SOUTHERN STAR
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S O U T H A U S T R A L A N T O U R S M C O M M S S O N
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Adelaide Fringe’s Heather Croall and Adelaide Festival’s Rachel Healy tell Arusa Qureshi why Adelaide proudly holds
the title of Australia’s festival city
F amously nicknamed the ‘city of churches’ for its religious history and sheer volume of church buildings, South Australia’s capital has picked up a different moniker in more recent years. Adelaide is Australia’s festival city for its year-round programme of festivals and packed calendar of events offering something to suit all tastes. The months of February and March undeniably make up the city’s main festival season, with Adelaide Festival and Adelaide Fringe – renowned as the second biggest fringe festival in the world after Edinburgh – taking over. Having both begun life around 60 years ago, the city’s Festival and Fringe are the backbone of Adelaide’s cultural offerings, attracting a record number of visitors each year. To fi nd out more about the city and its many attractions, we number of visitors each year. To fi nd out more about the city and its many attractions, we catch up with Adelaide Fringe’s Heather Croall and Adelaide Festival’s Rachel Healy.
Heather Croall Director and CEO, Adelaide Fringe
Adelaide Fringe is the absolute best time of year to visit Adelaide! The Adelaide Fringe is the absolute best time of year to visit Adelaide! The city is totally transformed by wild and wonderful Fringe celebrations. city is totally transformed by wild and wonderful Fringe celebrations. Adelaide becomes a massive playground full of art, culture and Adelaide becomes a massive playground full of art, culture and creativity for 31 days and nights from mid-February to mid- creativity for 31 days and nights from mid-February to mid- March. The weather is stunning with beautiful sunny days and March. The weather is stunning with beautiful sunny days and balmy nights. You can spend the evenings going out to Fringe balmy nights. You can spend the evenings going out to Fringe shows, dining al fresco or enjoying drinks with friends under shows, dining al fresco or enjoying drinks with friends under the gum trees and big starry skies. The climate is comparable to the gum trees and big starry skies. The climate is comparable to sunny California so imagine a Fringe festival with sunshine and sunny California so imagine a Fringe festival with sunshine and beaches thrown in. Each year the Adelaide Fringe programme beaches thrown in. Each year the Adelaide Fringe programme bursts at the seams with incredible acts in venues big and small; bursts at the seams with incredible acts in venues big and small; you can see shows in spiegeltents in the park, in theatres around you can see shows in spiegeltents in the park, in theatres around town or even in laundrettes or cafes or wine cellars. Literally town or even in laundrettes or cafes or wine cellars. Literally everywhere becomes a Fringe venue.
The venues are fi lled with thousands of artists from The venues are fi lled with thousands of artists from across Australia and around the world, who all across Australia and around the world, who all descend on Adelaide to join this amazing party that descend on Adelaide to join this amazing party that defi nes our city. From comedy to cabaret, music to magic, Adelaide Fringe-goers can immerse themselves in a diverse range of art forms and be inspired, delighted, shocked, awe-struck and enlightened. Adelaide Fringe is for everyone. We are an open-access festival that is renowned for new
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ADELAIDE
FESTIVAL CALENDAR
SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S HISTORY FESTIVAL Annual celebration of South Australia’s history. 27 Apr–31 May.
DREAMBIG CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL Arts festival for children and families with a history dating back to 1974. 22 May–1 Jun.
ADELAIDE CABARET FESTIVAL Largest cabaret festival in the world, since 2001. 7–22 Jun.
ADELAIDE GUITAR FESTIVAL Immersive winter festival celebrating the world’s most popular instrument. 1–31 Jul.
SALA FESTIVAL The South Australian Living Artists Festival (SALA) is an innovative community- based visual arts festival. 1–31 Aug.
OZASIA FESTIVAL International arts festival entirely dedicated to engagement with Asia. 17 Oct–3 Nov.
FEAST FESTIVAL Annual festival of arts and culture celebrating diverse sexualities and genders. 9–24 Nov.
ADELAIDE FRINGE Australia’s largest open-access arts festival. 14 Feb–15 Mar 2020.
ADELAIDE FESTIVAL Internationally renowned multi-arts festival with a long and successful history. 28 Feb–15 Mar 2020.
WOMADELAIDE Outdoor art and music festival with contemporary and traditional musicians, dancers, DJs and more. 6–9 Mar 2020.
ADELAIDE FILM FESTIVAL Biennial eleven-day celebration and exploration of Australian and international screen culture. Oct 2020.
festivalsadelaide.com.au
1 Jun–31 Aug 2019 THE LIST 65