Canberra, your next race day outfit could involve a very small pair of arms and an enormous inflatable tail.
The Compassionate Stakes is bringing giant T-Rexes, unicorns and a whole festival of kind living to Glebe Park on Sunday 1 November 2026. Running from 10 am to 3 pm around the rotunda, the Little Oak Sanctuary event offers a joyful alternative to Melbourne Cup celebrations, with free entry for everyone.
What began as Canberra’s cruelty-free race day has grown into an invitation to explore how everyday choices can show a little more care for animals, people and the planet. There will be plenty to eat, watch and try, whether you arrive with the family, meet friends for lunch or wander in to see what all the cheering is about.
And there will be cheering. Every hour or so, a field of giant inflatable dinosaurs and unicorns will take to the track. Picture the determination of a serious competitor paired with the coordination of someone attempting to sprint inside a balloon. Choosing a favourite could be half the fun.
The races remain the event’s wonderfully ridiculous centrepiece, carrying a simple message: we can enjoy the excitement of race day while keeping animals out of the competition. For anyone looking for another way to celebrate during the spring racing season, Glebe Park offers plenty of reasons to gather.
This year, the festival stretches well beyond the finish line. Its program connects four themes: Food, encouraging us to eat kindly; Fibre, exploring how we wear kindly; Fun, inviting us to play kindly; and Footprint, asking how we tread kindly.
Food is a delicious place to start. Plant-based offerings will give visitors the chance to try something different or settle in with a familiar favourite. Come hungry, take a look around and let lunch become part of the discovery. You might find an idea worth taking back to your own kitchen.
The clothing swap brings the Fibre theme to life. Bring along clothes you are ready to part with and look for something you would love to wear. That piece sitting untouched in your wardrobe could become somebody else’s favourite, while you head home with a fresh find and a story about where it came from.
Hands-on workshops and learn-to stations will offer opportunities to get involved, ask questions and build a skill. The appeal is in giving something a try. You can arrive curious, join an activity that catches your attention and leave with a practical idea to explore further.
Families will have a Kids Zone with games and races running throughout the day, alongside performances to keep the festival moving between the action on the track. With so much happening, there is room to follow the children’s interests and see where the day takes you.
The Have-a-Go Lawn adds another invitation to join in. Try a game, encourage a friend or discover something you have never attempted before. It is easy to imagine coming for lunch and finding yourself staying for another activity, another performance and, inevitably, one more dinosaur race.
Together, these experiences launch Compassion 2 Action Month, a month of inspiration for kinder living. The festival gives that idea a practical starting point: something you have tasted, an item you have swapped or a skill you have begun learning.
You can take whichever part resonates home with you. Perhaps that means trying a new meal, looking differently at the clothes you already own or finding another way to enjoy time together. Small, achievable ideas are welcome here.
Entry and watching the races are free. For those keen to compete, the advertised race fees are $20 for adults, $15 for children and $40 per team for the relay, including costume hire. Check the event website for bookings and program updates.
Pack a picnic blanket, a hat and a bottle of water for a spring day spent exploring the festival at your pace.
Put Sunday 1 November in the calendar, gather a few clothes for the swap and invite someone along. Whether you come for the food, the family activities or the sight of a unicorn chasing a dinosaur, there is a good chance you will leave with something to smile about.
