1 New Year's Eve fireworks
On the shores of Lake Burley Griffin will be a family-friendly event to say goodbye to 2023 and to welcome 2024. Pack a picnic or grab a bite to eat from some of the local food vendors from 5.30pm at one of three hub areas along the foreshore: Regatta Point, Commonwealth Place, and Rond Terrace. Each hub will be filled with music from local DJs from 6pm, while a synchronised soundtrack (tune into 2CA to listen) will accompany the extended fireworks display at 9pm as it launches from Central Basin and off Commonwealth Bridge. There will only be one fireworks display this year (no midnight fireworks). Services and amenities will be dispersed across the three hub areas including food trucks, first aid, portable toilets, and security. Additional vantage points to view the fireworks will include Black Mountain Nature Reserve, Mount Ainslie Nature Reserve, Red Hill Nature Reserve, and viewpoints in the suburbs of Acton, Civic, Barton, Campbell, Kingston, Reid, Russell, Yarralumla and beyond. These areas will not have any additional amenities, food vendors or entertainment in place by Events ACT. For more information see: nye.events.canberra.com.au.
2 NYE movie nights
If you're more of an indoor person, you could spend New Year's Eve at an advanced screening at either Palace Electric or Dendy Canberra (see the cinemas' websites for details). Sofia Coppola's Priscilla, based on Priscilla Presley's 1985 memoir Elvis and Me, tells the story of what happened when teenager Priscilla Beaulieu (Cailee Spaeny) met rock'n'roll superstar Elvis Presley (Jacob Elordi) at a party. This encounter was followed by courtship and a turbulent marriage. The film won't be released until January 18. Michael Mann's Ferrari (MA15+, 130 minutes) shows Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver) struggling with the death of his son, a deteriorating marriage and impending bankruptcy as he enters his racing team into the 1957 Mille Miglia. The film won't be released until January 4. See: palacecinemas.com.au and dendy.com.au.
3 At Smith's
On Friday at 12.30pm, take part in a lunchtime life drawing class. All experience levels are welcome. Food and drinks are available at the cafe. $10 for one hour, pay at the door. On Sunday at 8pm (doors open at 7.30pm), in A Very Skanky New Year's Eve, The Reserve Skank of Australia will perform. Canberra's 15-woman-and-man-band features a rolling cast of instruments and handlers from a variety of musical backgrounds. Inspired by bands like No Fixed Address, The Specials and King Tubby. $30/$20. See: smithsalternative.com.
4 The Little Burley Market
This gourmet food and artisan market will have you enjoying the magnificent views and relaxing by the water's edge while you delve into something tantalising. Imagine browsing some locally handmade stalls picking up something lovely for yourself, and listening to live local talent. Bring the kids to enjoy some free arts and crafts. From delicious multicultural cuisines to devour, chef-created desserts, smoked meats, fresh-out-the-oven pastries, beautiful blooms, handmade jewellery, artisan pottery, children's apparel, and more, plus of course, stalls for your furry friends. It's on Saturday, December 30 from 8am to 1pm at Queen Elizabeth Terrace, Parkes. See: thelittleburleymarket.com.au.
5 New Year's Eve Bush Dance
On Sunday at 8pm (doors open at 7.45pm) at the Yarralumla Woolshed, get your feel tapping and flying while David Potter is calling and music is played by the Short Dented Potts. Please bring a plate of food for a shared supper (preferably in ready-to-serve portions) to be served about 10pm. BYO additional nibbles and drinks if you wish. Dress comfortably with flat, smooth-soled shoes for dancing. Cost: $30 for adults, $27 for groups and concessions, $25 for MFS and Dance Delights members, and interstate dancers (outside the immediate Canberra/Queanbeyan area), $20 for full-time students, with all under-18s free. Payment at the door by cash, eftpos or credit card. The entry fee includes free, unlimited tea, coffee, water and cordial. See: monarofolk.org.au.
6 What to see under the stars at Sunset Cinema
Sunset Cinema is the place to be for movies under the stars at the Australian National Botanical Gardens.
Gates open at 6.30pm, film starts at last light. See: sunsetcinema.com.au.
Friday
The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds and Snakes (M, 157 minutes)
This film is based on Suzanne Collins' 2020 novel and is the first Hunger Games movie to come out since 2015.
The series is set in Panem, a dystopian future world where the oppressive Capitol forces each of its 12 districts to send two adolescents - one boy, one girl - to fight to the death in a nationally televised that's part entertainment, part method of control.
This is a prequel, set during the 10th Hunger Games, and follows the young Coriolanus "Coryo" Snow (Tom Blyth), the man who will eventually become the president of Panem. He is chosen to mentor one of the Tributes, Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler).
Saturday
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (PG, 91 minutes)
The third in writer-star Nia Vardalos's series about Greek-American Toula Portokalos sees our heroine, her husband Ian (John Colbert) and other family members fly to Greece to honour her father's dying wishes by taking his journal back to his small Greek village and delivering it to his childhood friends at the village's reunion event.
So she, husband Ian (John Corbett), and daughter Paris (Elena Kampouris) head off to accomplish the mission.
Wednesday, January 3
One True Loves (PG, 120 minutes)
Emma (Phillipa Soo) is going to to marry Sam (Simu Liu), her best friend since high school, but receives a jolt when she discovers that her husband, Jesse (Luke Bracey), presumed dead for the past four years after a helicopter crash, has been living on a deserted island and is returning home.
Now Emma must make a big decision that will shape her future: who is her one true love?
Thursday, January 4
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Curse Of The Black Pearl (M, 140 minutes)
This 2003 film was the first in the series based on the Disney ride. Pirate Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and blacksmith Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) must rescue the kidnapped Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) from the crew of the Black Pearl, captained by Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush).
Barbossa's crew attempts to retrieve the final pieces of a hoard of Aztec gold to break the curse laid on them when they stole it.
Friday, January 5
Trolls Band Together (G, 91 minutes)
In the third instalment of this animated movie series, Poppy (Anna Kendrick) discovers that Branch (Justin Timberlake) and his four brothers were once Brozone, her favourite boy band.
When one of Branch's siblings, Floyd (Troye Sivan), gets kidnapped, he and Poppy must reunite the other brothers to embark on a rescue mission.
Saturday, January 6
Barbie (PG, 114 minutes)
Mattel's legendary doll gets the big-screen treatment in this satirical comedy.
Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) lives an idyllic life in Barbie with all the other Barbies until one day things start going awry and she has an existential crisis.
On the advice of Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon) she reluctantly sets off on a journey to the real world, accompanied by her boyfriend Ken (Ryan Gosling), a stowaway, to the Real World to find out what's happening and get her life back on track.
Wednesday, January 10
Mean Girls, (M, 115 minutes)
Twenty years after Tina Fey's original comedy Mean Girls comes a new, musical version.
New high school student Cady Heron (Angourie Rice) is welcomed into the top of the social food chain by the elite group of popular girls called "The Plastics," ruled by the conniving queen bee Regina George (Reneé Rapp) and her minions Gretchen (Bebe Wood) and Karen (Avantika).
However, when Cady makes the major misstep of falling for Regina's ex-boyfriend Aaron Samuels (Christopher Briney), she finds herself prey in Regina's crosshairs.
As Cady sets to take down the group's apex predator with the help of her outcast friends Janis (Auli'i Cravalho) and Damian (Jaquel Spivey), she must learn how to stay true to herself while navigating the most cutthroat jungle of all: high school.
