South Australia’s 2026 festival calendar boasts a diverse lineup that attracts both local crowds and international visitors. From beachside electronic gatherings to historic celebrations and artistic showcases, each festival highlights just how broad South Australia’s arts scene has become.
Whether you’re planning a weekend away or just looking for your next event, these standout South Australian festivals are worth adding to your plans.
Electric Island
Electric Island is one of the fastest-growing music festivals in Adelaide, particularly for fans of electronic music. Taking place on 11 April 2026 at Glenelg Beach, this event delivers a completely different festival experience, and is set right the sand with ocean views and an open-air stage.
Electric Island has a strong lineup of internationally recognised DJs and producers. This year you’ll be able to catch Above & Beyond, Christoph, Eli & Fur, Armand van Helden and Flight Facilities, all highlighting the festival’s focus on house and progressive electronic music.
What sets Electric Island apart from other music festivals is its setting and vibe. Instead of a traditional park or stadium, the beach location creates a more relaxed but still high-energy atmosphere, where festival goers can move between the dance floor and the coastline throughout the day. With its growing popularity and unique concept, Electric Island is quickly becoming one of South Australia’s key destination music festivals, especially for those looking for something different from the usual city-based events.
South Australia’s History Festival
1-31 May 2026
With events in Adelaide and beyond, South Australia’s History Festival explores the spaces, stories and collections that showcase the state’s rich history from its Indigenous owners to its modern migrants.
This year, the festival’s theme is connections, emphasising connections between past and present that bind communities together. The program takes place everywhere, from museums to libraries, boats to trains, on the street and by the beach.
Standout events include Adelaide Gaol History Day, where attendants can access half-price entry, special exhibits, and tours of prison areas usually closed to the public, as well as sausage sizzles in the mugshot canteen. And make sure to join a tour of Carclew House and Grounds, one of Australia’s most iconic manors. Built in 1897, the residence has been a home for youth arts for generations, and now opens its doors for families to tour the heritage rooms and lush gardens.
Of course, there is so much more to explore in the extensive program, including special events focused on First Nations and rainbow histories.
Adelaide Cabaret Festival
4-21 June 2026
The Adelaide Cabaret Festival is the biggest cabaret festival in the world, and has built a reputation for its eclectic program of classic and contemporary cabaret performances. Each year, the best national and international acts descend on the city for a celebration of dance, song and performance at its very best.
Young students from years 10 and 11 are encouraged to nominate themselves or another talented student to participate in a series of workshops and rehearsals across terms one and two, culminating in a powerful performance during the festival. The students are tutored by two renowned artists, and it is always a highlight of the program.
The Variety Gala is another must, as the opening night of the festival. Imagine electrifying performances from top cabaret acts, glamorous costumes and breathtaking spectacles, with free after-parties and late night shows to keep the good vibes going.
Illuminate Adelaide
1-19 July
Adelaide’s biggest celebration of art, light, music and technology returns in 2026 for its biggest year yet. Throughout July, artists from around the world perform at a series of free and ticketed events all across the city.
Start at Base Camp, a free pop-up winter village housed inside Lot Fourteen, with food and drink vendors, roving entertainment, firepits and dance parties all festival long. Then, discover the dining program with special Illuminate-themed drinks offered at the city’s best restaurants and bars.
While the full program hasn’t been announced yet, last year’s highlights should fill attendants with excitement. Night Visions was an after dark immersive exhibition in Adelaide Botanic Gardens, using light, lasers, projections and sounds to take visitors on a sensory journey about the beauty of nature. And this year’s program will be even bigger, with more live performances, light shows and parties.
South Australian Living Artists Festival (SALA)
1-31 August 2026
During the month of August, join Australia’s largest visual arts festival as 8,000 emerging and established artists share their work across the state. SALA is a celebration of living visual artists in all forms, aimed at building a new generation of audiences for visual arts.
The program takes place in more than 500 venues across the state, including sheds, cafes, offices, wineries, schools and more. Each year, it also features one established South Australian artist on posters and printed programs, as well as exhibiting them during the festival. This year, Troy-Anthony Baylis will take the stage, whose multi-faceted practice is about queering and unsettling traditional ways of representing Aboriginality. He is a descendant of the Jawoyn people of the Northern Territory.
Workshops, artist talks, exhibitions and more will bring together artists and everyday visitors, creating opportunities for conversation like never before.
OzAsia Festival
October 2026
OzAsia is Australia’s leading contemporary arts festival focused on theatre, dance, music, arts, cuisine and culture from Asia. The diverse program features artists from around the world, who engage with the rich culture of Asia and its bold artistic offerings.
Families should make sure to wander the Moon Lantern Trail, which winds along the Barrawirra Parri/River Torrens, with lanterns, lights and sounds scattered across the parklands. During the day, the trail also offers workshops and performances for kids, including lantern-making, origami and lawn games. Foodies will love the Lucky Dumpling Market, a festival hub that offers food vendors and bars inspired by Asian cuisine, as well as live entertainment.
Adelaide Film Festival
October 2026
South Australia’s biggest screen event, Adelaide Film Festival is a two-week celebration of cinema bringing together filmmakers and audiences for a series of screenings, talks and parties.
The 2025 program included an opening night screening of Jimpa starring Olivia Colman and John Lithgow, as well as other screenings of Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein and the highly-anticipated Wolfram by Warwick Thornton.
Alongside its main events, the festival also hosts a film club, youth program, filmmaker and artist development lab, and funds some of the biggest Australian films of the last two decades. Film buffs do not want to miss this one.
Feast Festival
November 2026
Also known as Pridevember, Feast champions diversity and creativity in all its forms through exhibitions, performances and talks that will ignite your senses and speak to your heart. The festival is all about LGBTQIA+ voices, bringing together local and international artists to create visibility and promote resilience and joy.
The 2025 program included burlesque, drag, visual art, comedy, film, music and dance in more than 110 events. Yearly favourite Picnic in the Park is Feast’s biggest day out, a free picnic with food trucks, local drink vendors, live entertainment, DJS, an artisan market, dog shows and more. Kids are also invited to attend, with drag story time and circus workshops guaranteed to keep them engaged. There are plenty of food options for gluten-free and vegan guests too.
The iconic Gayla is another standout, featuring some of the funniest queer comics in Australia. From standup to cabaret, this explosive night is guaranteed to leave you in stitches while the drinks flow and the chaos ensues.
Adelaide Vegan Festival
5 December 2026
One of the smaller events on the list, Adelaide Vegan Festival aims to promote the value of vegan lifestyles with incredible vegan products, advice on becoming vegan, cooking demonstrations, workshops, kids activities and more.
It is also a social advocacy event, spreading information about animal rights, health and environmental sustainability. The whole festival is pet and family friendly, with so many fun activities to try. The yearly vegan picnic invited attendants to a relaxed day filled with delicious food, live music, and a series of short talks from charities and influencers hoping to make a difference.
Festivals returning in 2027
Make sure to put these other highlights in your 2027 calendar, as they launch off the year of celebrations.
Wildlands takes place in January, and has established itself as one of Australia’s leading touring music festivals with dates in South Australia, Queensland, and Western Australia. Wildlands is known for bringing together a mix of electronic, hip-hop, and indie artists from around the world to a high-energy, one-day event.
There are two massive stages to choose from, each showcasing superstar acts you won’t want to miss. Previous editions have featured large international acts alongside some of the country’s best homegrown artists, allowing something for everyone.
In March, WOMADelaide is afour-day festival in Adelaide’s botanic park that brings together artists from around the world, celebrating music, arts and culture in one immersive setting.
Unlike many other music festivals, WOMADelaide isn’t just about big headliners, it’s about discovery. The lineup regularly includes performers from more than 30 countries, alongside workshops, cultural talks, food experiences and interactive art installations.
To read about the best island festivals around Australia, click here.
Rex flies to Southern Australia! Head to the Rex website or check out the route map below for more details.
