Street eats, picnic hubs and Daryl Braithwaite: Meet this summer’s most epic event

Posted on 15 January, 2021

Here’s everything you need to know about Australia Day’s epic The Great Aussie Picnic.

On Tuesday 26 January, The National Capital Authority and the National Australia Day Council will present a massive all-ages Australia Day celebration that will span the entirety of the ‘bridge to bridge’ section of Lake Burley Griffin—The Great Aussie Picnic.

With oodles of live music, street food stalls and bars and six epic picnic ‘hubs’ with their own unique line up of entertainment, here’s what you need to know before you go.

There will be six picnic ‘hubs’ and they’re all different

To make sure the event complies with COVID-safety regulations—and to give revellers the perfect day—there are six unique hubs happening around the lake.

The best part? Entry is free, with the exception of the Stage 88 Australia Day Concert.

RHYTHM & BREWS HUB

Kick back and relax on your picnic rug with live music curated by Music ACT, with performances from Sophie Edwards, Becoming and Kim Yang, as well as some refreshing brews.

Find it at Commonwealth Place | 11 am – 7.30 pm

SAND GROOVES

Love house music? Roll your rug out on Aspen Island (where the National Carillon is) and listen to excellent local DJs Brittany De Marco, Haylee Karmer and Joshua Brian they play into the evening.

Find it at Aspen Island | 11 am – 7.30 pm

ANKLE BITERS HUB

For the little ones and their families, expect plenty of shady space for picnics and running around as well as live kids music from Tim & The Fuzzy Elbows, acrobats and dance performances.

Find it at Kings Park | 11 am – 6.30 pm

ROCKIN REGATTA

Love your music with a twist of nostalgia? Head to Rockin Regatta at Regatta Point for the dulcet tones of H-Cee Family, Night Train and 5150 as they bring you the great Aussie pub soundtrack.

Find it at Regatta Point | 11 am–7.30 pm

GARDEN JIVE

For those who want a refined day, Garden Jive is for you, with live jazz music throughout the day—the perfect soundtrack to an elevated picnic experience.

With live performances from the J.E.P Trio, Husband & Wife, the Viktor Rufus Trio, Three H, Sharp in Tensions and One Seventeen, an afternoon in the sun never sounded so good.

Find it at Patrick White Lawns | 11 am – 7.30 pm

STAGE 88 AUSTRALIA DAY CONCERT

Of course, last but certainly not least, the final hub will be the epic annual Australia Day Concert, taking place at Stage 88 in Commonwealth Park.

With performances from Fanny Lumsden, Daryl Braithwaite, Lee Kernaghan, James Reyne and Kingswood, this is the perfect way to cap off an excellent day of picnicking.

This event is ticketed separately, with tickets available for purchase at stage88.com.au.

Find it at Stage 88, Commonwealth Park | From 1 pm– 9 pm

What’s the go with food and drink?

All areas will have a selection of Canberra’s most delicious food trucks as well as licensed bars, with the exception of Ankle Biters, which will have food but no booze.

Hungry already? You should be—food trucks on the day will include Super Bao, Wafflepopz, Rolling Schnitzel, Le Petit Breton, The Cannoli Brothers, Tikka Stand and more. See the full line up here.

Visitors are welcome to bring food to any of the hubs, but BYO alcohol is strictly prohibited.

Want someone else to do the catering? You can pre-order a custom picnic hamper from Sweet Pea Catering! Click here for more information.

Tickets and Parking

The event is completely free with the exception of the Stage 88 Picnic Hub and Australia Day concert, for which tickets are now available at stage88.com.au/tickets.

Due to the COVID Safe picnic-style seating, tickets are only available for purchase in pairs. Due to socially distance entry times and to guarantee seating adjacent to friends, all tickets must be purchased in the same transaction and you must arrive together.

All attendees require a ticket, including adults, children and infants. Please ensure you purchase a ticket for each individual attendee. Tickets will be issued under individual names, no transfers available.

Free parking will be available within short walking distance of each picnic hub, with a full list of where to park for each hub available here.

How are the organisers ensuring COVID safety?

Good question!

Each hub will be marked out with physically-distanced picnic spaces, ensuring safe picnicking, with handwashing and hand sanitiser available at the entry to each picnic hub.

You will be asked to check in with the Check in CBR app at the entry to each of the picnic hubs and at the entry to the ticketed Stage 88 Hub, for which there is extra information above. You can download the ACT Government-created app here.

Please note that you will not be allowed access if you do not use the app.