Canberra Events & Festivals 2026 Guide

Canberra's Major Annual Events and Festivals

Canberra's position as Australia's national capital gives it a unique events calendar built around the nation's major institutions, Parliament House, the Australian War Memorial, the National Gallery of Australia, the National Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. These institutions host world-class exhibitions and programs year-round, supplemented by a growing calendar of local festivals that celebrate the city's natural setting and cultural identity.

March, Floriade

Floriade is Canberra's most famous annual event and Australia's largest spring celebration. Held across one month in September and October at Commonwealth Park on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, Floriade showcases over one million flowering bulbs in elaborate themed displays. Free entry to the main display; Floriade NightFest evening sessions are ticketed. Floriade runs for four weeks and typically begins in mid-September.

February to March, Enlighten Festival

Enlighten transforms Canberra's national institutions each February-March, projecting stunning light and video artworks onto the facades of Parliament House, the National Museum of Australia, the National Portrait Gallery and other landmark buildings. The festival runs across several evenings and includes food trucks, live music and late-night museum openings.

March, Canberra Balloon Spectacular

The Canberra Balloon Spectacular in March fills the skies above Lake Burley Griffin with dozens of hot air balloons in the calm morning air. Dawn mass ascents take place across nine days; the balloons drift low over the lake and surrounding parklands in a spectacular free spectacle.

June, Canberra Truffle Festival

The Canberra Region produces some of Australia's finest black truffles, harvested through the winter months. The Canberra Truffle Festival connects visitors with local producers, restaurants and truffle-hunting experiences in the Braidwood and Sutton regions surrounding the capital.

Year-Round, National Institutions

The National Gallery of Australia, National Museum of Australia, Australian War Memorial and National Portrait Gallery run major ticketed exhibitions and free permanent collections year-round. Blockbuster international art exhibitions at the NGA are among the highest-attended cultural events in the ACT.

This article was compiled by AI and screened before publishing. See our editorial standards.