The 7 Best Things To Do In Adelaide This April
With Mad March fading like the final hours of daylight savings, April dawns and Adelaide rouses from the hazy fog of festival fever. Two choices present themselves – hibernation or hair of the dog. We suggest the latter. Rustle-up whatever energy (and coin) remains after a month of partying, and seize the shortening day!
Whether you’re unwinding in idyllic surrounds, suffocating on soft cheese, or biking the backstreets in search of hidden art, autumnal Adelaide is the place to be.
#1 Kick off April with a little bang
To bid farewell to daylight savings and “launch” their “new” brewery (which has been in operation for a while now), Fil and Ryan of Little Bang Brewing are throwing a bash. There’ll be plenty of beer, bands and bites, so drop by 8a Union Street on April 2 anytime after 11:30 and join the party.
The boys are total beer nerds (it’s ok, they know it) and their microbrewery is unlike most others. Home to a hotchpotch assortment of brewing and winemaking gear, the ales created therein are the result of their incessant tinkering. It’s tasty stuff, so, you know, whatever works?
#2 “Spread the happiness” at the world’s first all-Nutella festival
Nutella is life. As part of a nutritious breakfast or a gluttonous midnight snack, it really is an anytime food. And so versatile! Come celebrate this culinary marvel in all its gooey glory at Nutella Palooza – the world’s first all-Nutella jamboree on April 9.
OK, but how much can you really do with a little old jar of choccy spread? Well, a lot apparently. Liquid nitrogen icecream, salted tarts, something called a “duffin”, Nutella and Oreo cheesecakes, cocktails (seriously) and more, are all in the works from a host of local bakeries and dessert wizards. Event entry is free and the whole shebang is family (but probably not waistline) friendly. Gates to Adelaide’s Bonython Park open at 11am.
RELATED: A NUTELLA FESTIVAL IS HEADED TO ADELAIDE
#3 Suss out some local art at street level
Kent Town recently got a new coat of paint. Well, a few to be honest. Thanks to the Little Rundle Street Art Project, this quiet little strip now boasts some of the best public art to be found anywhere in the city.
The revamp rolled-out during the Adelaide Fringe Festival in March, but the pieces – by local and international talents – will remain until council decides otherwise. Little Rundle Street is a few mins walk from the CBD, or even quicker by free bike. Bonus tip: Stop in at Tell Henry (a former cement workshop now café-come-design-studio) for a coffee while you’re in the hood.
#4 Watch the leaves turn, turn, turn…
Autumn is purpose-built for picnics. One of our favourite spots to thrown down the rug is a lazy 20 minute cruise up the freeway. The stunning Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens sprawl over 97 hectares with walking trails, plots and gullies to explore. Start your day trip at the Adelaide Central Markets or stop off at The Stirling Hotel Cellars and Patisserie and load-up on fresh local produce.
#5 Shop local at Gathered
Held at the stunningly decrepit Queens Theatre, Gathered has proved to be one of Adelaide’s most successful creative markets. Returning on Saturday April 30 and Sunday May 1 (just in time for those last-minute mothers day gifts), the event includes food stalls, a huge array of handmade wares, records, live music and a whole heap more. Check out their Facebook page to see who’s exhibiting this time around.
#6 Get stuck into some trucker tucker
A (not-so) long time ago in an Adelaide far far away, food trucks roamed freely across the CBD. Now with council’s red tape shackling operators and businesses divided on how to deal, one festival stands resolutely against the Empire err, the fray.
The Fork Awakens (from the organisers of Fork on the Road) will feature 21 food trucks as well as craft beer, wine and cider from 18 local producers. Assembling on Light Square in the heart of the city, grills are lit from 5pm on April 1. Copy that Gold Leader.
#7 Sip and sup with the movers and shakers of the Australian bar scene
Celebrated cocktail saloon The Black Pearl in Victoria has collected several awards placing it amongst the best bars in the world. For one night only, April 12, resident gin slingers Matthew Stirling and Nathan Beasley will travel to Adelaide to host a deluxe degustation at local establishment Maybe Mae.
Be guided through a flight of unique cocktails and an eight-course menu prepared by the folks at Bread & Bone, upstairs. This promises to be an exceptional event, from some of the best in the biz. Tickets are strictly limited and selling fast – get yours here.
(Lead image: Maybe Mae/Facebook)
