Whether you’re a fan of high-brow arts or exciting sports, Adelaide’s endless entertainment options will provide an unforgettable experience. From dazzling performances to breathtaking outdoor spaces, these venues will captivate your senses and create memories that last a lifetime.
North Terrace, a captivating stretch of the city, is home to many of Adelaide’s esteemed cultural institutions. Its combination of art and history makes it a must-see attraction.
Rundle Mall
The heart of Adelaide, Rundle Mall is pedestrian only, closed to cars in September 1976 and is the home of some of Australia’s best boutiques. It is the main shopping and dining destination in South Australia with global brands alongside local favorites.
The mall is also the center of some of the city’s biggest art installations and events. It is home to a few of Adelaide’s most famous sculptures including the Spheres and the Girl on a Slide. The Mall is also dotted with cafes, restaurants and bars to suit all tastes.
Rundle Mall is also the hub of the city’s thriving busking scene. From jugglers to magicians, there are many talented performers in the area. They usually draw a crowd and make the experience of shopping even more fun. You will find a variety of performers at the mall throughout the year, but especially during festival season and around the summertime.
Rundle Mall is located on the traditional lands of the Kaurna people. It is one of the most popular attractions in the city and it is a great place to spend the day. It is a great place to shop, eat and to explore some of the city’s many artworks and sculptures. It is also a great place to meet friends or just hang out.
North Terrace
North Terrace is Adelaide’s premier cultural boulevard. The northern side is lined with significant public buildings including Government House, the South Australian Museum and the State Library, as well as several memorials and monuments. The southern side contains many fine residential buildings as well as a range of commercial and retail spaces.
North Terrace forms the boundary of ’South Adelaide’ as defined by Colonel William Light’s 1837 Plan of the City of Adelaide. One of the city’s main north-south thoroughfares, Pulteney Street, terminates at North Terrace. The northern side of the Terrace was reserved for public buildings and purposes, and the southern side of the Terrace was divided into fifteen ‘town acres’.
A range of high quality buildings and facilities make up the North Terrace precinct, such as museums, universities, hospitals, restaurants and cafes. It also includes the famous Old Adelaide Gaol.
The University of Adelaide was Australia’s first university, established in 1874 by an Act of Parliament. The original building was located on North Terrace, although there had been calls for the establishment of a university for many years prior to its arrival.
The new northern wing of the Institute of Technology building is an elegant and restrained brick structure that contrasts with the more lavish architecture of the eastern wing and Jervois wing. It is the first in a series of three new buildings that are intended to ease pressure on the Institute building.
Adelaide Zoo
Adelaide Zoo is a fun and educational place for kids and adults to see animals in their natural habitats. The zoo has over 250 species of animals, including exotic and native animals. The zoo also has various animal conservation programs to help save endangered species. It is also one of the first zoos to breed and raise chimpanzees.
Light Creatures at Adelaide Zoo is an interactive event that uses art and technology to transform the zoo into a night-time oasis. The event features lanterns, animations, and other light installations. It is a part of the Illuminate Adelaide festival. The light-based exhibits are inspired by the animals in the zoo and their environments. The lanterns are made of polystyrene, which is a safe material that can be used in the presence of animals.
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The zoo has many unique locations that are perfect for holding events like corporate functions or weddings. You can host your function under the bamboo forest pavilion or in the Immersion Longhouse, which is located next to the tiger and orangutan exhibits. You can even hold a function in the Sir Thomas Elder Rotunda, which is an undercover venue.
Illuminate Festival
A festival bursting with art, light and music, Illuminate takes over Adelaide’s parks and spaces. From the Adelaide Botanic Garden to the zoo, Victoria Square and City Lights, larger-than-life sculptures, digital projections and immersive experiences will delight and mesmerize.
The crowd-favorite Light Cycles returns, with Montreal-based multimedia pioneers Moment Factory delivering a bigger and bolder installation spanning a 1.7-kilometre nighttime trail. Resonate will envelop you in sound and illuminations, and Mirror Mirror will transport you into your own imagination with a journey through the forest of yourself and imagined halls of mirrors.
New Light is back in 2022, encouraging contemporary First Nations artists to explore complex and engaging concepts relating to their personal experiences. The exhibit is free and will be showcased on media screens located at the Adelaide Festival Centre’s entrance.
Illuminate Festival also features a diverse roster of musical talent, from the rocking YolNGu beats of Australia’s Yothu Yindi at Hindley Street Music Hall to the label-defying classical and electronic fusion of Eishan Ensemble, led by Persian-Australian tar player Hamed Sadeghi.
Families are welcome at Illuminate Festival, which includes a kid’s zone with a kids’ sculptural adventure, a photo booth, a paint-by-number community art project and drop-in square dancing sessions. Food and beverage stalls are scattered throughout the site, or head to the onsite restaurant for a family feed. A free shuttle bus will connect you to the city center from Kingwood Park, and wheelchair accessibility is available at all installations.
