5 of the best Adelaide events to add to your calendar | AWW

Adelaide Fringe is the city’s biggest arts festival and one of the most renowned events across Australia. Running from February to March, Adelaide becomes home to dozens of performances including theatre, comedy, circus, cabaret and more. Unlike other fringe festivals, the Adelaide Fringe allows anyone to register a show, which means you’re bound to have a variety of performances in the theatres, parks and even on the streets. If you find yourself in Adelaide during February and March, this is a great way to become acquainted with Adelaide’s vibrant arts scene.

WOMADelaide is a melting pot of world music, arts, dance, food and ideas. Held in Adelaide’s Botanic Park every March, this four-day festival sees artists from every corner of the globe head to the South Australia capital to perform and celebrate the arts. With multiple stages set up around the festival, no matter what your music taste is, there’s a little something for everyone. For the foodies, there is Taste the World, which is where the artists share their stories while cooking favourite dishes from home. This is truly one not to miss.

Running concurrently with the Adelaide Fringe, the Adelaide Festival is a more curated arts festival where you’ll be treated to performances from some of the best talent in Australia and around the world. The whole city gets involved with unique and boundary pushing art, music and theatrical performances taking place across the city.

Every April, Adelaide transforms into Australia’s foodie capital for the Tasting Australia festival. Celebrating the best of South Australian produce and culinary talent, the festival is made up of masterclasses, wine tastings, street food stalls and other culinary events. Though events take place across Adelaide and beyond, the heart of the festival is Town Square in Victoria Square where South Australia’s top chefs can be found cooking up a storm amid rows of food trucks and wine bars.

Adelaide kicks of Winter with the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, which is the world’s biggest celebration of all things cabaret. Held every June at the Adelaide Festival Centre, the lineup includes everything from classic show tunes to edgy performances. Not only will you be treated to local, Australian talent, but you’ll get performances from world renowned cabaret stars too. 

Every November for almost 100 years, the streets of Adelaide transform into a Christmas wonderland with the annual Adelaide Christmas Pageant taking place. During the pageant, floats, marching bands, and performers wind their way through the streets of Adelaide before finishing at the iconic Rundle Mall. If you want to get the best views of the parade, you’ll need to get up early to nab a great spot. As for the kids, they’ll need to keep their eyes peeled to catch a glimpse of Santa as he makes his way through the streets alongside the marchers and floats.