Three reasons you need to stay in town this Canberra Day (and yes, one of them is food)

Posted on 9 March, 2022

You might have your long weekend already planned, but what if we told you there are three very important reasons to stay in Canberra?

Taking place on Monday 14 March from 11 am, Canberra Day will see multicultural food, entertainment, stalls and workshops bring Commonwealth Park to life. And with a jam-packed program running until 8 pm, there’s plenty to see and do to celebrate the birthday of our beloved capital.

The best bit? We’ve broken down everything you need to know to make it easier to plan for the day.

Food

As we all know, the 2022 National Multicultural Festival has sadly been postponed, but the good news is that with 16 food vendors scattered throughout Commonwealth Park (including several that are usually found at the beloved event), you can still get your international foodie fix without needing your passport.

Not only will the more classic festival options be available (did someone say chips on a stick?) but you can choose from African cuisine, enjoy Tibetan momos or sink your teeth into authentic South American BBQ food—think authentic Spanish chorizo served on a warm bread roll with lettuce, tomato, fresh Spanish onion and drizzled with homemade chimichurri.

But why stop there?

Head to the Australian Colombian Association to enjoy the flavours of Latin American cuisine, including Colombian empanadas and fried green plantain served with slow-cooked pulled meat and marinated in traditional seasoning. After that, visit Turkey (via Emmy’s Turkish Gozleme) to treat your tastebuds to the delicious stuffed flatbread. Wash down the flavours with a Czech beer from Beseda (a Czechoslovak-Australian Association of Canberra and Region) and grab a potato pancake to go.

For those who prefer their meals more plant-based, the Canberra India Council will have a dedicated vegetarian food stall.  Your tastes are little more tropical? My Island Kitchen ACT will be selling Pacific Island cuisines (think fresh and hot lamb steamed buns) and the Pacific Island Showcase Association INC will be launching

Best wear your stretchiest pants.

Entertainment

For those looking to spend their day lounging on the grass indulging in street food (just me?), you’ll have the choice to enjoy killer entertainment across three stages as you eat your way around the world. Kicking off from 11 am and continuing into the evening, the line-up of more than 40 performers is a celebration of Canberra’s cultural diversity.

Not sure where to start?

Super Rats will take you on a hijacked musical taxi ride through the backstreets of Bucharest, Baila Chille will be performing dances from North of Chile, Escola de Samba Canberra will provide a Carnival-type atmosphere with feathered and sequined Brazilian dancers, and African Cultural Music and Dance will bring the best of African Gospel band music. You’ll also see a few familiar faces from the ACT Maori Performing Arts/Tumanako Maori Cultural Group, Kokoloco Dancers, and the ANU School of Music as they take the stage to entertain the whole family.

If that’s not enough, there will also be two Canberra-based poets sharing their original work in Serbian and English (Vesna) and Bosnian and English (Mirsad), speaking about what writing in their respective languages means to them, and a demonstration from Kung Fu Wushu (yes—including brick smashing).

Keep an eye out for roving entertainers as they wander throughout the event site and make sure to say ‘hi’ as they bring the fun to you.

Stalls and workshops

If endless food options and live entertainment weren’t enough, the Canberra Day birthday bash has plenty more to offer.

With stalls full of art, books, games, fashion accessories, and cultural artefacts, make sure to leave room in your bag, because you’re sure to walk away with a treasure (or two).

Highlights include a range of stalls from the Canberra India Council which will be selling clothing and henna, while stalls from Tibet Cultural Centre Limited will be displaying Tibetan art and books. The Federation of Chinese Associations ACT will also have a range of stalls across the site selling board games like Xiangqi (Chinese Chess), calligraphy and decoupage art, and more.

But if you’re keen to learn a new language, the Canberra Academy of Languages will be onsite with plenty of information about bilingualism, multilingualism, community languages, and the diversity of languages in the Canberra area.

Following the theme of multiculturalism, a Story Walk will decorate Commonwealth Park telling the story of Sinbad the Sailor in various languages (and of course, stunning artwork). Leading you around the park, there’s even a cash prize to be won if you correctly identify at least six of the languages—sign us up!

Believe it or not, Canberra Day is also the perfect time to give Kung Fu a try. With six workshops held throughout the day, you can learn from the best in the business. But don’t worry, if you prefer making pretty pictures to Kung Fu kicks, Tuggeranong Arts Centre will be holding a ticketed painting workshop where you’ll learn how to paint an iconic Canberra bus stop in a step-by-step demonstration. Sessions need to be pre-booked in advance so make sure to get in quick!

To make it even better, you can indulge in a delicious grazing platter, prepared by popular Canberra caterer The Lazy Grazer, as well as a selection of tea and sweets.

Excited to see everything Canberra Day has to offer for yourself? No tickets are required and it’s free for the whole family!