFF’s 2021 iteration, Good Folk has been planned as a two-day concert series that will look and feel very different to the usual five-day offering at EPIC.
The event will run over a small footprint in the Queanbeyan CBD, featuring 22 concerts across three local venues all within easy walking distance: The Q, Bicentennial Hall, and the Royal Hotel.
To find out more, visit folkfestival.org.au
Autumn Sly Fox Community Market, Sly Fox Coffee
Come sell your wares and have a great day with music, arts, crafts, flea market, food, drinks, magnificent coffee, vintage clothes and more along the Sullivans Creek bikepath just south of Macarthur Avenue, O’Connor.
On from 10am to 3pm, come together and celebrate autumn by perusing the markets and supporting local by purchasing Canberra-made wares. Visit the Facebook event for more.
Poetic City: Poets’ Breakfast with A Brush with Poetry, Binalong, Haig Park
Are you going to miss your dose of poets’ breakfasts at the National Folk Festival this Easter?
Come for a Poets’ Breakfast with a free open mic event at Haig Park on Easter Saturday from 10am with host, performance poet and writer, Robyn Sykes.
Bring your best bush ballad, urban ode or suburban sonnet to share. Sign up from 9.30am.
Then from 1.30pm, Sykes will run a workshop titled Cryptic Crosswords, juggling practice for poets. Registration details available via the Facebook event.
Skywhales – Every Heart Sings, NGA
Weather permitting, Patricia Piccinini’s Skywhalepapa and companion piece Skywhale will launch near the NGA for the last time in this three-flight Canberra series on 3 April 6am; nga.gov.au/calendar
Over the Easter long weekend the NGA’s autumn blockbuster Botticelli to Van Gogh will also be open to the public; bookings required.
A Taste of Ireland, Canberra Theatre
Their troupe of expert dancers will bring the ‘craic’ to the Canberra Theatre Centre, Civic, 3 April 7.30pm; atasteofirelandshow.com
Easter Sunday 4 April
Hop into fun at South.Point, Tuggeranong
Head along to South.Point this school holidays for some hopping fun!
Find all of the bunnies in our Easter themed scavenger hunt to win a free prize, and keep an eye out for the Easter Bunny on Sunday 4 April. He will have some chocolatey treats!
But the fun won’t end there, with Peter Rabbit hopping into Centre Court from Monday 5 to Friday 16 April. Come and play in the Peter Rabbit craft village and grab a picture with the cheeky Rabbit himself. Visit southpointcanberra.com.au for more.
Hartley Hall Markets, Hall Showgrounds
One of Australia’s largest home-made and home-grown goods markets, the Hartley Hall Markets are held from 10am to 3pm on the first Sunday of every month, Easter Sunday included.
On at the Hall Showgrounds, entry is by a gold coin donation to help fund Hartley Lifecare’s disability services.
Giants vs Demons, Manuka Oval
The Giants host the Melbourne Demons on Sunday 4 April 6.10pm in what will be the first men’s match in the capital since their famous snowy Hawks clash in 2019.
Despite the late timeslot, after no AFL in 2020 the appetite for footy in Canberra is sure to be ravenous. If the weather is good, a strong crowd and a “big, big sound” is a near certainty.
Mt Rogers Community Centre Easter egg hunt, Spence
Saint Pauls Ginninderra Anglican Church, Spence will host the Mt Rogers Community Centre Easter egg hunt on Sunday 4 April from 10.30am following the Easter Sunday family service.
For the early birds, there will also be a free pancake breakfast from 7.15am following the Easter dawn service. Everyone is welcome. For more info contact St Pauls Ginninderra on 6259 2931 or [email protected]
Monday 5 April
Get creative at Canberra Glassworks
Looking for something creative and fun for the ACT autumn school holidays? Book into one of the Canberra Glassworks’ school holiday classes and unleash your child’s imagination in glass.
Under the guidance of some of Australia’s most acclaimed glass artists, participants will learn introductory techniques in glass making to create their own masterpiece. This year’s autumn program features a variety of Easter-themed workshops.
In addition, visitors can always watch live glass making, visit the gallery or check out the Glassworks’ new shop.
The Glassworks’ autumn Holiday Program runs 5-18 April. To find out more, visit canberraglassworks.com/create/holidays/
Friday 9 April
Peter Rabbit Kids High Tea, First Edition
On Friday 9 April 11am-1pm, experience a fun-filled two hours at First Edition Canberra with craft, music and an Easter surprise sure to keep the little bunnies occupied!
Parents, grandparents and younger family members are all welcome to join in and enjoy the tasty treats and egg-cellent entertainment.
The high tea will feature a decadent menu, complete with savoury, healthy and sweet treats, served up with activities like face painting, balloon animals, an Easter egg hunt and more; book here.
Is there an event in the Canberra region over the Easter long weekend (or beyond) we’ve missed? Submit an event via [email protected] with ‘Easter long weekend guide’ in the subject line.
For more entertainment:
