If you think October’s a dull month between the footy and holiday seasons, think again. From a wine festival on SA’s stunning Limestone Coast to OzAsia Festival and Harvest Rock II, get ready for a month jam-packed with good times.
Coonawarra Cabernet Celebrations
29 September – 31 October
The annual Coonawarra Cabernet Celebrations wine festival is a highlight on the region’s calendar. Expect a month of 70 unique food and wine experiences (did someone say wine tour?!), including live music, degustation dinners, masterclasses, tastings and more. Experience one of SA’s signature reds – cabernet sauvignon – in one of the state’s most beautiful regions.
Nature Festival of South Australia
1 – 15 October
Our relationship with nature is fundamental to our personal wellbeing, core to who we are as a state, and is the foundation of all the work we do to protect our precious animal and plant species. Plus, being in nature feels good. That’s why it’s worth celebrating, and what better way to do so than a festival of picnics, bush walks, garden gnome scavenger hunts, weaving workshops and more. Events are happening all across the state, and a bunch are free.
Adelaide Film Festival
18 – 29 October
Adelaide Film Festival is SA’s premier screen event and one of the nation’s leading film festivals. For two weeks, the East End (and other venues across the city) come alive with local and international film premieres, art, talks and parties. Highlights of this year’s program include the screenings of Outback thriller The Royal Hotel, true-crime docu-drama Speedway, and Her Name is Nanny Nellie – a granddaughter’s journey to rewrite how Aboriginal people are represented in Australia.
OzAsia Festival
19 October – 5 November
OzAsia Festival is Australia’s leading contemporary arts festival engaging with Asia, featuring an exciting line-up of boundary-pushing theatre, dance, music, visual arts, literature, food and cultural events. There’s something for everyone on this year’s program, including the popular Moon Lantern Trail, Lucky Dumpling Market, a Bubble Tea Garden, comedy shows, and Japan pop culture festival AnimeGO!
WIN two tickets to the OzAsia Festival’s The Bridal Lament, Wednesday 1 November 2023 – click here for details!
Tarnanthi 2023
19 October – 21 January 2024
The statewide Tarnanthi Festival returns, with exhibitions at the Art Gallery of South Australia and dozens of partner venues across the state. Tarnanthi showcases the latest contemporary works by hundreds of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, alongside artist and curator talks, workshops, film, music and performances. This is a unique opportunity to meet First Nations artists, learn about their world and ideas, and buy works of art. And did we mention Arrernte/Gurindji artist Dan Sultan is set to ignite the opening weekend festivities with a free concert? See you there!
Harvest Rock II
28 – 29 October
Get your dancing shoes ready – two days of the best live music (plus wine, food and brew) are coming to Adelaide. If you missed last year’s inaugural Harvest Rock, don’t make the same mistake again. The 2023 lineup is even more epic, featuring headline acts Jamiroquai and Beck, plus Paul Kelly, Tash Sultana, Ocean Alley, Flight Facilities, Bernard Fanning, Thelma Plum, Chet Faker, Bad Dreems and heaps more.
