Once again, the weekdays have flown on by and the weekend is front and centre. And for your weekending needs, we’ve put together a list of exciting things to do in and around Adelaide this weekend. From soirees to relaxing markets and plenty more.
1. Be wowed at Illuminate Adelaide
Since its inception in 2021, Illuminate Adelaide has been wowing audiences with stunning light installations in spectacular collisions of technology, music and art, and this year a range of new experiences are set to dazzle gazers. The innovative 2023 program boasts immersive affairs, world premieres, and shows exclusive to Adelaide in a variety of ticketed and free events across the city from Wednesday 28 June. Check out Illuminate Adelaide’s festival highlights here!
2. Fringe out at Gluttony’s new winter festival
Brought to us by the one and only Gluttony – the Adelaide Fringe’s biggest venue – Glenelg Winter Arts Festival is set to welcome some of Australia’s top comedians to the Bay, as well as a number of Fringe favourites taking to the stage with brand-new music, magic, circus, and cabaret shows. Cosy up whilst listening to live acoustic music on the weekends, along with a beaut marketplace up to satisfy your browsing needs, plus enjoy a number of bars and food vendors. Read all about the Glenelg Winter Arts Festival here.
3. Help celebrate The Wheaty’s ninth birthday
On Sunday 9 July from 4pm, join the Wheatsheaf Hotel in Thebarton for Wheaty Brewing Corps ninth birthday. The no frills, yesteryear pub is a fab spot to pull up and enjoy live tunes by Bromham, and Lucinda Grace – and with free entry and all your favourite Wheaty beers, there’s no reason not to head along and support a magnificent local pub. The Wheatsheaf Hotel is a South Australian treasure, as featured in our women-led and owned businesses in Adelaide guide.
4. Immerse yourself in NAIDOC Week
National Aboriginal and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week is a national celebration held across the first week of July each year. It’s an opportunity to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
This year, the NAIDOC SA March and Family Fun Day will be held on Friday 7 July, with the march taking place at 11am from Tarntanyangga/Victoria Square to Parliament House. The free community event will follow at Tarntanyangga/Victoria Square from 11:30am until 3:30pm which will see over 50 stalls including government and non-government organisations, the Men’s Zone, Women’s Zone, Elders Zone, Be Active Zone, Small Business Zone, and Children’s Zone, plus a heap of food and a free concert too. Check out our guide to the best NAIDOC Week activities here in SA.
5. Amp up the Hogwartz vibes at the Mortlock Chamber’s new pop-up bar and entertainment hub
The State Library of South Australia’s Mortlock Chamber will be transformed into a pop-up, craft gin bar and entertainment hub in a first of its kind this July. Storytellers Distillery of Thebarton is set to take over the antiquated space, where you can sip on a curated selection of award-winning gins, browse an archival display of gin related material, and witness some award-winning entertainment. Read all about the collaboration here.
6. Try some new tipple at the Central Market’s new Producer in Residence
During July, the Adelaide Central Market welcomes its newest Producer in Residence, Full Circle Spirits – a remarkable small batch distillery. Across the three-week residency, you will be able to experience Full Circle’s exceptional range of sustainable and handcrafted products that are made in the heart of the picturesque Adelaide Hills. Find out all the details here.
7. Get your craft on at CraftAlive 2023
From Friday 7 through to Sunday 9 July between 9am until 3:30pm, the Adelaide Showgrounds will transform into a hub for creativity with CraftAlive Adelaide. Here, you can mosey around and get your hands on craft supplies, equipment, and kits, as well as get your hands ‘dirty’ while learning from world-class specialists in a number of dedicated, interactive classes. There’s also a massive competition going down where you can win your dream quilting and crafting room valued at $33,000!
8. Mosey around the Brighton Sunday Market
On Sunday 9 and Sunday 23 July, get on over to Brighton Secondary School for the Brighton Sunday Market. This particular market is said to be one of South Australia’s biggest open-air markets where you can find fresh produce, food stalls, snack bars, local arts and crafts, antiques, collectables, and secondhand gems in all forms of the word. All funds raised by the non-for-profit market go towards supporting students during their musical studies.
9. Have a wine time at the Cellar Door Fest Winter Edit
On both Friday 7 and Saturday 8 July the Cellar Door Fest Winter Edit is returning for another year at the Adelaide Convention Centre. The winter edit is set to be a smaller take on the award-winning summer edit of Cellar Door Fest, and will see a hand-picked selection of SA’s fab food, wine, and spirits in one central city location. Along with the taste bud sensations, enjoy a line-up of folk, indie, disco and soul music performed live.
10. Get all merry at a Christmas In July event
‘Tis the season to pretend that we’re in the Northern Hemisphere for a white Christmas…although replace ‘white’ with ‘very wet’ and we’ve got ourselves a winner. Christmas in July celebrations are rampant around the nation and Adelaide is no exception – check out our list of the best Christmas In July events around Adelaide this month.
11. Discover a whole new world at Resonate in the Botanic Garden
Since Illuminate’s inception in 2021, Light Cycles by Montreal-based Moment Factory has taken over the Adelaide Botanic Gardens with a cutting-edge, walking trail exhibition which left gazers awe-inspired year after year. And in a major announcement, the same team are bringing a brand-new experience to the Gardens for this year’s Illuminate which is said to be brighter, bolder and more immersive than the sell-out Light Cycles of previous years. Read all about Resonate here.
12. Try your luck at winning a year’s worth of chocolate
The town of Stirling in the picturesque Adelaide Hills is home to Red Cacao – an award-winning artisan chocolatier and leafy cafe – and they’re about to give away a year’s worth of choccies. The sweet affair marks Red Cacao’s 10-year anniversary in the hospitality biz – and in true chocolatey fashion, you’re going to have to look out for a Golden Cacao Ticket. Read all about Red Cacao’s giveaway here.
13. Get your literature on at the very first Firstival
Kicking off from Saturday 1 July, Libraries SA will launch the inaugural Firstival – a month-long celebration with over 300 experiences set to be rolled out across the State’s network of over 130 public libraries. From learning about virtual reality to a literacy experience with live celloists, the festival program includes experiences for those of all ages, and provides a huge range of activities for families this winter.
14. Marvel at this Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera exhibition
Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera were two artists that dominated the scene of post-revolution Mexico from the 1920s to the 1950s with love, passion, and politics at the forefront heart of their public lives. The pair grew to become two of the most influential artists of the twentieth century, and they are featuring at the Art Gallery of South Australia in Frida & Diego: Love & Revolution from Friday 23 June until Sunday 17 September.
The exhibition will feature over 150 works including paintings, works on paper, photographs and period clothing, this major exhibition from the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection. It also includes works by Mexican contemporaries, Manuel and Lola Álvarez Bravo, Miguel Covarrubias, María Izquierdo, Carlos Mérida, David Alfaro Siqueiros and others.
15. Let’s go fly a kite at the Mary Poppins Musical
Everyone’s favourite nanny is making her way to the Adelaide Festival Centre this July in the Mary Poppins Musical. The musical has already wowed crowds at the Australian-premiere Sydney season, and now it’s our turn to experience the magic. Adelaideians can look forward to an unforgettable stage production, some breath-taking music, and remarkable dance numbers. Read more about Mary Poppins Musical and nab tickets here.
16. Find your groove at the Adelaide Guitar Festival
From Saturday 1 until Sunday 16 July, the Adelaide Festival Centre will once again welcome the Adelaide Guitar Festival to the grounds. This year’s festival includes a myriad of events featuring some of the world’s finest guitar players playing across a number of musical genres, including both local and international acts. A few highlights of the Adelaide Guitar Festival include: The Milk Carton Kids, The Music of Jeff Beck, Colours of Spain, and Joseph Tawadros.
17. Cosy up inside one of the Mosley Igloos
Cosy up inside one of the two see-through domes with your friends, family, or foes, all whilst feasting on a hearty meal and sipping a warming wine within the sheltered confine. Complete with a fireplace and blankets, the European-inspired igloos are a slice of luxury – you’ll be feeling that when your personal waiter tends to your dining needs from the comfort of your igloo. Read all about the Mosley Igloo experiences here.
18. Discover a new weekend market
There’s nothing quite like waking up early and heading out for a rummage through someone else’s trash which is waiting patiently to become your treasure, or picking up the freshest, quality ingredients from a local farmer. We’ve put together a list of 14 of the best markets in Adelaide to make your moseying and browsing decision a little easier. Whether you’re on the hunt for fresh produce, secondhand treasures, or antiquated gems, there’s a market in Adelaide fit for your needs – take a look at our full guide here.
19. Discover AI art in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens
Open every day from now until Saturday 30 September 2023, Seeing The Invisible brings a free augmented reality (AR) contemporary art exhibition to the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. Once you’ve downloaded the Seeing The Invisible app, roam around the gardens, scan the QR codes and immerse yourself in the interactive exhibition with works addressing themes around nature, the environment and sustainability. Find out more information here.
20. Explore this world premiere LEGO exhibition at the museum
Relics: A New World Rises exhibition at the South Australian Museum is set in the year 2530, long after the world has been abandoned by humans, and takes you to a world where LEGO minifigures have risen from the debris to build intricate civilisations in discarded and forgotten objects once inhabited or used by humans. Find out more about the Relics exhibition here.
21. Check out a cellar door or ten in the divine Adelaide Hills
The Adelaide Hills is one of the premier wine-producing regions in Australia. You’ll find small-scale wine producers bottling only a few hundred bottles a year as well as wineries that make appearances on wine lists across the world’s major cities. And lucky us, the locale is a mere 20-minute drive up the freeway. We’ve put together a list of 10 noteworthy wineries and cellar doors in the Adelaide Hills for your sampling and road trip needs. Check out the full list here.