Canberra is a rare treat among Australian cities, providing a kaleidoscope of colour, activity, experiences and events, based around its four distinct seasons. Try to plan your visit to coincide with one of Canberra's blockbuster events and exhibitions and experience the city at its very best.

Winter

Winter is invigoratingly fresh in Canberra, often with clear blue sky days, sub-zero temps, and spectacular views of snow-capped mountains on the horizon. It's the ideal time to visit galleries and museums, enjoy gourmet dining, and indulge in Canberra's very own Black Winter Truffle.

Cartier: The Exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia: until 22 July 2018

Peek into the dazzling world of the Maison Cartier at Cartier: The Exhibition, showing at the National Gallery of Australia. Bringing together more incredible diamonds, emeralds and other precious stones than ever before, this unique event is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get up close to more than 300 spectacular items – from jewellery loaned from royal families, to iconic celebrity-owned statement pieces – as well as portraits, photographs, advertising and jewellery-making tools, which make it a fully immersive experience. An exhibition not to be missed!

The Truffle Festival: June through August 2018

The first and largest festival of its kind in Australia, The Truffle Festival spans the entire winter season, hosting more than 250 individual events across the Canberra region, from June to August. Indulge in a feast of the senses as you taste and experience the magic of the capital's highly-prized delicacy – the Black Winter Truffle – which is showcased in all its glory at cooking classes, pop-up markets, special restaurant nights, and truffle hunting events throughout the festival.

Spring

Spring in Canberra is exquisite. You'll find flowers in bloom, the weather warming, and the ideal time for outdoor fun and festivals.

Floriade: 15 September - 14 October 2018

Initially developed in 1988 as a grand, one off floral tribute to mark Australia's Bicentenary and Canberra's 75th anniversary, Floriade is now Canberra's most iconic annual tourism event and Australia's premier spring festival. As well as a landmark floral display of more than one million blooms planted across 8,000 square metres, you'll find illuminated after-dark installations at Floriade NightFest; a diverse, ever expanding program of entertainment, food and wine, horticultural workshops and artistic displays.

Centenary of the Armistice of World War 1 at the Australian War Memorial: 5 October to 11 November 2018

The Australian War Memorial will present a moving program to commemorate the end of the First World War from early October and culminating on Remembrance Day on Sunday 18 November 2018. Central to the Armistice's commemorative program is the placement of 62,000 knitted poppy flowers in Memorial's Sculpture Garden. Each poppy in this spectacular and moving display has been created by a volunteer in honour of those Australians killed while serving the First World War.

Rome: City and Empire at the National Museum of Australia: 21 September 2018 - 3 February 2019

Rome: City and Empire brings to Canberra more than 200 of the British Museum's most engaging and beautiful Roman objects at the National Museum of Australia. They tell the story of how Rome grew from a series of small villages to become a mighty empire.

Summer 

Grab your hat and don the short sleeves; summer is a great time to hit the outdoors. Canberra's abundance of superb parks, lakes, rivers and reserves so close to the city are great spots to cool down from the hot summer days. Plus, its summer events are spectacular.

Love and Desire: Pre-Raphaelite Masterpieces from the Tate at the National Gallery of Australia: 14 December 2018 - 22 April 2019

Enter a world of Love and Desire as the Tate Britain loans exclusive masterpieces from its unsurpassed collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings at the National Gallery of Australia.

Love and Desire features 50 of the Tate's most famous and best-loved works, alongside 40 loans from British and Australian collections. With masterpieces such as John Everett Millais' Ophelia 1851–52, William Holman Hunt's The Awakening conscience 1853 and Dante Gabriel Rossetti's Aurelia (Fazio's mistress) 1863-73, this exhibition is a stunning survey of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. These masterpieces have never been seen in Australia before, and the exhibition truly represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

National Multicultural Festival: 2019 dates TBC

Dance, laugh, eat and drink your way around the world at the National Multicultural Festival – a colourful celebration of shared traditions and cultural differences. Performances from around the world include live music, dancing and performance art by a mix of local, national and international artists; while the international food stalls serve up some of the best global eats in town.

Autumn

Autumn (or Fall) is a particularly beautiful time of year to watch Canberra's seasonal transition. The stunning cityscape plunges into hues of red, gold, russet, ochre and crimson as its exotic trees transform, while the city comes to life with a jam-packed schedule of special events.  

Enlighten Festival: March 2019

Canberra's Enlighten Festival is an annual city highlight. Its jam-packed program gets bigger and better each year, transforming the capital with a range of ticketed and free experiences for the whole family to enjoy. Highlights include: the Enlighten Illuminations, projecting onto some of the capital's most iconic buildings; the Canberra Balloon Spectacular, where 30-plus hot air balloons float over the city; and Symphony in the Park, the perfect soundtrack for a Canberra sunset.

Canberra Balloon Spectacular: March 2019

Wake up to the view of hot air balloons floating across the city during the Canberra Balloon Spectacular. This mesmerising view is best appreciated from the lawns of Old Parliament House. Held over nine days, more than thirty hot air balloons from across the globe take to Canberra's skies, including special shape balloons like Kerbie the frog and a very colourful hummingbird.

National Folk Festival: March 2019

For the ultimate celebration of all things folk, don't miss the multifaceted National Folk Festival, a fantastic mix of high-end entertainment and grassroots activities over four days each Easter. Boasting themed bars, circus performers, roving musicians, and food and market stalls – as well as world-class performers from around Australia and the world – there's plenty to enjoy in and around its range of large and more intimate concert venues.

For more information on all the exciting events and exhibitions in Canberra, please see visitcanberra.com.au