Journalist and presenter Leigh Sales will be hosting the awards ceremony, which will be also broadcast live on ABC TV from 7.30pm tonight.

"It's a tremendous honour to be hosting this year's Australian of the Year Awards," Sales told us.

"There are so many extraordinary people making incredible contributions to communities across Australia and it's a pleasure to be able to recognise their achievements, as well as celebrate their drive and determination."

Entertainment will include a set by singer Jem Cassar-Daley, the daughter of country star Troy Cassar-Daley.

Caroline Kennedy's efforts to get stuck in and experience life in Canberra has been wonderful during her continuing term as the United States ambassador to Australia.

And this summer has been no different.

She took her husband Edwin Schlossberg to Summernats, for a lesson in burnouts and drifting. And they channelled a bit of Barbie and Ken with their Summernats cowboy hats. Got to love that.

And then the couple enjoyed a dose of high culture at the National Gallery, hosting American singers T-Pain and Ashanti on a tour of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collection and the Emily Kam Kngwarray exhibition while the performers were in town for JuicyFest.

Three-time Golden Guitar Award winners and ARIA nominated duo, Brooke McClymont and Adam Eckersley have announce dates for their Up, Down & Sideways tour, with special guest Peter Chapman.

They will be performing at the Harmonie German Club in Narrabundah on Friday, February 9.

Tickets are on sale from www.brookeandadam.com

The amazing Braidwood Book Fair has opened for the Australia Day long weekend, giving those heading to the coast a chance to pick up some reading material on the way, not just a pie.

The fair is in the National Theatre in the main street, Wallace Street, and opened daily up to and including Sunday from 9am to 4pm.

Lots of books, puzzles, CDs, records, DVDs and more.

Well done to Canberra's charity powerhouse Mohammed Ali and the volunteers at Helping ACT who this week held a Feel Good Feed for vulnerable people at the Early Morning Centre in the city as part of the group's Australia Day celebrations. Their guests were also gifted a food hamper.

The Canberra Miniature Railway in Symonston will be open for train rides on Sunday from 10am to 2.30pm.

Tickets for unlimited train rides can be pre-purchased at https://trybooking.com/eventlist/CMR