CANBERRA will take inspiration from Paris and Barcelona this year with secret dinners, lamp lined boulevards and eccentric hairdressing shows all set to transform the city for this year’s Enlighten festival.

The event, now in its third year, promises to be more exciting than ever during Canberra’s centenary, with fifteen cultural institutions set to open their doors after-hours to host events, architectural projections and experiences.

Among the 52 events are some Australian firsts, including Sienta la Cabeza, a whacky hairdressing show direct from Barcelona; jazz in the high-security basement of the Royal Australian Mint; and high-tech street performance Phosphori.

Another highlight is Diner en Blanc, where hundreds of diners, dressed head to toe in white, will meet at a secret location to enjoy fine food together.

The National Gallery of Australia will also open after-hours so visitors can see the Toulouse-Lautrec exhibition, with the gallery’s forecourt to be transformed into the Parisian streets of Belle Epoque.

In the outdoor Enlighten Entertainment Hub within the Parliamentary Triangle, free entertainment will create a festival atmosphere with everything from a spectacular balloon glow and visually stunning roving performers to elaborate cabaret in The Famous Spiegel Garden and a rock-reggae concert by one of Australia’s finest indigenous musicians Bart Willoughby.

Enlighten, 1-9 March. Tickets to all events are now on sale through Ticketek: www.ticketek.com or 13 28 49. For more information and images go to www.enlightencanberra.com.au

Photos by Silas Brown