The 7 Best Things To Do In Adelaide This March
Drink at The Best Bar in the World, watch theatre in an abandoned quarry, and experience a close call of the cuddly – or curious – kind.
Adelaide idles at a high-simmer for 11 months of the year. It’s culture, world-class dining and bar scene and stunning natural attractions all hide in plain sight. But, for a few weeks every year, the southern capital boils over into a heady, messy, gloriously unrelenting assault on the senses.
Ready yourself for Adelaide in March – because we’re ready for you!
[listicle]Catch Festival Fever at The Adelaide Festival and Adelaide Fringe
So many acts, such an exciting time. Here are our picks from the roughly 500-or-so acts piling into Adelaide this month…
Free Opening Weekend Concert – Neil Finn
From Crowded House to a crowded riverbank – Neil Finn’s free concert by the River Torrens heralds the official start of the 2017 Adelaide Festival of Arts.
Taking place on Sunday March 5 from 6pm (gates open from 1pm), this huge, all-ages party will see Finn take to the stage in front of an anticipated 15,000+ strong audience.
Find out more here.
The Secret River – Adelaide Festival of Arts
Andrew Bovell’s stage adaptation of Kate Grenville’s novel explores the nexus of European settlement and indigenous existence. This ambitious production of The Secret River is played out against a backdrop of imposing natural grandeur in the amphitheatre of the Anstey Hill quarry.
One of the festival’s headline acts, this show promises to deliver a unique and poignant experience.
Tickets and more info here.
Butt Kapinski – Adelaide Fringe
Welcome to the seedy, murder-filled backstreets of 1950s America. In the dreary lamplight, a lone figure blows smoke rings and tugs at his trench. This is the bawdy, hilarious, and strictly adults-only film noir world of Private Dick, Butt Kapinski. Winner of ‘Best Comedy’ at Fringe World Festival.
Tickets and info here.
Dine in fine design
Adelaide’s food and wine culture is the envy of the world. It was only a matter of time before our designers caught up. Venues like the modern Italian Osteria Oggi and smallest-of-the-small-bars Pink Moon Saloon are attracting huge international attention for their concepts and craftsmanship.
The fit-out at Osteria Oggi was designed by local firm Studio-Gram and recently won 2016’s World Interiors News Award. Pink Moon Saloon architects Sans Arc brought home top honours from London’s Restaurant & Bar Design Awards in the ‘International Category: Australia and Pacific Bar’.
Both venues are located in the heart of the CBD, enveloped by Adelaide’s thriving hospitality scene. We also recommend Udaberri Pintxos Y Vino, Maybe Mae, 2KW, Sunny’s Pizza, Africola and Beach Bum – to name a few.
Visit the Big Lobster
‘Curiously Oversized Monuments of Rural Australian Towns’ is possible our favourite holiday guide sub-genre. And Mount Gambier has an absolute doozy.
“Larry” – the town’s 17-metre tall fibreglass and steel lobster – was built by artist Paul Kelly in 1979. Since then, he’s sat beside of the Princes Highway welcoming visitors to “an award-winning restaurant that serves the finest seafood in town”, according to his official webpage. It’s the stuff bucket list dreams are made of.
Photo: Kingston District Council
Cosy-up to a Koala at Cleland
Laying within Cleland Conservation Park (20 minutess from Adelaide) is Cleland Wildlife Park. It’s a place to learn about and get up close to Australia’s native animals, but it’s not a zoo. Cleland has very few caged exhibits, allowing animals to live in natural habitats. Visitors are free to wander the grounds, interacting with marsupials, birds and other wildlife, join a guided tour, or watch one of the Keeper Talks. The park also operates night walks to “see who wakes up when the sun goes down”.
Getting a #koalaselfie is a must. Guests can cuddle one of the park’s adorable snooze-machines between 11am-midday and 2pm-4pm daily.
Risky Quizness
Finally. All that pointless trivia occupying important brain space is good for something – free beer! ‘The Grace’ is one of our favourite Adelaide pubs, and they’re dropping some knowledge on March 14.
Top Gun or Naked Gun? Bad Seeds or Bad Blood? If you think you’ve got the nous to match it with Adelaide’s pop culture hivemind, get a table together for Round Two of Risky Quizness.
Kayak with Dolphins
Paddle the Port River, discovering shipwrecks and surrounded by wildlife. The guided tours run over 3 hours, travelling through the Dolphin Sanctuary and secluded mangrove inlets. Pushing off from Garden Island (30mins from Adelaide), there’s no better viewpoint for taking in the beautiful scenery and wildlife than water level.
Party at the Adelaide Zoo
Once again, CanTeen is teaming up with Adelaide Zoo to host one of Adelaide’s most unique parties, Secret Garden Party. Gather on the Central Lawn for some canapes and drinks, listen to live music and soak up the sancturary in the city that is Adelaide Zoo. All in the name of good fun and charity. Tickets are $85 and all proceeds go towards supporting 18-25 year old South Australians who have been diagnosed with cancer.
The Secret Garden Party will take place on March 31st. You can find out more info and buy tickets here.
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(Lead image: South Australia Tourism)
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