Complete guide to the best local experiences right now

Canberra bookers have locked in dates for the National Film and Sound Archive winter program running through 31 July on McCoy Circuit in Acton.

July draws locals inside because daytime temperatures hover near 12 degrees and outdoor festivals wind down after the June long weekend.

Screenings and sound checks

The archive screens restored 35mm prints every Thursday at 7pm, including a 1972 Australian feature on 16 July that sold out its first two sessions last year. Two blocks away at the Canberra Theatre Centre on London Circuit, the Ainslie Arts Centre presents a three-night jazz series starting 18 July with local ensembles that rehearse in the same building during the day.

Neighbourhood walks and bites

Manuka's Flinders Street hosts weekend markets from 9am to 1pm where six food stalls rotate, one specialising in wood-fired sourdough baked in nearby Fyshwick. Further north, the New Acton precinct on Kendall Lane added a laneway projection installation last month that runs nightly until 10pm and draws foot traffic past the Nishi building's ground-floor gallery.

VisitCanberra recorded 87,400 attendances at ticketed cultural events between 1 January and 30 June 2026, with average entry prices listed at $28 for archive screenings and $45 for theatre performances.

Check venue websites by Wednesday for remaining seats on the 18 July jazz night and the final two archive screenings before the program ends.