Gather Round may be over, but Adelaide’s April action is far from done! We hit the highlights of LIV Golf Adelaide – including live music gigs, food and wine fests and dance parties galore – so you can make the most of what’s left of Adelaide’s second-favourite month.
The inaugural AFL Gather Round and LIV Golf Adelaide proved themselves entertainment and economic juggernauts last year, turning Adelaide into party-central for both hardcore and first-time sports fans. In April 2024, Adelaide is set to become the epicentre of sporting excitement again. But it’s going to be even bigger and better this time round, and the off-field action will be just as hot as the on-field battles.
Even if you’re more of a foodie than a footy fan, or you prefer rocking out to live music over a hole-in-one, this month has you covered. From the Pepsi Collective to the Watering Hole, we walk you through the places to see and be seen at two awesome sporting festivals.
What’s in store for April
LIV Golf Adelaide is back at the Grange Golf Club from 26-28 April, with 13 teams, 54 players and an action-packed weekend of golf, live music, food and drink. LIV Golf is basically golf without the boring bits, and a whole lot of cool stuff added. Non-golfers can check out our handy explainer for the low-down. Think live DJs, massive after-parties and loads of ticket options that include everything from an open bar to five-star cuisine.
Here’s your guide to both events’ highlights (options for the less-sporty South Aussies included!):
LIV Golf Adelaide
- Spend some time hanging out at the place to party – the 12th hole, known as the ‘Watering Hole’. A live DJ and bars make sure it’s always fun – and loud!
- Pick your player and cheer them on as you follow them around the course – if in doubt, you can’t go wrong with a member of Ripper GC, the all-Aussie LIV Golf team. It’s captained by champ Cameron Smith who’s known for his mullet, his shoey at last year’s event, plus his win at The Open in 2022.
- If you need to chill out, enjoy great food, drinks and interactive fun at the festival-style Fan Village.
- After the sport, it’s time to boogie, with an Après Golf concert each night: Tones and I is performing Friday night, DJ FISHER is spinning tunes on the Saturday and electronic duo Flight Facilities will take to the stage on Sunday.
- Treat yourself and your mates to the ultimate bougie golfing experience with hospitality tickets. Options range from loud and lively to air-conditioned luxury five-star dining.
Kicking record economic goals
Last year saw visitors descend in droves on SA for the inaugural AFL Gather Round and LIV Golf Adelaide, helping make our events worth an expected more than $400 million for SA’s economy.
The first AFL Gather Round smashed the state hotel occupancy record, kicking Adelaide accommodation takings to a new record high, with Saturday night’s revenue at $3.5 million. All nine Gather Round matches were sold out and 80,000 fans enjoyed the festival of footy in Elder Park and Pinky Flat.
Not only that, Gather Round 2023:
- Contributed a whopping $83.5 million in total to the economy.
- Supported 665 full-time jobs.
- Brought 41,262 visitors to SA.
- Generated 151,487 visitor nights, including 25,167 in regional SA.
- Was great for the Adelaide Hills economy, with the Mount Barker match helping inject $2 million into the region.
A hole-in-one for SA’s economy
The inaugural LIV Golf Adelaide featured a star-studded line-up of international players and went viral when fans celebrated Chase Koepka’s hole-in-one with a whole lot of joyful beer-tossing. No wonder it went on to be crowned the World’s Best Golf Event of 2023 at the World Golf Awards, putting South Australia on the international golfing map. Its economic impact is just as impressive.
The 2023 LIV Golf Adelaide:
- Pumped a massive $64.9 million in direct expenditure into the state’s economy.
- Generated 43,253 visitor nights in Adelaide.
- Drew 77,076 attendees across the event.
- Attracted attendees from 37 countries.
- Was broadcast to more than 276 million households across 69 territories globally.
AFL Gather Round 2024
- New this year is The Pepsi Collective, the VIP over-18 spot inside Adelaide Oval. Think killer skyline views, live music headlined by The Presets, plus top-tier DJs, comfy lounge spaces, and prime seats to catch the footy action.
- Ticket allocation for the two matches at Mount Barker are exhausted, but whether or not you’ve got a ticket, it’s worth a trip to the Adelaide Hills for its gourmet food, wine and special Gather Round celebrations including Gather in the Hills which include art, markets and music.
- The fan-fave Norwood Food and Wine Festival on The Parade is back and the place to be on the Sunday, when footy fans can enjoy a day sipping, tasting and socialising while watching the sold-out Norwood Oval match on big screens throughout the precinct. Plus, the live music lineup, featuring The Temper Trap as the headline act, is awesome.
- The free Maccas Footy Festival is back in Elder Park with a battle of the bands, meet ‘n’ greets with footy greats, and the return of the awesome 150m long zip line over The Torrens. All matches will be shown live on a new super-screen – with a bar and food nearby, plus plenty to entertain kids (of all ages!) at the NAB AFL Auskick Fun Zone.
- The free Gather Live Concert outside Adelaide Oval will finish the footy fest with a bang, featuring Jet and Baker Boy to get you rocking.
Want more? The Matildas are here in May!
In massive news for fans of the Commbank Matildas (AKA, everyone!), they’re coming to town in May; their farewell soccer match before heading to the 2024 Paris Olympics against China is scheduled for 31 May at Adelaide Oval. The fixture will see our beloved Australian team face off in a friendly against China.
The ticket allocation for the 53,500-capacity stadium was exhausted within hours, making it the thirteenth consecutive home match sell-out for the inspirational team. This shows how far women’s soccer in Australia has come in recent years – their last Adelaide match attracted 10,000 people in November 2019. Adelaide Oval will make history during the game when it welcomes the one-millionth person to see the Matildas at home since 2017, underlining the huge swell of support for our Tillies. Read more about AFL Gather Round 2024 and LIV Golf Adelaide 2024.
