For more than 60 years, Adelaide has been internationally recognised as Australia’s Festival Capital, with festivities kicking-off each year in February and March. First up is Adelaide Fringe—the largest arts festival in the southern hemisphere—when musicians, comedians, circus performers, and downright quirky creatives show off their craft in free and ticketed performances (17 Feb – Mar 19). It’s not to be outdone by Adelaide Festival (3 Mar – 19 Mar) with its world-class musical and theatre performances. Finally, WOMADelaide (10 – 13 Mar) isn’t just a dance and music festival—once again this year, Gratte Ciel’s Place des Anges will transform the night skies over the Botanic Park, with mischievous acrobatic angels performing theatrics high above the treetops. With workshops, visual arts displays, and cabaret rounding out the line-up, there’s something for everyone at Adelaide’s summer festivals.
Indulge your inner epicurean
South Australia is world-renowned for its full-bodied shirazzes, fresh seafood, stonefruit and citrus orchards, and some of the country’s most innovative culinary stars. But you don’t have to travel deep into the hills to experience the unbelievably rich bounty produced here. Hosted in Adelaide’s Town Square, Tasting Australia (28 Apr – 7 May) is a 10-day celebration of the autumn harvest, with hundreds of events showcasing the region’s finest food, wine, beer, and spirits. In addition to food vendors and markets, the program includes masterclasses, wine tastings, long-table lunches, and curated day trips straight to the source. With culinary greats like Maggie Beer, Kiwi chef Ben Shewry, and Sean Connolly supporting programs and hosting events, you know you won’t go home hungry.
Let a celebration of light warm up your winter nights
Since launching just two years ago, Illuminate Adelaide has become one of the most highly anticipated—and attended—winter events in South Australia. Each July, the immersive light festival injects the city’s parklands and streets into a play that’s bold and bright, thanks to large-scale light installations and projections. While many of the displays are free, Adelaide Zoo’s ticketed Light Creatures exhibit is not to be missed—with interactive performances, you’ll see nocturnal creatures of both the real and imagined variety. Meanwhile, live musical performance from local and international acts (last year, Gorillaz and the Avalanches were both on-hand) ensure the rest of your senses are engaged.
Take an epic road trip deep into the Australian Outback
Experiencing the vastness and beauty of Australia’s iconic red desert is closer than you think. Only a five-hour drive from Adelaide is the Mars-like Flinders Ranges. The ancient mountain range is known for its rugged peaks and gorges, rich Aboriginal history, sprawling national parks, historic outback towns, and vast array of wildlife including red kangaroos, short-beaked echidnas, and emus. All that driving deserves a reward, so schedule a night at the Prairie Hotel in Parachilna. An unexpected oasis of refined accommodation and authentic outback hospitality, this is where you can enjoy a beer brewed on-site from South Australia’s most remote brewery. The Flinders Ranges is just one of the stops along the 3,000km Explorer’s Way road trip, which is best tackled from March to November.
Bask under the Milky Way in Australia’s only Dark Sky Reserve
Beloved by Australians for its houseboating, kayaking, and fishing, the Riverland region is a laid-back destination unlike any other. At its heart is the winding Murray River—the third-longest navigable river in the world—but that’s not the end of its charms. Downstream, you’ll be able to see the true brilliance of the unfiltered night’s sky, thanks to Australia’s only Dark Sky Reserve. From high on a riverside clifftop, an astronomer from Juggle House Experiences will help you see galaxies beyond. Or book a night-time cart ride with Big Bend, where under the glow of the Milky Way, you’ll seek out nocturnal animals, like the elusive wombat. For the darkest skies and the brightest stars, plan your visit for the months of May to September.
Visit the Barossa Valley during vintage
Rich in winemaking history dating back to the late 19th century, the internationally acclaimed Barossa wine region is only a 50-minute drive northeast of Adelaide, but might as well be a world away, with its rolling hills dotted with picturesque vineyards. And this year, there’s an extra special reason to visit: From 19 – 23 Apr, it will host the 75th biennial Barossa Vintage Festival, with over 70 events in the works. From tasting the official best wine in the world, to sipping a local drop that’s as old as you in Seppeltsfield’s Centennial Cellar (which houses barrels of wine dating back to 1878), to exploring one of the region’s 80 cellar doors, this is a vintage you won’t soon forget.
Air New Zealand flies non-stop to Adelaide three to four times weekly. To start planning your South Australian adventure, visit www.southaustralia.co.nz.