‘‘By the time I leave here, I’ll have done enough of that,’’ he said.

His job has involved putting flags up before dawn and down before dusk for more than two decades.

Working for Territory and Municipal Services for 25 years, he has spent all but one year working in the flags and memorials section, putting up the flags and maintaining memorials and fountains, but also helping to maintain 70 preschools.

‘‘Every day is different,’’ he said.

In a storehouse in Fyshwick, multiple flags from almost every country in the world are held, put up during state visits and overseas visits by dignitaries. Other promotional banners for events such as the Centenary of Canberra are also put up by the team but allowed to stay flying overnight.

Laurie would be a whiz at any trivia night identifying world flags.

‘‘I know most of them, yeah,’’ he said.

But he does admit some flags have mistakenly been put up the wrong way on occasion. ‘‘Someone is usually quick to let you know,’’ he said.

Laurie, 61, who has also worked for the Sydney Water Board, said he doesn’t have a favourite flag but was happy to be draped in an Australian one.

There had been plenty of strange happenings over the years. He remembers one Monday morning when 11 of the old, lighter flag poles were missing from Kings Avenue, eventually found in nearby bushes.

He suspected graduating students to be the culprits.

Did someone say chocolate festival?

Choc Lush: Winter Chocolate and Wine Festival will be held at the Hellenic Club in Woden on June 9.

It’s being staged in Canberra for the first time by the people who brought the city the inaugural Small Brewers Beer Festival at the Australian National Botanic Gardens in March.

In her day job, Lyndall Nancarrow answers triple 0 calls for the ACT Ambulance Service. She is best mates with Mick Strickland, who put on the beer festival. Together they have devised the chocolate and wine festival.

Lyndall said feedback from many of the women attending the beer festival included plenty of questions about when a chocolate and wine festival might be held. Hence Choc Lush.

There will be wine and chocolate tastings on the day, which will be split into two sessions – 10am to 2pm and 3pm to 7pm.

Plenty of chocolate makers from Sydney and Melbourne are attending as are bakeries from throughout Canberra with chocolate-themed products to taste and buy.

Among those attending with their wares are master chocolatiers Shocolate from Melbourne.

‘‘They’ve won awards for their macarons, hot chocolates, Easter displays. They’re super-popular,’’ Lyndall said.

There will be chocolates, chocolate fountains, hot chocolate and plenty of other products. Chocolates have also been matched to local wines including the Kerralee label.

Tickets are through moshtix.com.au. Entry is $30 including wine and chocolate tastings or $23 for chocolate-only tastings. VIP tickets costing $100 include unlimited tastings of both, samples, canapes and a gift bag valued at $100 including a secret surprise gift from Elite Physique at Phillip.

How could you resist that face? This is Canberra’s Alex Gibson, now on The Voice, as a student at Campbell Primary School.

He’s banking on the public vote this week to continue on the show.

To vote, SMS Alex to 199 55 999 or call 1902 255 95 09. Each call or text costs 55 cents. Voting is open until 6pm on Monday.

Belconnen Arts Centre’s kite festival is on this weekend.

Wind Air Water – Centenary Kites at Lake Ginninderra is on at the centre from 11am to 3pm on Saturday. Activities for both children and adults include kite making workshops, face painting and watching the flying of dozens of community kites which have been made by groups, businesses and organisations over the last 6 months. There will also be live music and food at the event.

We are told the event will go on inside the centre if it’s raining, with kite-making and a parade of the kites.

A leading light of one of Canberra’s pioneering families has sadly passed away.

John Notaras, 74, will be farewelled by his many friends and family at the Greek Orthodox Church of St Nicholas in Kingston on Monday at 11am.

He was the son of Harry and Helen Notaras, the pair among Canberra’s first Greek-Australian residents, opening the Highgate cafe in Kingston in the early days of the national capital. Born and raised in Canberra, John, with his siblings Jim, George, Nina and Emmanuel, went on to become a formidable force in Canberra’s retail and property development sectors. He had been a past president of the chamber of commerce.

Married to Koula, John was also something of a local rugby legend, playing for both Easts and the ACT.

John made a big contribution to the community, working with Rotary, Scouts ACT and the Salvation Army. The family had also set up the Harry and Helen Notaras Memorial Fund to help local charities.

John passed away on May 27, soon after the birth of his new grandson and namesake John Harry Notaras, now just four weeks old.

Harry Notaras – son of John senior and father of the newborn John – said the baby had given his father strength to hang on. ‘‘Dad was just over the moon,’’ Harry said. ‘‘Dad told us he had been holding on to see the little boy.’’

The Hall markets are on Sunday from 10am to 3pm at the Hall showgrounds.

Every year on the first Sunday in June, thousands of people come together in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra to walk and run in support of Australians living with multiple sclerosis. It’s on this Sunday, setting off from Rond Terrace, for the bridge-to-bridge route around Lake Burley Griffin. The fun run starts at 9am and the walk starts at 10.30am. Entry fees apply. See www.mswalk.org.au/act. And wear red on the day.

Prospective brides and grooms will be able to see what the pavilion at the National Arboretum Canberra looks like dressed for a wedding this weekend. A wedding expo is being held there this weekend. The recently-opened Margaret Whitlam Pavilion will be dressed for the ceremony between 10am and noon on Saturday and noon and 2pm on Sunday. Thirteen weddings have already been booked for the venue.