Image: River Night Walk
As each week comes and goes, the kids are always looking for something new to do, and it’s not always easy to find the best activities, events and exhibitions happening around Adelaide.
So, we’ve done the hard work for you and rounded up some of the best free and low-cost, family-friendly things happening this weekend. Enjoy!
National Science Week Launch
When: Friday August 14, 5.30pm–8pm
Where: South Australian Museum Science Centre, North Terrace, Adelaide
Cost: Free
National Science Week kicks off in South Australia on Friday night with a free evening of hands-on science, live shows and behind-the-scenes discoveries at the South Australian Museum’s Science Centre. Families can explore interactive STEM activities covering everything from space and technology to nature and archaeology, before catching live presentations throughout the night. There are also guided tours into laboratories, collection spaces and research areas that are rarely open to the public, although spaces on those tours are limited and need to be booked separately. General admission to the launch is free.
For more, https://www.scienceweek.net.au/event/national-science-week-launch/adelaide/
River Night Walk
When: August 14 to 16 , 5pm–9pm
Where: Commercial Road and Black Diamond Square, Port Adelaide
Cost: Free
Port Adelaide will glow after dark this weekend as River Night Walk transforms the waterfront with giant neon frogs, light installations, fire, live music and free creative activities. Eight enormous illuminated frogs by creative studio Amigo & Amigo will take over Commercial Road, while three-metre-tall glowing creatures roam through the precinct. Families can also take part in clay-painting activities, explore large-scale projections along the river and watch live artists at work inside the Port Community Arts Centre. The three-night festival is completely free to enter and runs from Friday through Sunday evening.
For more, https://glamadelaide.com.au
A World That Grows at Carclew
When: Saturday August 15, 10am–1pm
Where: Carclew, 11 Jeffcott Street, North Adelaide
Cost: Free, RSVP essential
Carclew is inviting families into an enormous imaginary garden this Saturday for a special free SALA celebration. A World That Grows is an immersive installation created from artworks by more than 300 children alongside artist and illustrator Alice Lindstrom, with colourful birds, insects, trees and flowers filling the space. The celebration day will add music, chalk and bubbles for children while families explore the exhibition and meet the artist behind the project.
More, https://events.humanitix.com/a-world-that-grows-exhibition-event
The Living Plains at Wildman Farm
When: August 15 and 16, 11am–5pm
Where: Wildman Farm, Korunye
Cost: Free exhibition entry
A drive to the Adelaide Plains can also double as a free SALA adventure this weekend, with Wildman Farm opening its historic property for The Living Plains. The exhibition brings together 14 South Australian artists working across painting, photography, textiles, glass and metal, with works displayed throughout an 1880s limestone barn, silo gazebos and the surrounding rural property.
Saturday visitors can also watch a free traditional blacksmithing demonstration, with Brenton Wildman firing up the forge and using heritage equipment including century-old leather bellows.
More info, https://wildmanfarm.com.au/en-gb/information/SALA_2026
Pull Pop Push at the State Library
When: August 15, 10am–5pm and August 16, 12pm–5pm
Where: State Library Gallery, North Terrace, Adelaide
Cost: Free
For a free indoor option, families can head to the State Library and explore Pull Pop Push, an exhibition dedicated to books that move, unfold and surprise. The exhibition explores everything from classic pop-ups and spinning wheels to tunnels, flap books and sound books, showing children how paper engineering can turn a flat page into an interactive scene.
There are also larger-than-life recreations to step through and displays revealing how movable books are constructed, making it a good wet-weather option for curious kids.
More info, https://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/events/pull-pop-push
Kids go free at Adelaide Zoo
When: Every day throughout August
Where: Adelaide Zoo, Frome Road, Adelaide
Cost: Children up to 14 free; supervising adults require a paid ticket or membership
August is also a particularly good time for families considering an Adelaide Zoo visit, with children aged up to 14 receiving free admission throughout the entire month. The special offer is celebrating the birthdays of Adelaide Zoo’s giant pandas, Yi Lan and Xing Qiu, and families can also explore more than 200 species across the zoo during their visit. Each child still needs to attend with a supervising adult who has a valid ticket or Zoos SA membership, with up to three free child tickets permitted per supervising adult.
More info, https://www.adelaidezoo.com.au/event/kids-go-free-august-2026/
Know of any other events? email [email protected]
For more news and events, check out our calendar here.
