It's been a long, hard lockdown, but we're almost on the other side.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
With freedom in sight, and every indication of a great summer ahead of us, here's a list of things to look forward to, and keep you going, for the rest of the year.
(Dates and other details are subject to change - check the individual websites for updates.)
Cinemas
It's been quite a hiatus but upcoming cinema movies to look forward to include the latest James Bond spy movie Die Another Day (November 11.
Dendy Canberra: October 29 (dendy.com.au).
November 3-December 1: The 2021 British Film Festival will be on at Dendy with films including The Duke, Belfast and Last Night in Soho and retrospective screenings that include Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon.
Limelight Tuggeranong: October 29 (limelightcinemas.com.au).
Palace Electric: October 29 (palacecinemas.com.au).
Hoyts Belconnen and Woden: Uncertain (hoyts.com.au).
Theatres
Canberra Theatre Centre:
The box office will open on November 1. (canberratheatrecentre.com.au).
November 8-20: The Wharf Revue - this year's edition of the long-running satirical revue premieres in Canberra.
November 30: The War on 2021 - Satirists Charles Firth, Mark Humphries, Jenna Owen, Victoria Zerbst and James Schloeffel dissect the last 12 months.
December 5: An Afternoon At The Proms - A Musical Spectacular: This salute to the BBC Proms Concerts includes favourites like Rule Britannia.
December 7-8: The Resilience Project - Hugh van Cuylenburg will unpack research on mental health with tips to improve wellbeing.
December 8: The Ten Tenors - The Australian singing group will perform everything from opera to pop songs.
December 9-14: Two Twenty Somethings Decide Never to be Stressed About Anything Ever Again - Michael Costi's comedy looks at a young couple trying to live the ideal millennial life.
December 10: Arj Barker Comes Clean - The American comedian brings us his new stand-up show.
December 12: Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase - A line-up of festival favourites and up-and-comers will perform for your amusement.
December 16: David Helfgott in Concert - The pianist who was the subject of the movie Shine will perform in Canberra.
December 17: Nothing Else Matters - A Symphonic Tribute to Metallica: Over two hours of Metallica classics performed by the George Ellis 24-piece symphony orchestra with Damage Inc.
December 18: Ross Noble 2021 Comeback Special - The English-born stand-up comedian brings his new show to Canberra.
The Street Theatre:
Opening sometime in December. Scheduled shows are the music acts Kopasetic (December 4), Daniel Champagne (December 10) and Kim Yang (December 17) and the comedy act Randy Feltface (December 16). thestreet.org.au.
Galleries
Beaver Galleries: October 15, by appointment only. New exhibitions are Graeme Drendel and Landscape in sculpture by Denese Oates (beavergalleries.com.au).
Canberra Museum and Gallery: CMAG will reopen with new exhibitions on October 29 (cmag.com.au).
Craft ACT: The 2021 members exhibition Transformation will be on display from October 29 to December 14. The CO:LAB exhibition will be on at the same time. Cathy Franzi, Alison Jackson and Dan Lorrimer worked with an architect and their clients to develop a new range of lighting pieces for a residential project in Canberra. The exhibition will feature the final works, prototypes, drawings and photographs taken during the project. October 29 (craftact.org.au).
M16 Artspace: October 29-31 long weekend show - Black and White Edges; regular opening November 5 (m16artspace.com.au).
Nancy Sever Gallery: Ji Chen's City and Seascapes will be on until November 7. October 29 (nancysevergallery.com.au).
National Gallery of Australia: There's a large and wide-ranging collection of notable Australian and international works to see in including Jackson Pollock's Blue Poles. October 29 (nga.gov.au).
National Portrait Gallery: Living Memory - the National Photographic Portrait Prize will be on along with collection displays. October 29 (portrait.gov.au).
Tuggeranong Arts Centre: Live Fresh Funk classes begin on October 29; exhibitions by Rory Gillen and Alexa Malison open on November 6 (tuggeranongarts.com).
Other
Australian War Memorial: There are plans for a small Remembrance Day service on November 11 and for the memorial, commemorating Australia's involvement in many wars, to reopen on November 17 (awm.gov.au).
Museum of Australian Democracy: The museum, providing insights into and information about our social and political history, including political cartoons, reopens on October 29 (moadoph.gov.au).
National Film and Sound Archive: The exhibition Australians & Hollywood: A Tale of Craft, Talent and Ambition, celebrating Aussie talent abroad, opens on December 4. nfsa.gov.au.
National Museum of Australia: Exhibitions about aspects of Australian history, life and culture will be viewable from October 29; the Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors and Heroes exhibition from the British Museum is scheduled to open on December 17 (nma.gov.au).
National Library of Australia: The library will be reopening in three phases. The bookshop and exhibition galleries will open on November 15, including the Illustrating the Antipodes: George French Angas in Australia and New Zealand 1844-1845. From Library's reading rooms, Bookplate cafe and the Friends of the National Library Lounge will reopen at slightly reduced hours on Monday, November 29.
Parliament House: Public access to the home of the federal government has no date confirmed yet (aph.gov.au).
CSO: The Canberra Symphony Orchestra hopes to put on its CSO Summer Prom concert on the lawns of Government House on December 4 at 6pm. cso.org.au.
Sport
Whether you want to take part again or just want to watch, there's plenty of sport to get you off the couch and out of the house.
October 26: Southside social doubles tennis begins. Games will be played at Old Parliament House and Barton Tennis Clubs.
October 27: Northside social doubles tennis begins. Games will be played at Turner and Reid Tennis Clubs.
October 31: Junior basketball season resumes.
October 29: Martial arts classes are set to return.
November 1: Social netball begins. Games will be played at Lyneham Netball Courts.
November 2: TAB Melbourne Cup Day at Thoroughbred Park.
November 5: Cricket season begins for juniors and seniors.
November 8: Oz tag season begins for seniors in the ACT.
November 8: ACT touch football season begins. Competitions to be held in Deakin, Amaroo and Lyneham.
November 8: Senior social basketball season resumes.
November 10: Oz Tag season begins for seniors in Bungendore.
November 11: Basketball ACT Senior Premier League resumes.
November 13: Gridiron season begins for juniors and seniors.
November 15: Oz Tag season begins for juniors in the ACT.
December 4: SLAM! Pro Wrestling League at Ainslie Football Club 6.30-9.30 pm.
December 6: BBL Sydney Thunder v Brisbane Heat at Manuka Oval 7.15 pm.
December 12: Touch Football ACT Junior Gala Day at Deakin Ovals.
December 20-23: ACT Tennis holiday camp for kids aged between 5-16 at Old Parliament House.
December 28: BBL Sydney Thunder v Perth Scorchers at Manuka Oval 7:15 pm.
December 29: New Years Race Day at Thoroughbred Park.
November 13: Gridiron season begins for juniors and seniors.
November 15: Oz Tag season begins for juniors in the ACT.
December 4: SLAM! Pro Wrestling League at Ainslie Football Club 6.30-9.30 pm.
December 6: BBL Sydney Thunder v Brisbane Heat at Manuka Oval 7.15 pm.
December 12: Touch Football ACT Junior Gala Day.
December 20-23: ACT Tennis holiday camp for kids aged between 5-16 at Old Parliament House.
December 28: BBL Sydney Thunder v Perth Scorchers at Manuka Oval 7.15 pm.
December 29: New Year's Race Day at Thoroughbred Park.
Other
Swimming pools
People looking forward to a dip in the public pools will have to wait as opening dates are unconfirmed but at least it isn't too hot yet.
Canberra Olympic Pool: October 15, gym only. canberraolympicpool.com.au.
Summernats
Canberra's 34th car festival will fire up again from January 6 to 9, 2022. summernats.com.au.
Regional
Bathurst is already spruiking itself as a tourist destination. Upcoming events include: The Victoria Hotel hosting live music; Country Walk at Abercrombie House; Bathurst Wine Explorer, the monthly tour of the Bathurst region is resuming from November; The Brett Whiteley Drawing is Everything exhibition at Bathurst Regional Art Gallery; the first six-day Repco Bathurst 1000 from November 30 to December 5. bathurstregion.com.au.
Sydney
If you can get to Sydney sometime soon, there's always something to do there. For example:
Hamilton: The hit Broadway musical reopens at Sydney Lyric Theatre on October 19 and runs until February 27, 2022. hamiltonmusical.com.au.