As social distancing restrictions start to ease, we can't help but look ahead at all the events that we may get to go to if everything goes back to normal in time.
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1. A little magic
I don't know about you, but this muggle life seems like it could use a little magic. Luckily, James and Oliver Phelps are on track to be at the QT Hotel in October for An Evening of Magic and Wizards. Known for their portrayals of Fred and George Weasley in the Harry Potter series, the British actors will be in town for a night of magic performances, a Q&A session and a cocktail party. Costumes are not only encouraged but there are prizes for best dressed.
2. Laughing out loud
The Canberra Comedy Festival was all ready to make the capital laugh just as social distancing restrictions came in to play and cancelled it. Luckily for comedy lovers, a lot of the comedians who were scheduled to come to Canberra were able to postpone their performance dates, rather than cancel. Comedians on track to make the capital laugh later this year include Dave Hughes, Tommy Little, Arj Barker and Julia Morris, and the Canberra Comedy Festival Gala has new dates in December.
3. Going to the theatre
Theatre schedules certainly took a battering during coronavirus, but the good news is that there are still performances scheduled to take to the stage come opening night, while others have been rescheduled. At this stage, American Psycho The Musical is still set to show at the Canberra Theatre Centre from June 30, and Animal Farm is on track to play from August 20.
4. Live music
Don't get us wrong, livestreamed music events have certainly helped with breaking the monotony of isolation life, but we're also looking forward to seeing bands back up on a stage where they belong. Just to start off the list of gigs coming up in Canberra, the Whitlams are on track to be at the Canberra Theatre Centre on August 27 and the Rubens are due to perform on September 30. And, fingers crossed, there are even more gigs to be announced - with some bands yet to reannounce new dates for performances that needed to be postponed due to coronavirus.
5. Skywhale and Skywhalepapa
We got a taste of Skywhale's return when she was tethered during Enlighten earlier this year. But when it came to May 2 - the date the iconic balloon sculpture by artist Patricia Piccinini and her much-anticipated male companion, Skywhalepapa, were scheduled to take to the skies - they were nowhere to be seen, thanks to coronavirus. In fact, at the time of the scheduled launch, Skywhalepapa was still in Bristol, the world-leading manufacturing hub for hot air balloons. And with rigorous testing still to happen - and the pandemic throwing a lot of things into the unknown - it looks like we will have to wait until June 2021 to see these balloons flying over Canberra.