With a world-class festival and events calendar that spans the whole year, you’ll always find frivolity on your South Australian itinerary. Think festivals dedicated to Australia’s most watched game, or all things culinary excellence; Australia’s greatest cycling race, international sporting debuts or the world’s second largest arts festival. There’s a reason why South Australia is known as the festival state.
SANTOS TOUR DOWN UNDER
Welcome to the largest cycling event in the southern hemisphere. The Santos Tour Down Under was launched in 1999 and is held each January, captivating its live audience and fans worldwide. Men and women race at the highest level of competition, with a 10-day festival of cycling taking place alongside the on-road action.
Stage starts and finishes – plus a variety of community and participation events – are held across Adelaide and regional South Australia, while the central Tour Village in Adelaide’s Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga is a base for teams and all keen to follow the race.
Steady, strategic growth has been crucial to the Santos Tour Down Under’s success. In 2008 it became the first cycling event outside Europe to secure Union Cycliste Internationale WorldTour status, a move that ensures top teams and riders compete each year. A women’s race was introduced in 2016, with elevation to the UCI Women’s WorldTour following in 2022. The Santos Tour Down Under opens the international cycling calendar in true South Australian style, sharing the state’s festive spirit while also offering crucial season points.
AFL GATHER ROUND
South Australia was chosen to host the inaugural Australian Football League Gather Round: an entire round of the season played in one state. This bold new step took place from 13-16 April 2023, sharing the buzz of elite football with passionate locals and a huge visiting audience.
Six matches were played at Adelaide Oval, two at Norwood Oval and one in the Adelaide Hills at Mount Barker’s Summit Sport and Recreation Park. All sold out. Total overall attendance for the AFL Gather Round was more than 268,000, with an economic impact of $83.5 million and almost 30 per cent of fans travelling to South Australia from interstate.
An average of 9,338 room nights were occupied over the Friday and Saturday of the event. Saturday generated the highest ever hotel revenue for a single night in Adelaide, while Friday was the second highest on record. Local tourism and hospitality businesses reported strong trade and were featured in Gather Round initiatives such as The Terrace at Mount Barker, a showcase of Adelaide Hills food and beverages.
South Australia will continue to host the AFL Gather Round until at least 2026 – a major commitment to the festival state.
LIV GOLF ADELAIDE
Golf, but louder. That’s the premise of LIV Golf – a new style of tournament revolutionising the sport worldwide. Adelaide was chosen for its Australian debut, with The Grange Golf Club welcoming 77,076 people from 21-23 April 2023.
General admission tickets sold out across the event, while more than 40 per cent of ticketholders came from interstate or one of the 37 nations also represented among attendees.
Innovation shaped every aspect of LIV Golf Adelaide. Highlights included The Watering Hole, the destination for those keen to party while watching elite athletes in action. A hole in one by American Chase Koepka prompted a celebration so exuberant it was shared worldwide.
South Australia’s strength in hosting major events was evident throughout the tournament, which draw praise for both its attention to detail and sense of fun.
TASTING AUSTRALIA PRESENTED BY RAA TRAVEL
Celebration and collaboration of people, produce and place lie at the heart of Tasting Australia presented by RAA Travel. It began in 1997, became annual in 2016 and is the nation’s longest-running eating and drinking festival.
International and Australian stars join local talent in events held across every region of the state. These include journeys with Tasting Australia Airlines to regions such as Kangaroo Island and the Flinders Ranges, sharing their pristine landscapes and unique flavours with those indulging their curiosity.
Town Square in Adelaide’s Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga is the festival hub – a destination home to a variety of food vendors and bars along with bespoke dining spaces and live music. In 2023 a record 68,000 people visited Town Square during Tasting Australia, with more than 250 local businesses supported during the 10-day festival.
ILLUMINATE ADELAIDE
South Australia’s events calendar spans every season – and winter is Illuminate Adelaide’s time to shine. Launched in 2021, it celebrates art, music, technology and invention from across Australia and around the world. Big names, dazzling performances and unbridled creativity come out to play as familiar sites are reimagined. This city-wide spectacle dares its audience to shake off the winter chill and rekindle a sense of wonder. More than 1.2 million attendances were recorded for the event’s first full program in 2022.
A mix of free and ticketed events take place in Adelaide, while Mount Gambier, Tumby Bay, Victor Harbor and Renmark have hosted regional programming to date. Illuminate Adelaide returned in 2023 with highlights including Mirror Mirror – an Australian-first experience from Montreal’s renowned Moment Factory – plus performances by the legendary Yothu Yindi and British electronic musician Tourist.
ADELAIDE FRINGE
Beginning in 1960, it transforms Adelaide and greater South Australia for 31 magical summer days and nights each year. The festival stretches from Whyalla in the state’s west to Naracoorte in the southeast, with eclectic and vibrant events that include cabaret, theatre, comedy, circus, music, visual arts, workshops and much more. A diverse audience aged between one and 100 come from all walks of life. This variety also extends to Adelaide Fringe’s diverse array of artists and venues.
In 2023 Adelaide Fringe made history as the first Australian festival to sell one million tickets. Total box office value was $25.17 million, with $23.9 million paid out in box office to Fringe artists and venues. More than three million attendances were recorded across the 2023 season, which featured 1280 shows and more than 1900 sold out performances.
HARVEST ROCK
The premise was simple. Brilliant music – plus the food, wine and hospitality South Australia is renowned for. Harvest Rock made it happen. Held for the first time in November 2022, this weekend music festival took place across two central Adelaide parks and welcomed 15,000 people each day. Headlined by Jack White in his only Australian performance, it also featured international artists including The Black Crowes, Sam Fender and Hot Chip, plus local stars such as Crowded House, The Living End and Genesis Owusu.
Acclaimed chef Jake Kellie of Adelaide restaurant arkhé led Harvest Rock’s dining offering, collaborating with wine expert Nick Stock across two decadent lunches in festival venue WILDWOOD.
Harvest Rock returns in late October 2023 with a second stellar musical lineup and a range of indulgent culinary offerings and destination bars.
NATIONAL PHARMACIES CHRISTMAS PAGEANT
Festive joy shines through each edition of the National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant. This magical event is full of fantasy, floats, colourful characters, bands, dancers and more. It began in 1933 and has been embraced by generations of Australians for 90 years, becoming one of the world’s largest free community parades in the process.
The pageant winds its way through Adelaide’s city centre, with Father Christmas arriving at the Town Hall to greet the people of South Australia.
Covid’s arrival meant this cherished event was presented differently in 2020 and 2021, instead taking place as a ticketed twilight arena spectacular at Adelaide Oval. In 2022 it triumphantly returned to city streets. More than 240,000 people shared the spectacle live, while a further 583,000 watched its live and replay television broadcasts.
Growth initiatives such as activations, public engagement, national media coverage, national television promotion, education and merchandising have seen the National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant continue to build and shape its legacy.
