Enlighten Festival

Enjoy the magnificent displays of the Enlighten Festival from Friday 1 March until Sunday 17 March, incorporating several spectacular events.

Enlighten Illuminations 1-11 March

See Canberra in a different light this March as six of its most iconic buildings are lit up after dark with moving large scale projections. While you are wandering around Canberra’s Parliamentary Triangle, enjoy entertainment including roving artists, live bands, unique performances and a vast array of food on offer at the Canberra Night Noodle Markets.

Canberra Night Noodle Markets 1-10 March

Immerse yourself in a foodie paradise of authentic Asian dishes, bespoke desserts and refreshing drinks at Reconciliation Place alongside Lake Burley Griffin.  

Canberra Balloon Spectacular 9-17 March

Set your alarm a bit earlier this autumn to enjoy the graceful and spectacular sight of more than 30 hot air balloons rising during Canberra’s beautiful sunrise.

The annual Balloon Spectacular is a highlight on Canberra’s autumn event calendar and is regarded as one of the world’s best hot air balloon events. The sight of the balloons rising into the early morning sky creates a spectacular backdrop to Canberra’s iconic attractions.

This event is weather dependent, so please check for updates on social media or by calling Access Canberra on 13 22 81 from 6.15am.

Symphony in the Park 10 March

Bring a picnic and enjoy an incredible free outdoor musical experience as the sun sets over Stage 88 at Commonwealth Park.

Hit 104.7 Skyfire 16 March

2019 is the 31^st year of Skyfire – a popular event on Canberra’s annual calendar. Watch as Lake Burley Griffin is illuminated with spectacular fireworks along to a soundtrack broadcast on HIT 104.7. Take your friends and family, along with a picnic dinner, and enjoy the fun festival atmosphere of this event.

Canberra Comedy Festival 18-24 March

If you are after a night of belly laughter, the 7th Canberra Comedy Festival offers a jam-packed program of shows from Australian and international comedians. The line-up includes shows from Jimeoin, Dave Hughes, Ronny Chieng, Nazeem Hussain, John Safran, Charlie Pickering and more. There’s even a comedy show for kids by Matty Grey. Various venues. Check the website for details and to book your tickets.

Love & Desire: Pre-Raphaelite Masterpieces from the Tate

Love & Desire: Pre-Raphaelite Masterpieces from the Tate continues to run throughout March until 28 April, exclusive to the National Gallery of Australia. Click here to find out about our accommodation package, which includes two exhibition tickets.

Crowne Plaza Canberra – the perfect base for your stay in Australia’s capital

Make the most of your time in Canberra with our City Escapes package. Book now and enjoy accommodation, breakfast for two at Redsalt Restaurant, car parking, and late check-out on a Sunday.

Or for that relaxing weekend getaway, book our Weekend Special package which includes accommodation, buffet breakfast for two at Redsalt and late checkout on Sundays.

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Each night from 8pm to 11pm (midnight on Fridays and Saturdays!) the Parliamentary Triangle will be aglow. Be wowed with the projections lighting up Canberra’s unique skyline of buildings and attractions. As you wander, be delighted by roving entertainment, live music and performance art. You will also be sure to find delicious food to keep your energy up along the way.

Not sure where to start planning your Enlighten 2018? While you browse through the Enlighten program, here are some of the things we will definitely be checking out.

Featured Events

Balloon Spectacular
10 to 18 March, from 6.15am daily.

Each dawn the air will be filled with glowing balloons. Taking off from the grounds of Old Parliament House, come along to watch the balloons inflate en masse and then rise gracefully into the sky. Balloons come from across Australia and the world to be a part Enlighten. Kids will love spotting the novelty shaped balloons, in 2018 look out for Kermit the Frog and a multi-coloured hummingbird. To book your very own balloon ride experience, click here.

Skyfire
17 March, 8.30pm Saturday evening.

Enlighten 2018 will finish with a bang with the 30^th anniversary edition of the Skyfire fireworks and aerial display. The shores of Lake Burley Griffin will come alive in colour; the enthralling display is set to music which is simultaneously broadcast on radio station Hit 104.7. To make an evening of it, come to Regatta Point to have dinner and enjoy entertainment from 6pm with the fireworks starting at 8.30pm.

EAT ME

Night Noodle Markets
2 to 11 March, from 5pm weekdays and 4pm weekends.

Get your taste buds ready for delish Asian flavours and make sure to have your phones out to capture those Instagram moments. Go on a culinary journey through Asia and sample pho, gyoza, bao, noodles and so much more. When you are ready for dessert make sure to find Gelato Messina and try their creative taste sensations with unique Asian flavours. To really get your mouth-watering, read the full Night Noodle menu here and start planning your ‘to eat’ list.

Enlighten Alley
2, 3, 9 & 10 March, from 5 to 11pm.

It all starts with delicious smells in the air, a gentle breeze filled with spices and the mingling of flavours. Enlighten Alley brings together the best street food from across the world from loaded burgers to glow-in-the-dark doughtnuts. Make sure to come hungry because we promise you will leave full! Kids will love the face painting and the lantern making from 6.30 to 8.30pm.

BOOK ME

Masquerade Party
2 March, 6.30pm to 10.30pm, ticketed event.

If you are looking for a special and fun night out then get your ticket to the Masquerade Party on the exclusive Members and Guests Terrace of Parliament House. Enjoy local Canberra wines, roving food and a James Bond style martini bar. Towards the end of the evening, get the chance to experience the light projections  in the forecourt. Now it’s time to start curating the perfect black-tie outfit and mask.

Abra Cadabra
15 March, 7pm, ticketed event.

Voiced by John Farhnam and Jacki Weaver, put on your 3D ‘abragoogles’ enjoy this animated cosmic fantasy loosely based on the Pied Pipper at the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.

COME FIND ME

There is so much to find and discover hidden throughout the Parliamentary Triangle and satellite venues during Enlighten. We definitely want to make sure to head over to the Questacon Shop to try Flashing Fairy Floss, the perfect light-up sugary snack to keep our energy up. We also want to find the larger then life ocean divers roving the area for What Lies Beneath.

Start planning your Enlighten Festival experience with CBD accommodation at Crowne Plaza Canberra.

 Accommodation Packages

All images courtesy of Visit Canberra. 

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SPECIAL EVENTS

Christmas in Glebe Park

Glebe Park
8 to 24 December

Wander hand-in-hand through the Christmas forest and enjoy the dining and entertainment to celebrate Christmas in Glebe Park. Located right next door to the hotel, the park will be light up with festive light displays and will be a hub of activity including special events by the event’s charity partner Red Nose.

Summernats

Exhibition Park Canberra
4 to 7 January

For the rev head couples, the annual Street Machine Summernats Car Festival is Australia’s biggest horsepower party and will be thundering into Canberra in January. With crowds of over 100,000 expected, there will over 2500 modified vehicles on display plus concerts, burn-outs battles and more to get your motor running.

HIGHLIGHT EXHIBITIONS

Hyper Real

National Gallery of Australia
Until 18 February

Image: AES+F Inverso mundus 2015, seven-channel HD video installation: 38:20 minutes, sound, colour. Courtesy the artists, MAMM. Anna Schwartz Gallery and Triumph Gallery.

A truly unique and thought provoking exhibition, put this on your summer bucket list before it closes. A perfect adventure for a hot day when you need a respite from the heat or when you want to stimulate your brain and excite dinner conversation.

Starstruck: Australian movie portraits

Until 4 March
National Portrait Gallery

Image: Shirley Ann Richards, Lloyd Hughes and Elaine Hamill,  Lovers and Luggers, 1937, Courtesy Cinesound Movietone Productions, National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.

A collaboration between the National Portrait Gallery and the National Film and Sound Archive, Starstruck explores the striking portraiture from 100 years of Australian movies. Drawn predominantly from the NFSA’s collection, the show will feature imagery of beloved Australian films, as well as highlighting the early years of our film industry.

EXPLORE

If you enjoy a wine tasting or finding a new bottle to add to your collection at home, explore the beautiful Canberra district area and discover some stunning vineyards. Some of our favourite wineries include:

• Mount Majura Vineyard – 15 minute drive
  Famous for their 1994 Chardonnay, this vineyard produces a wide selection of varieties including Shiraz and Riesling which the region is well known for.
• Lake Hill Winery – 31 minute drive
  During your visit here stop by the Wine Bar & Café and try one of the “Vintage Vertical” food and wine pairings. You can compare a current vintage to an older vintage with paired foods to get a better understanding of how aging affects the character of the wine.
• Eden Road Wines – 33 minute drive
  Located in the high country, this winery might be young and small but is award-winning. If you get the chance, try the Long Road Shiraz which won the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy on its very first vintage.
• Lerida Estate – 36 minute drive
  This estate focuses on making small quantities with care which is why you may not have heard of them but it is definitely worth making the effort. Plus the winery itself is a beautiful place designed by Australian architect Glenn Murcutt and located on the slopes of the Lake George range.
• Clonakilla – 38 minute drive
  If you are a fan of a beautiful Shiraz then definitely plan a visit to Clonakilla. The first building was hand built in the 1970s and is where the current cellar door is now located. Their hero wine is the Shiraz Viognier and a must for your tasting.
• Helm Wines – 43 minute drive
  The father-daughter duo winemakers, Ken and Stephanie, are fourth and fifth generation descendants of German vinedressers in the 1860s. Ken specialises in creating Rieslings and Cabernets and Stephanie, who started making wine at age 9, has her own award-winning label The Stephanie Collection.

Start planning your Canberra summer getaway with your special someone now. View our summer accommodation specials here.

Image credit: Summernats image courtesy of Visit Canberra, ‘Hyper Real’ image courtesy of the National Gallery of Australia.

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