Parliament House Canberra Enlighten APN

Enlighten Festival: 1 – 17 March 2024**
Now in its 14th year, 2024 will see the Enlighten Festival take over the city with a program packed with diverse and exciting events including City Illuminations, Lights! Canberra! Action!, and Fresh Out Fair Day. Brighten your morning and see the sky taken over by colourful hot air balloons at Canberra Balloon Spectacular, before you watch the sunset to the perfect soundtrack at Symphony in the Park.


National Folk Festival: 28 March – 1 April 2024**
The National Folk Festival is a celebration of all things folk, featuring music, dance, circus and spoken word. From high-end entertainment to grassroots activities, from traditional and contemporary grooves to the quirky and unusual, the festival program is designed to inspire, enliven and entertain.


International AIDS Candlelight Memorial (Canberra): Sunday 19 May 2024 (date to be confirmed)
Candlelight Memorial events are held globally to honour the memory of all people who have lost their lives to HIV and AIDS and to reignite community activism in the response to HIV.


Floriade: 14 September – 13 October 2024
Floriade is an annual month-long celebration of spring in the heart of Australia’s capital. Visitors will enjoy a vibrant display of over a million blooms set to a soundtrack of diverse musical performances in a new and exciting program which will be announced later in the year.


SpringOUT Festival: November 2024 (dates to be confirmed)
The SpringOUT Festival is Canberra’s queer cultural festival which affirms the pride, joy, dignity and identity of Canberra’s LGBTIQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer) communities through events of celebration.


Fresh Out Fair Day: November 2024 (date to be confirmed)
Come out for Fresh Out! The annual celebration welcomes the whole community and will showcase LGBTIQA+ pride and diversity. Fresh Out is a one-day outdoor event in Glebe Park featuring Australia’s finest performing artists, a village of market stalls representing our diverse community organisations and local businesses, and a showcase of Canberra’s finest food and wines produced within the region.


Canberra Bushdance: November 2024 (date to be confirmed)
The Canberra Bushdance has been an annual gay Canberra event since 1984. The Bushdance is a fun night of dancing with people of all flavours. Dust off your hat, polish your boots and get ready to kick up some dust, as the live band leads you through those dances you may remember from primary school – like Strip the Willow, The Waves of Bondi, as well as some crazy polkas and some more genteel promenades.


World AIDS Day: Monday 1 December 2024
World AIDS Day is held on 1 December each year. It raises awareness across the world and in the community about HIV and AIDS. It is a day for the community to show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died of AIDS related conditions or other conditions associated with HIV.


If your festival or event is not listed above, and you would like to submit for consideration, please send an email to: reception@australianpridenetwork.com.au Your festival or event must be not-for-profit and primarily coordinated by those who identify as LGBTIQ. (Events organised by individuals or commercial entities will not be considered)

Image: Parliament House, Canberra – photo by Richard Tuffin (courtesy of Visit Canberra)

Note: ** festival contains significant LGBTIQ content