By Rama Gaind
Sounds of music are alive in the nation’s capital as Canberra celebrates it 98th birthday in 2011.
Over nine days from March 12-20, celebrations for the Canberra Festival include a host of fun things from film, music, theatre, exhibitions, dance and sporting events to a spectacular array of activities and some new night-time experiences.
The city is bursting with colour this autumn.
There’s plenty to see and do from listening to international artists singing live in concert, watching a mass of giant hot air balloons in all shapes and sizes floating in the sky, visiting markets, seeing special architectural lighting and attending numerous wine festivals.
As part of Enlighten, Canberra Tourism’s new festival, the foreshores of Lake Burley Griffin will be a dazzling venue for an evening of hits from legendary American musician George Benson, INXS, Chris Isaak and Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons .
A hot air balloon experience is novel. Pictures do paint thousands of words, but the breathtaking views you get of the nation’s capital from high in the sky could leave you, surprisingly, at a loss for words!
The picturesque scenery on a crisp morning could well be beyond your wildest dreams. The fleeting moves are an experience for the senses, not forgotten, but long treasured. Bursts of activity on the ground and in the air add to the excitement.
The balloons are launched from the forecourt of Old Parliament House as part of the Canberra Festival Balloon Spectacular. They provide a thrilling backdrop to Canberra’s iconic attractions.
Fly with the company who started it all: Balloon Aloft has been flying over Canberra since 1986 after starting the Canberra Balloon Festival.
The event makes for a perfect family outing complete with entertainment, activities and delicious breakfast every morning of the festival.
Spectators will enjoy watching the balloons slowly expand to reveal their shape, before passing smoothly across the sky.
Pilots begin laying out and inflating their balloons from 6.30am on the lawns of Old Parliament House before they ascent into the sky.
This event is one of a kind, as Canberra is one of the few places in the world where balloons can fly at such close proximity to government offices and buildings of national significance.
Another event is the glamour and excitement of racing in the capital which takes on a special meaning at the Black Opal Stakes meeting.
Why not also take the opportunity to visit the National Gallery of Australia, Parliament House and Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House as they host special after-dark experiences. Soak up the history and culture of other world-class attractions including the Australian War Memorial, National Portrait Gallery, National Museum of Australia, the National Library and Questacon.
Now you will see Canberra in a whole new light.
For more details, visit http://www.events.act.gov.au/?/canberrafestival/event/63
A hot air balloon experience is thrilling.
Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons are on the Enlighten program in Canberra.
