At a glance
- When
- Saturday 31 October 2026, 11am to 5pm
- Where
- Glebe Park, Canberra City
- Cost
- Free entry
- Light rail
- No services from the first service on Saturday 31 October to the last service on Sunday 1 November; replacement buses run between Alinga Street and Gungahlin Place
- Parking
- Several city car parks near the park charge a weekend flat rate: $4 at Nangari Street and $7.50 at the National Convention Centre (ACT Government list, 21 July 2026)
- Pet parade
- Register at the stage between 12pm and 1pm; the parade starts at 1pm
- Who it’s for
- Anyone going to Fair Day, with or without kids or a dog, and anyone travelling into the city centre on Saturday 31 October
- What to do now
- Plan a bus or car trip, because light rail is not running, and email info@springout.com.au before the day if you need accessibility help or want to pre-register a pet
- Last checked
- Monday 26 October 2026, against the SpringOUT website, the CMET light rail notice and the ACT Government’s Our Canberra pages
- Not yet confirmed
- Replacement bus stop locations for this closure and a wet-weather plan for Fair Day (neither found on the pages checked)
SpringOUT Fair Day is free and runs from 11am to 5pm on Saturday 31 October 2026 at Glebe Park in Canberra City. It falls on a day when no light rail services are running, so anyone who normally takes the tram into Civic needs another way in.
This guide covers the stage program, the kids’ area and pet parade, how to get to Glebe Park without light rail, and what the ACT Government’s list says about weekend parking. Everything was read on Monday 26 October 2026. Canberra is on daylight saving time, so all times are Canberra clock times.
What is Fair Day, and what does it cost?
The festival’s own Fair Day page describes it as Canberra’s largest LGBTIQA+ community event, and says entry is free. The ACT Government’s Our Canberra article of 22 October lists it among its five SpringOUT highlights and also gives free entry. The ACT Government is listed as a supporter of the day.
The organisers list a stage with live acts, a kids’ area, a pet parade, food trucks and a market. They give the market as 80 stalls, while the ACT Government article says “over 65”, so treat the stall count as approximate. The stall map was last updated on 25 October at 10pm.
What time are the acts on stage?
The Fair Day program page gives this stage running order. Times can shift on the day, so treat them as a guide.
| Time | On stage |
|---|---|
| 11:20am to 11:25am | Welcome to Country by Bradley Mapiva-Brown |
| 11:25am to 11:50am | Mama MadB and the Deadly Deities |
| 11:50am to 12pm | Welcome speeches |
| 12:05pm to 12:35pm | Qwire |
| 12:45pm to 1pm | Xenon Revolution |
| 1pm to 1:25pm | Pet parade |
| 1:30pm to 2pm | Val Moogz |
| 2:10pm to 2:15pm | Mother Skye Iris |
| 2:15pm to 2:20pm | Tina Cox |
| 2:25pm to 2:30pm | Lulu Venom |
| 2:30pm to 2:45pm | Mother Scott Milk and the Warehouse Minions |
| 2:50pm to 3pm | Etcetera Etcetera |
| 3:10pm to 3:40pm | Jett Blyton |
| 3:55pm to 4:15pm | Só Samba Canberra |
| 4:30pm to 5pm | Stella Eve |
Hosts and DJs fill the gaps. George Vallance hosts from 11am to 2pm, Etcetera Etcetera from 2pm to 3pm and Venus Mantrap from 3pm to 5pm. DJ Love Peace Happiness Joy plays from 11am to 1pm, DJ Maestrou from 1pm to 3pm and DJ CandyCane from 3pm to 5pm. The full program is a download on the program page.
Can I bring my dog to the pet parade?
Yes. The organisers say the Pet Parade is back and falls on Halloween this year, so a Pride look, a spooky costume or matching outfits all fit. Register at the stage, on the left-hand side, between 12pm and 1pm, or pre-register by emailing info@springout.com.au. The parade kicks off at 1pm. The organisers ask for dogs on leashes and say to bring water for them.
What is there for kids and for quiet time?
The program page lists a Kids Zone with free face painting from 11am to 3pm, a show from Guy Alias and Wonderful Which of the What from 12pm to 3pm, and Bambi Bubbles from 2pm to 5pm. Other areas on the day:
- Marion Quiet Queers: a quiet, low-sensory space to sit, read, draw and spend time with other queer people.
- Sport Your Pride Precinct: local LGBTQIA+ friendly sports clubs running “Come and Try” sessions.
- Diversity ACT Craft Space: a creative and community crafting area.
The stall list also names food and drink sellers, including Queer Food, Mellabella Gelato, Cafe Loko (coffee), Au Lac, Majestic Mushrooms, Oh My Days (patisserie), Yummy Time Dumplings and Canan Turkish Gozleme. The organisers say to bring sunscreen, a hat and a water bottle, and that there is a tap for refills.
Is the light rail running on Saturday 31 October?
No. Light rail operator CMET says there are no light rail services from the first service on Saturday 31 October until the last service on Sunday 1 November 2026, while critical works are carried out as part of the Light Rail Stage 2A project. The Fair Day page also warns that light rail is closed for maintenance on the day and asks people to plan another way to reach the city.
| What CMET says | Detail |
|---|---|
| Replacement buses | Both directions between Alinga Street and Gungahlin Place, stopping at all light rail replacement bus stops |
| How often | About twice as frequent as the timetabled light rail |
| Regular buses | Run as normal |
| Tapping | No tap on or tap off on replacement buses; normal MyWay+ tap on and tap off applies if you connect to a regular bus |
| Walking in the city | Changes to pedestrian access may affect your trip, so allow extra time |
CMET sends people to the Transport Canberra website for replacement bus stop locations and pedestrian access details. We did not find a Transport Canberra page for this closure when we looked on 26 October, so check the Transport Canberra service alerts and the journey planner before you leave. The CMET notice is dated 16 October and its web address says Friday 31 October, but the text says Saturday 31 October to Sunday 1 November, and that is what we have used.
The same weekend has a second change: on Sunday 1 November, road closures and bus stop closures apply for Run Canberra. Our Run Canberra bus diversions guide has the stop list. For fares and tapping, see our MyWay+ fares guide.
Where can I park near Glebe Park on a Saturday?
The ACT Government’s city centre parking list, published 21 July 2026, names Glebe Park as nearby for four car parks. It warns that the information may change and says to read the signs at each car park. These are the weekend prices it gives:
| Car park | Saturday price on the list | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nangari Street (5 Nangari Street) | $4 flat rate per day | Covered; 2.15 m height limit for cars; open 24/7 |
| National Convention Centre (Constitution Avenue) | $7.50 per day | Undercover; 1.9 m height limit; 480 spots |
| Constitution Place (off Constitution Avenue) | $3.30 for 1 hour to $11 for a full day | Covered; 225 public bays; closed overnight |
| City Hill (London Circuit and Constitution Avenue) | $2 an hour, or $7 for 4 hours and above | Open-air; free from 5:30pm Wednesday to Sunday until 8:30am |
The Canberra Centre car park, entered from Petrie and Cooyong Streets, is listed at from $4 for 1 hour up to $40 for over 7 hours, with no weekend flat rate. That list does not name Glebe Park as nearby for it, so check the walk on a map. The list also says the Theatre Lane car park is closed for early works on the new lyric theatre. For ACT Government car parks you can pay with coins, Visa or Mastercard, or the EasyPark app, and a ticket is displayed on the dashboard if you pay at the machine.
What about accessibility and help on the day?
The organisers say Fair Day is an outdoor event and there may be challenges getting around Glebe Park. An all-terrain wheelchair and volunteers are available. To arrange help, email info@springout.com.au before the day or use the form on the accessibility page, which also lists a number to call if you need help once you are there. Gender-neutral accessible toilets are at the rear of the grounds, and a first aid stall is on the site map.
What else is on in SpringOUT?
Fair Day is the opening event on the Visit Canberra listing. The ACT Government says SpringOUT runs from Friday 23 October to Tuesday 1 December, while Visit Canberra lists 31 October to 30 November, so the festival’s own program is the page to trust for other dates. The ACT Government article lists these other events:
- Flag Raising Ceremony: Thursday 29 October, 12:30pm, Legislative Plaza, free.
- GAYCT history by bike tour: Sunday 8 November, 10am to 12pm, from On Lake Cafe, Bowen Drive, Barton, $10 or $5 for concessions and members.
- SpringOUT Comedy Gala: Thursday 19 November, 6pm and 8:15pm, The Street Theatre, $27.50 or $22.50.
Sources
- SpringOUT — Fair Day 2026 (date, time, light rail warning, pet parade; checked 26 October 2026)
- SpringOUT — Fair Day Program (stage times, Kids Zone)
- SpringOUT — Fair Day Markets and Site Map (updated 25 October 2026)
- SpringOUT — Accessibility Info
- CMET — Light Rail Service Changes: Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November 2026
- ACT Government — Top five things to do at SpringOUT 2026 (22 October 2026)
- ACT Government — Where to park in Canberra city centre (21 July 2026)
- Visit Canberra — Canberra SpringOUT Pride Festival
Featured image: Canberra Theatre Centre complex, next to Glebe Park (photo: Shkuru Afshar / CC BY-SA 4.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with SpringOUT, the ACT Government, CMET or Transport Canberra. Times, closures and prices can change; check the official pages above before you go.