Fringing in your Park Lands
by Carla Caruso
The Adelaide Fringe festival is back – and its tentacles are stretching all over your Park Lands.
Love it or hate it, the fest brings a certain buzz to the city. It opened on Friday, February 16, and will bring down its curtain again on March 17.
Below is a list of where you can find Fringe festivities in your Park Lands around Adelaide.
Where would festivals like this be without your Open, Green, Public Park Lands?
The Inflatable Church
A new attraction to Light Square / Wauwi, offering romantic vibes. Photo: Carla Caruso.
The Inflatable Church in Light Square / Wauwi is a new addition to the Fringe.
It’s the brainchild of UK-based Reverend Duncan Pritchard and his partner, Tamara Jones, who have been running the loved-up, immersive experience around the globe for two decades.
People can get married at the church (not legally), renew their vows, or just be a guest watching strangers tie the knot.
The duo’s aim is to ‘marry’ 12 couples per day at the Adelaide Fringe. Dubbed ‘The Love Army’, their team can help create a zany, spoof-style ceremony “where no two weddings are ever the same”.
Inside The Inflatable Church. Photo: Carla Caruso.
A $100 ‘wedding party’ ticket admits up to four people in the wedding party, with access to a dressing room, costumes, and a personalised ceremony.
Otherwise, you can just pay to witness to the interactive show – and be part of the congregation – with a $10 ticket. It’s like something straight out of a movie or Las Vegas!
On Valentine’s Day, 16 couples got ‘married’ in the concept church to kick off the festival season.
Gluttony & the neighbouring Garden of Unearthly Delights
Gluttony this year in Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka (Park 14), sans the lake outlook. Photo: Play & Go.
Fringe venue hub Gluttony is back in Rymill Park / Murlawirrapurka (Park 14), even though the lake is fenced off this year while it undergoes improvements.
Gluttony has been our preferred option for food and shows, over The Garden of Unearthly Delights in neighbouring Rundle Park / Kadlitpina (Park 13), in recent years. But time will tell if the hub’s usual vibe will be affected by the lack of the picturesque water outlook.
There’s still access to the Quentin Kenihan Inclusive Playspace for the youngsters in Rymill Park.
At a preview of the Delinquent Creatives’ four Fringe shows last week. (The shows are being staged in various city locations.) Banner photo (top) is also from the preview. Photos: James Elsby.
The Garden of Unearthly Delights in Rundle Park / Kadlitpina (Park 13) in 2024. Photo: Play & Go.
Whitmore Square / Iparrityi event
Image care of ‘Gather, Dance & Explore at Whitmore’.
On Saturday, 2 March, Whitmore Square / Iparrityi will play host to a fun-filled day with live performances by local dance schools, nature discovery activities, and family fun.
From belly dance to energetic hip-hop, there will be something for everyone. DJ Bandit will also be spinning tunes for the kiddos to dance to all arvo.
Little explorers can enjoy Nature Play activities like bee hotel construction and nature crown making.
Plus, there’ll be a Nylon Zoo interactive parade and storytelling experience, and plenty of food and drink options. Entry is free; register via this link.
Fool’s Paradise hub
The Fool’s Paradise hub in Victoria Square / Tarntanyangga. Photo: Dylan Sanders.
Victoria Square / Tarntanyangga is hosting the popular venue hub, Fool’s Paradise, for a second year, with a bigger and better program in 2024.
Fool’s Paradise includes three venues, staging 34 shows. Melbourne circus group Head First Acrobats features in multiple shows.
Hindmarsh Square / Mukata hub
Wonderland in Hindmarsh Square. Photo: Play & Go.
The Wonderland festival hub in Hindmarsh Square / Mukata is said to boast “world-class cabaret, music, comedy, circus, and more”. It even has its own Spiegeltent.
Adelaide Botanic Garden shows
Natural Wonders in the Adelaide Botanic Garden.
In another Fringe premiere, you can explore a magical trail of stories, light, and music on a journey through the Adelaide Botanic Garden (Park 11).
A series of unique projections and immersive works by artists will transform the iconic space into “an outdoor art gallery under the stars”. Dubbed Natural Wonders, the show’s on from February 23 to March 17.
The garden will also be the backdrop for other Fringe events, including First Nations Cultural Tours, interactive kids’ show I Spy With My Little aaahhh!, and the Pirates of Penzance (performing in a green ampitheatre under the stars).
As well, there will be Garden Melodies (discover musicians and music as you wander around the garden) and Shakespeare Roulette – a hilarious take on Shakespeare.
Garden Melodies. Photo: Adelaide Botanic Garden.
Circus in Ellis Park / Tampawardli (Park 24)
This park, off West Terrace, is the home of Infamous: The Circus (described as “captivating adult cirque”) for the duration of the Fringe.
Also keeping the city abuzz this season will be:
The Adelaide Festival, with events in Elder Park and Pinky Flat (Park 26), from March 1-17;
Writers’ Week in the Pioneer Women’s Memorial Garden (Park 12), from March 2-7; and
WOMADelaide in Botanic Park / Tainmuntilla (Park 11), from March 8-11.
Apart from all these events, our own Guided Walks, Trees for Life bushcare, and Clean Up activities continue during February-March in your Adelaide Park Lands.
Check out our most recent ‘What’s On’ guide for links to many other events/activities during ‘Mad March’ and the festival season.