The South Australian festivals and events calendar

South Australians love to host — and you’re all invited. Discover the top festivals and events in Adelaide all year round.

It’s in our South Australian nature to share, to swap stories and celebrate what we create. Every week, all year round, you’ll find somewhere to come together, meet locals and celebrate what’s made here. Craving connection? We’ll fill your soul with rhythm. Want to test your senses? Let our chefs dish you up a feast, by the beach. Thirsty for adrenaline? We’ll host you, trackside. With a roving calendar of events that earn us the title of the ‘festival state’, here’s a curated shortlist of the standout celebrations to pencil in.

Santos Tour Down Under, January

The metallic clang of cow bells fill the air as flags dance in the wind. You grip the barricade tightly, anticipation building as the world’s best cyclists race by — there one second, gone the next. But it’s the hum of camaraderie among the sea of spectators that keeps you coming back for more. And each time you do, why not try something new? There’s 10 days to soak it all in. Sip on some of SA's locally produced pinot as you watch the peloton snake its way through the vineyards one day. The next, slip on your Lycra to take part in an amateur ride which follows the same route as the world’s best. 

Adelaide International, January 

Isn’t there something electric about that collective held breath in the stands? The back and forth between some of the world's best tennis players to settle on a champion at The Drive. Set along the winding edges of the riverbank precinct, the Adelaide International is your chance to feel the pulse of the game. With an aperol spritz in hand, or post-game live music to unwind, it’s the ideal setting to soak in the atmosphere.  

LIV Golf Adelaide, February  

The club meets the ball and you watch on in awe as it soars, farther than you ever thought possible. It’s the kind of shot that makes you squint — straining to see how they did it. There’s something in the air at LIV Golf Adelaide that’s unmatched. Every moment deserves a celebration, and you do just that. Cheer on world-class golfers from hole to hole, with a wall of noise surrounding you. Dine on the green, sip cocktails by the 18th, or set the dancefloor alight with Australian DJs at the Après Golf Concerts. 

Adelaide Fringe, February - March  

During March there’s a hum of excitement that blankets the city — with Adelaide Fringe, WOMADelaide and Adelaie Festival on at the same time. Some might describe it as a cross-stitch of South Australia’s unique characteristics, but the locals just like to call it ‘Mad March’. Look left and you’ll spot a crowd in stiches, hanging on every word of a comedian’s latest set. Turn right and you’ll stumble upon street performers and musicians catching every eye. Look up and you’ll find aerial acrobats defying gravity. We know it’s a cliché, but there is ‘something for everyone’ during the Adelaide Fringe. There are over 6,000 global artists performing across 500 venues in 1,400+ shows — all in one state.  

Adelaide Festival, February - March  

That quiet buzz of anticipation. The soft hum of conversations. The rustle of programs. Isn’t there something magical about waiting for the curtain to rise? Experience this moment again and again with Adelaide Festival’s world-class arts program. Dive into thought-provoking passages at Writer’s Week, listen to opera that will stir your soul and watch the human body contort and master some of the most influential dance pieces of the 20th century. It’s your chance to see the most original and acclaimed artists working in the world today. 

WOMADelaide, March  

WOMADelaide is an uninhibited ode to three global languages. Music, food and love. Let sound wash over you like a wave set, pulling and rushing and tumbling, until your feet find their rhythm. When your legs beckon for a break, throw out a blanket and watch on as the young and old bridge a generational divide under the shade of old oak trees. With over 100 artists across four days, WOMADelaide has a genre for everyone and every age – from Afropop, to legendary 90s hip hop, electro-voodoo-soul and fiery jazz-metal.  

AFL Gather Round, April  

The stands are alive with energy. Drink in one hand, pie in the other, it's those shared moments with mates that stick with you most. Watch your favourite teams battle it out in the electric atmosphere of Adelaide Oval or feel the comradery that comes from the local stands in the Barossa. That’s what AFL Gather Round is all about — 18 teams and nine games creating one massive festival of footy.  After the last kick, revel in the victory or wash away the loss with a sip of velvety Barossa shiraz, while the smell of fresh food dances through the air at the Norwood Food & Wine Festival. 

Tasting Australia presented by Journey Beyond, May

Doesn’t food just taste better when you’re sharing it with others? Travelling distances to gather around tables and rave about local produce pushed to its limits — it’s the one time you’ll actually let your loved one steal a bite to get a taste of every flavour. When you book a Tasting Australia experience, you’ll notice it’s as much about sharing food as it is about the place it came from. Sit beside new friends on a train to the Barossa, taste your way across the skies with a flight high above the coast, or enjoy fresh seafood as your toes sink into the pristine white sands of our coastline. Each autumn, top chefs, artisans and local heroes come together to put on one of the country’s longest running eating and drinking festivals. 

Adelaide Equestrian Festival, May

There’s an unspoken bond between humans and horses, like the reins that tether them together. At this 5-star equestrian event, riders in dressage jackets and horses with polished coats move in unison. The air hums with concentration as each subtle shift in the rider’s posture commands the horse with an unspoken language. It speaks to years of training and mutual trust. With its easy accessibility at the Adelaide Parklands, this equestrian festival is your perfect chance to see horses 'ride like the wind' while you relax in style. In fact, it’s the only Horse Trials to be held in the heart of a major city anywhere in the world. 

Illuminate Adelaide, July  

When all is dark, Illuminate Adelaide brings the light. The temperatures may drop, but you’ll feel warm inside as splashes of colour fill your peripheral. Hand in hand with your child, coffee cups with friends or arms linked with loved ones, it’s a city-wide spectacle that brings you out of hibernation. From AI-generated light shows projected onto iconic landmarks, to fires burning bright in our manicured gardens, the mix of mix of free and ticketed events excites attendees each year. 

National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant, November  

This is the one day of the year — every year — that it feels as though your heart is physically growing. Dusty chalk covers your hands from colouring the bitumen, your cheeks ache from grinning too wide for too long — and that’s before the National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant has even crossed the starting line. You can’t help but feel lighter, brighter, as Christmas cheer is passed around beyond the 'Blue Honour Line' — it’s as if you’ve become a child again. Colourful clowns juggle laughter through the crowds and fairytale characters sprinkle holiday spirit as they dance on their floats. The Southern Hemisphere’s largest public parade marks the countdown to the festive joy of December 25th.  

VAILO Adelaide 500, November  

Get ready for a deafening roar that will send a rush down your spine. The roaring overhead that comes from the fighter jets, rattling the windows of suburban homes. You’ll hear the race before you even see it, no matter where you are in Adelaide, thanks to our famous city street circuit. A pack of four-wheeled machines wind their way around the CBD, leaving adrenaline lingering in their wake. When the engine hum fades, swap the outside barriers for the inside track with driver autograph sessions, car displays and sideshows.

The party doesn’t stop in Adelaide 

After you've soaked in the magic of Adelaide, adventure beyond the city. Breathe in the land of the long lunch in the Clare Valley or wrap your fingers around a red by the crackling fire in the Adelaide Hills — you’ll find it all in our regional events and festivals calendar.