South Australia’s ‘City of Churches’ isn’t just known for its food and wine, but also its incredible events and festivals. Whether you’re an art, music or film fan, there are plenty of epic shows to be seen this spring!
Let the Music Play will be a celebration of classic Valley shenanigans with Northeast Party House, hip hop OGs Thundamentals and alt-pop indie charmer Wafia all lining up. Plus, the festival’s inspiring Class of Cabaret program will shine a light on emerging cabaret stars.
Woodford Folk Festival
The Woodford Folk Festival is more than a music event; it’s an immersive experience that celebrates community and tradition passed down over generations, expressed through story and ceremony. Held each year over six inspiring days and nights, the festival takes place in a temporary village on regenerated native habitat. Each day is filled with music, craft, circus arts and parades, plus a host of workshops where you can flex your own creative muscles.
Every year, more than 25,000 people converge on the site to participate in a massive cultural event, surrounded by fresh air and a forest that is actually a beautiful national park. The festival is a unique opportunity to discover the best of Australia’s contemporary music, but also a world of indigenous art, food and culture.
It’s the largest Australian event of its kind and one that welcomes all ages to a family-friendly atmosphere. You’ll find a wide range of activities, including music and dance performances from local and international artists, as well as cabaret and circus arts. You can also get your gastronomic fix from the dozens of food stalls serving everything from burgers to Middle Eastern tagines, not to mention cocktails and organic gluten-free brownies. Then, in the evenings, you can kick back with a drink at one of the many bars, cafes and restaurants or catch a talk from an esteemed figure like gardening guru Costa Georgiadis.
Adelaide Fringe
The Adelaide Fringe is the largest arts festival in the Southern Hemisphere, attracting millions of visitors to immerse themselves in a multitude of cabaret, theatre, comedy, music and visual art. Each year, it takes over pubs and bars, parks, galleries, and theatres for 31 magical summer nights of the best local and international acts.
The festival is also committed to sustainability, reducing its environmental footprint and encouraging artists and venues to embrace eco-friendly practices. It also encourages community engagement, through volunteering opportunities and other initiatives. The Fringe is supported by government funding through Arts South Australia, the City of Adelaide and media partners such as 9News and The Advertiser.
The Fringe has a rich history of creating innovative works that challenge the status quo and push the boundaries of performance. In 2018, the Fringe broke records, with 2.7 million people attending events and seeing 2,300 shows over the four-week period. The opening night celebrations saw a record crowd of 100,000 and included a parade of light digital projections across buildings on North Terrace. There were also more tickets sold than ever before, with a total of 1,231 events and 6,939 performances.
Adelaide Music Festival
The Adelaide Festival is a mid-to-late summer international festival that showcases visual, performing, literary and media arts. It has been held every two years since 1992, when it was first launched as a part of the Adelaide Festival of Arts. Since then, it has become its own independent event. It features a wide range of activities including theatre, music, dance, opera and visual art. During the Festival, many local artists exhibit their work in galleries and public spaces around the city. Several of these events are free, while others require tickets. The Festival also hosts a number of pop-up venues. These are usually located in parks, warehouses or laneways, as well as theatres, hotels and restaurants. The festival also features a program of contemporary visual arts called the Adelaide International.
This year’s lineup of the Adelaide Music Festival includes a massive roster of big name international acts. This includes a return to Australia by Jack White who makes his only solo appearance in the country at Harvest Rock, as well as genre-bending artists like The Black Crowes, Khruangbin, Groove Armada, Sam Fender, Cat Power and The Lumineers.
The Festival’s other highlights include Dame Judith Anderson presenting four classical drama recitals, the premiere of Sir William Walton’s opera Troilus and Cressida performed by the Australian Ballet Company directed by Sidney Nolan; Benjamin Britten conducting the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra in his masterpiece The Eighth Symphony; Royal Shakespeare’s productions of Winter’s Tale and Twelfth Night featuring Donald Sinden and Judi Dench; Marie Collier and Richard Lewis in the world premiere of the stage version of Henry V; and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art’s production of Dame Edna Everage’s The Secret Diary of Anne Frank.
Download Festival
The Download Festival is one of the UK’s biggest music events. Its lineup features artists from all over the world and has been praised for its ability to create a lineup that truly represents rock, metal and punk music. The festival has also become a platform for emerging talent to capture the attention of new audiences.
The festival was founded in 2003 and originally took place over two days. It was later expanded to three days in 2005. Since then, it has continued to attract some of the world’s most famous acts.
This year’s event saw weekend camping tickets sell out in record time after headliners Iron Maiden, Linkin Park, and Black Sabbath were announced. The line-up for the festival also included metalcore outfit Avenged Sevenfold, hardcore act Def Leppard, and death metal band Behemoth.
The festival also featured a number of side stages featuring a wide variety of genres. The Dogtooth Stage hosted the likes of synthwave outfit Perturbator, who drew a small crowd in comparison to their headliner rivals. Nevertheless, the set was full of energy and high-octane melodies. Meanwhile, the main stage hosted thrash legends Slayer and American post-hardcore group Faith No More. The latter performed a special version of their song ‘Sad but True’ in honour of lead singer Jonathan Davis, who was absent due to illness.