Illuminate Returns To Warm Up Adelaide’s Winter Nights

Prehistoric creatures, flaming sculptures, internationally renowned music acts and more will light up Adelaide this winter as Illuminate Adelaide returns for its fourth year in the city.

The festival is fast becoming one of Australia’s most exciting winter events with last year’s edition winning the 2023 Gold Medal Award for Major Festivals or Events at the South Australian Tourism Awards.

Last year, the event generated a record-breaking $54.3 million for South Australia’s visitor economy, with nearly 34,000 visitor nights.

Now in its fourth year, Illuminate Adelaide organisers are looking to build on the festival’s record 1.3 million attendances in 2023 – which included more than 15,000 visitors from interstate and overseas.

The program for Illuminate Adelaide 2024 has today been revealed, bringing Australian exclusives and festival favourites to the CBD and drawing visitors during the traditionally quieter winter month of July.

From 4 to 21 July, an interactive program of ticketed events, music performances and free installations will take over Adelaide, celebrating art, light, music, and technology, supporting almost 150 local, national, and international artists – including 62 from overseas.

For 17 nights, the free City Lights program will feature 40 installations and projections across the Adelaide CBD, from interactive experiences to breathtaking visual spectacles. Some of the city’s most cherished cultural institutions and heritage buildings will be transformed, including Government House, Bonython Hall, Art Gallery of South Australia, Lot Fourteen and Adelaide Festival Plaza.

A highlight of the 2024 ticketed program is the dynamic, flaming sculptures of Fire Gardens at Adelaide Botanic Garden where visitors will have the opportunity to witness more than 7,000 giant handcrafted fire pots, enchanting candlelit archways, captivating kinetic, flaming sculptures and live music performances.

The Adelaide Zoo will again be transformed, this year with after-dark puppetry and animation in Universal Kingdom: Prehistoric Nights. A magical menagerie of ancient creatures will roam the Earth igniting the imaginations of young and old as it showcases the evolution of the first creatures on the planet.

Base Camp, Illuminate Adelaide’s popular after-dark bar and eatery village will beckon festivalgoers of all ages from a brand-new location at Lot Fourteen. The festival hub will once again showcase some of South Australia’s best food and beverage offerings.

The exciting and experimental music program includes Dutch pianist Joep Beving, an Australian-exclusive performance by British electronic musician Max Cooper, Patch Theatre’s Superluminal, Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon, and UK artist The Caretaker as part of Unsound Adelaide and much more.

Illuminate Adelaide is supported by the State Government through the South Australian Tourism Commission.

Minister for Tourism, Zoe Bettison said inn its fourth year, Illuminate Adelaide has changed how winter is experienced in the city. It has been embraced by South Australians and visitors alike, cementing its position as a major event in the annual calendar.

“A city-wide celebration, the 2024 program welcomes people from all walks of life to experience a wide range of free and ticketed events. The return of the popular City Lights is once again a fantastic free program that will no doubt light up winter nights for many families and festivalgoers,” Minister Bettison said.

“South Australia’s favourite winter event saw a record attendance last year and generated more than $54 million for the state – which was another record-high for Illuminate Adelaide.”

Illuminate Adelaide co-founders and creative directors, Rachael Azzopardi and Lee Cumberlidge said this year the 2024 Illuminate Adelaide program features some of the most exciting creative innovators and artists the world has to offer.

“We can’t wait for July when they will brighten our winter with installations, projections, performances and immersive experiences across the city for a full 18 night,” Ms Azzopardi and Mr Cumberlidge said.