"I wanted something that was very Canberra for my birthday so I thought 'why not to go the very place I started bison in the ACT and do a really formal sit-down dinner where the women will all be in ball gowns and the men in tuxes'," he said.

The Bisonhome showroom in Pialligo will be stripped back for the party in late March and set up with tables covered in hessian and Bison dinnerware, plus black and white movies projected onto the wall.

On the menu is a local feast with a Scandinavian touch, a taste he developed during a school exchange to Sweden which also influences his designs to this day.

"Gus (Armstrong, owner of eightysix in Braddon) is doing me an exclusive menu – he and I are creating it together. I love the idea of a late-summer Scandinavian early-autumn banquet or that sort of style so there's full smoked fish and incredible salads," he said.

"We're trying to source the food and produce locally if we can – but being Scandinavian you have a lot of fish. Gus and I are working closely on it because I've working closely with eightysix since they opened. They bring an energy and a passion for food that Canberra's well known for now."

Wine from Eden Road Wines in Murrumbateman will be there to wash down dinner, and Moxom and Whitney in Braddon will be styling the flowers.

Having grown up in Grenfell, New South Wales, Brian has called Canberra home for the past two decades.

"I want my party to be all about Canberra because Canberra's fostered me as much as I've been part of it," he said.

"Canberra's design community is reaching maturity and I'm part of that and I love that. Here I am at 50 and business is restructuring, I've got stock about to ship to Shanghai, I did a design show in Sydney last week and I'll be looking at international ones next year."

Brian's big day was back on December 5, but he held off to celebrate, given the time of year.

"It's been this way all the way through school from kindy to grown-ups – everyone had exams or school holidays or for business it's the busiest time for everyone. So we decided we'd do it in late summer and early autumn because the light's really beautiful too," he said.

One thing's for sure, turning the big five-o hasn't dampened Brian's spirits.

"I love it. For me it's very empowering because one thing that I'm really conscious of is if you've got your health and you've got optimism and family and a partner, you've got everything – you've really won the lottery," he said.

"And in Canberra we've got space and quality of air and great food. Because I travel so much it makes you appreciate it even more. So I couldn't be happier. I've lived four lifetimes in my own."

Many people dread moving house but for the Handmade Market they're incredibly excited to get into their new digs.

The Canberra institution which was launched back in 2008 has outgrown its spot at the National Convention Centre, and will be moving to the Budawang Building at Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC) for the next markets in March.

"We're pretty pumped about it - it's going to be fantastic," said the event's founder, Julie Nichols.

The new spot will give the event room to expand, as well as addressing the parking woes surrounding the convention centre at the moment.

"The parking at EPIC's going to be fantastic – and it's free," she said.

"The space will allow an extra-large café with lounges where you can sit down and have a champagne and a local cheese platter. And it will also sort of change the look and the feel and we can get a bit creative with it."

With 180 stallholders this will be their biggest event yet. Some new stallholders include Abbylane who has furniture made from coffee sacks, Dharf accessories for cats and dogs, and Doug's Word Clocks, who make timepieces using words.

The new spot also makes it super handy to wander over after visiting the Capital Region Farmers Market on Saturday morning.

The Handmade Market is on March 14 and 15 at Exhibition Park in Canberra, Mitchell. 10am-4pm both days. Entry is by donation to Menslink.

The Enlighten projections on the National Library of Australia, National Portrait Gallery, National Gallery of Australia, Parliament House and Old Parliament House have been switched on and will transform the parliamentary triangle during the evenings for the next week.

But there's more happening than initially meets the eye, with weekend late-night openings and free events on within the walls of the buildings.

Inside Old Parliament House, the staff have been busy this week preparing their Great Kaleidoscope Cubby.

The giant, clear-walled structure which is in King's Hall straight up the stairs from the front door, is an interactive installation that anyone can go along and add their artistic touch – or lack thereof.

The Old Parliament House staff have decorated the roof, which isn't easily reached at 3.9 metres high, but have left the entire walls, inside and out, empty.

The museum's community learning officer Nanette Louchart-Fletcher said the cubby is all about asking people to think about the power of words and how they inspire people and encourage them to act.

"We were inspired initially by an image of a glass structure that was illuminated at night and then we thought how that would be a great opportunity for visitors to put their mark on a space in King's Hall," she said.

"What this structure is asking visitors to do it to put their word or symbol onto the cubby so it's part of the great house of democracy."

Visitors will be met by artists and will be given sheets of coloured static cling – a soft, malleable plastic – which they can then cut however they want and stick to the cubby walls.

"The static cling is quite a beautiful thing to play with and it's very forgiving – you can move it around on the structure," she said.

"And for those of us that aren't very crafty, we have templates here to help out."

If you look closely, you'll even be able to see my attempt at a fireworks display on a panel in the roof.

The completed cubby will then go on display in their children's exhibition, Play Up.

The cubby will be open for decoration on February 27 and 28, then March 6-7 from 6pm–10pm.

And it's not the only building open. The National Portrait Gallery, National Archives, National Library of Australia, Questacon, the National Gallery of Australia and Parliament House also have a range of events on the same nights. Visit enlightencanberra.com.au for all the details.

Head of the pecking order

Black Opal Stakes Day is a mere week away and Thoroughbred Park is gearing up for its biggest race day of the year.

As always, the competition is set to be just as fierce off the racetrack with the Myer Fashions on the Field, and Myer ambassador, model and MTV host Kate Peck has been announced as headlining the judging panel on the day.

Kate has stopped through town before on a trip with MTV, and said she's looking forward to checking out how we do race day.

"I like Canberra because it's a bit more of a cooler climate which is a lot more like Melbourne, which is where I'm from. It's quite sophisticated and has its own flavour too," she said.

"I'm expecting a bit of your own flavour of sophistication. I think that we'll see some of the warmer, deeper tones coming through. So your navys and burnt oranges and deep reds and purples – I just have a feeling that that's what Canberra's going to bring."

Kate, who will be wearing an outfit from CUE on the day, will be part of the team judging the three categories: classic ladies race wear, classic mens race wear and the millinery award.

"I'm looking for something that's unique. I like entrants that wear Australian designers but mix it with their own DIY genius," she said.

"The attention to detail with millinery is so important. Each fashions on the field I go to the standard and the level and the bar is raised so I'm looking forward to it."

And her tips for race day in general?

"Think about the event that it is. With the outfit that you're going to be wearing, make sure the hemline isn't too short and that you're wearing millinery as well and accessories and just put a bit of thought into your outfit," she said.

"Make sure you're wearing comfortable shoes as well and bring a few dollars to put on the horses. And come with a smile and a good attitude because it's such a fun day – I don't think anyone has a bad day at the races."

Black Opal Stakes Day is on Sunday March 8 at Thoroughbred Park. For all of the information about the fashions on the field events, visit thoroughbredpark.com.au.

LANTERN FESTIVAL Tying in with the Chinese New Year, the Australia China Friendship Society has two events coming up. On March 1, learn how to make a Chinese lantern. Suitable for all ages. $3 per person. Cook Community Hub, 41 Templeton St Cook. Bookings essential to Jean on acfsevent@gmail.com or 6254 7732. March 7 is the Lantern Festival, where the Beijing Garden at Lennox Gardens in Yarralumla will be decorated with Chinese lanterns and lights. Performances of Chinese traditional music, children's dances, martial arts, lion dance, a hand-made lantern competition and a lantern parade. Bring your own lanterns or buy one there. Free. From 6pm-9pm.

WEDDING FAIR One Fine Day is a wedding fair with a difference. Chat to some of Canberra's best wedding vendors and enjoy a dinner under the stars at the National Gallery of Australia. Ticket includes canapes, drinks, three-course dinner, gift bag worth $100 and a fashion parade. 5.30pm-10.30pm, March 27. Gandel Hall at The National Gallery of Australia. Tickets $90 from onefinedayweddingfair.com.au.