Wonderful World
A festival of wonder
Canberra's City Centre will burst into life with Wonderful World, a new festival for parents, grandparents and children, celebrating creativity, discovery, community and the vibrant spirit of the heart of the city.
The City Centre and Braddon will transform into a playground, a stage, and a spectacle; a place to discover what is wonderful in our world.
Shaped by schools, families and local businesses, Wonderful World is not a single event or destination. It’s a festival designed to unfold over the week, inviting people to explore and return again and again, finding new moments of wonder each day.
Save the date
Tuesday 7 April to Sunday 12 April 2026
📍 Canberra City Centre
Wonderful World begins with school participation and builds into a Canberra City -Centre-wide festival during the school holidays.
What to expect
Garema Place will come alive as the heart of the festival, anchored by a stage brimming with wondrous shows, surrounded by installations, performances, and joyful encounters. Expect awe-inspiring activities, opportunities to discover and play, and moments to share.
Creativity and play spill into streets, parks and plazas, while the city venues you already know and love, local businesses, bars, restaurants and theatres become part of the experience, each day revealing something new to see, taste and explore.
With an eclectic mix of entertainment and experiences for all generations in the family. Parents, this one’s for you too!
7 - 12 April
Wonder Balloons over Garema Stage
For six days, the Garema Stage will transform with ever-changing music, cabaret, comedy and live performances that will make you laugh, cheer, and return again and again to see what's next. It's the place to gather, explore, and be part of the program as it unfolds across the festival week. At the centre of this lively space are the Wonder Balloons, a large-scale public art installation that fills Garema Place with colour, imagination, and the creativity of Canberra's children.
Learn MoreWho it’s for
Wonderful World is a festival designed for shared experiences across generations.
- Parents and carers looking for meaningful time together
- Children discovering creativity and play
- Grandparents sharing stories, ideas and moments with younger generations
- Schools connecting learning with the city beyond the classroom
- Local businesses helping bring the festival to life across the Canberra City Centre.
7 - 12 April
Spin at the Disc-Go-Round
Disc Go Round transforms this beloved attraction into a high-energy, multi-sensory celebration of music, movement, and 70s-inspired fun. Jump on the merry-go-round or dance the time away, surrounded by sequined curtains, glitzy décor, and vibrant lighting, creating an immersive, family-friendly disco experience never before seen in Canberra.
Learn MoreExplore the program highlights
From live performances to hands-on experiences, Wonderful World unfolds through many moments across the City Centre. Follow your curiosity and see what you might discover along the way.
This initial program offers a taste of what’s to come, with more events, activations and surprises still being confirmed.
Follow your curiosity, see what’s happening, and stay tuned as the festival continues to grow.
Browse what’s on and start shaping your time at the festival.
Be part of Wonderful World
Wonderful World comes together by shared participation.
Schools share ideas and imagination. Local businesses open their doors in new ways. Families bring curiosity and time together. Each plays a role in creating a festival that reflects what’s wonderful about the city and the people who experience it.
The fun is just getting started
Imagine a world where loved ones embrace the wonders of our lives.
Wonderful World is a festival of families, schools, local businesses, institutions and artists on a journey to make the world more wonderful. Wonderful World is a challenge for parents, carers and grandparents to rediscover their wonders, and for kids to fall in love with the world, again and again.
For one week, in Canberra.
More details coming soon.