By Samuel Smith
Last updated on: January 19, 2021 at 5:03 pm
Come February, Christmas trees have well and truly gone back into hibernation, but in South Australia, we’re starting the party all over again.
Though celebrations may look a little different in 2021, there’s no shortage of entertainment on offer throughout the month.
From cellar door extravaganzas and star-studded beach concerts to Fringe debauchery and Adelaide Festival concerts, we have you covered with our top 5 events.*
1. Cellar Door Festival
When: 5 – 7 February
Where: Adelaide Convention Centre
Food and drink afficionados can breathe a collective sigh of relief – Adelaide’s famed Cellar Door Festival is back in 2021 and ready to tantalise more taste buds than ever.
Held once again in the Adelaide Convention Centre, this year’s event will see a huge range of food and drink producers hit the floor, all vying for your stomach’s attention.
This is a unique opportunity to meet and greet the minds behind some of South Australia’s most prominent winemakers, distillers, chefs and producers. And, of course, taste test as much as possible.
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2. SummerSalt Glenelg Beach Concert
When: 14 February
Where: Glenelg Beach
Prepare to be drawn, Pied Piper-style, to Glenelg’s stunning shoreline for the 2021 SummerSalt Beach Concert.
Sit back on the sand and chill out to the sounds of Missy Higgins, The Cat Empire, Boy & Bear, L.A.B, Montaigne and Emily Wurramara as the afternoon fades into night.
SummerSalt is a family-friendly event, placing a heavy emphasis on community and sustainability. There’ll be a range of food and beverages on offer to keep both big and small tummies happy.
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3. Adelaide Fringe
When: 19 February – 21 March
Where: Various locations around SA
Music to our ears, the Adelaide Fringe – the Southern Hemisphere’s biggest arts festival – returns to showcase world-famous talent in some seriously impressive locations.
Treat all 5 of your senses to 30 days and nights of cabaret, theatre, comedy, circus, music, visual arts, workshops and so much more. In fact, this year’s festival is set to showcase a whopping 800 events across 285 venues.
Along with shows in your favourite city venues like Gluttony and RCC, the Fringe is hitting our regions too with extravaganzas in the Riverland, the Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu and Barossa.
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4. Lunar New Year Street Party 2021
When: 20 February
Where: Chinatown Adelaide
Adelaide’s Chinatown will come alive on 20 February for a Lunar New Year celebration like no other. Watch Gouger St burst to life with a vibrant mix of music and dance, traditional food and drink and entertainment running well into the balmy summer night.
An eclectic range of stalls will be trading from noon to 9pm and performers will grace Gouger St, first from noon to 4:30pm, then again from 6pm till 9pm.
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5. Adelaide Festival
When: 26 February – 14 March
Where: Various locations around SA
For over 60 years, the Adelaide Festival has nourished arts-lovers with an unparalleled mix of internationally acclaimed theatre productions, musical concerts, dance pieces, recitals and visual arts displays.
Adelaide Festival 2021 is no exception with more than 70 shows and events taking over the state, paired with lashings of exceptional food and wine.
The hub of this year’s event will be The Summerhouse – an architecturally designed pop-up auditorium overlooking the meandering River Torrens. Throughout the festival’s run, it will be your one-stop shop for intimate musical affairs, club beats and late-night revelry.
Adelaide Writers’ Week – part of the Adelaide Festival, and the largest free literary festival in Australia – will run from 27 February to 4 March. Set under leafy canopies in the Pioneer Women’s Memorial Garden, the annual festival boasts 6 days of free panel sessions run by coveted authors, presented live in the gardens and online.
Being one of the last festivals to take place in 2020 before COVID struck, and one of the first to return in 2021, this year’s theme – unstable ground – is particularly apt. Authors will be asking the big questions: what just happened, and what happens next?
RAA members save 10% on a selection of headline shows. Find out more.
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* Event information included was correct at time of publication. Please keep mind that events will be required to operate in line with the latest COVID-19 health advice and government guidelines. Before attending, check with the individual event organiser for the latest updates.