Images: Ramsay Taplin
From seed swaps and native food dinners to First Nations storytelling, immersive art and hiking retreats, Nature Festival is returning this spring with more than 350 events spread across South Australia.
Running from September 25 to October 11, the Nature Festival is a collaboration between more than 200 community groups and organisations and transforms everything from city gardens and galleries to coastal wetlands and regional communities into spaces for celebrating the natural world.
Now in its seventh year, the festival’s 2026 theme is Seed – an invitation to think about the small beginnings that can shape the future, from seeds planted in gardens to those planted in communities and culture.
The program spans art, adventure, food, wine, music, wellbeing, gardens and Aboriginal culture, with plenty of free and family-friendly events on offer.
One of six Seed Stewards for 2026 is restaurateur, academic and prize-winning author Durkhanai Ayubi, who will host a book launch and poetry event during the festival.
“A seed carries memory, resilience and hope,” Ayubi says.
“In every culture, seeds are more than food, they are a promise to the future. Nature Festival reminds us that the smallest acts of care, whether planting a seed, sharing a meal, teaching a child, or protecting a place, can grow into something far greater than ourselves.”
Outside the State Library, The Seedling Exchange will create a temporary public pavilion, where visitors can plant and water a seed while contributing to a growing shared garden throughout the festival.
The program will also explore the intersection of nature, culture and food at Silent Country: Exhibition & Dinner Experience at Tandanya on September 25. The event will feature an exhibition opening, a live performance by Electric Fields and a panel conversation examining the cultural and ecological impacts of buffel grass, followed by an intimate Warndu dinner curated by chefs Matt Stone and Shannon Fleming.
Art and environmental science will meet at Sophie Hyde: Untitled Oyster Project, running from September 29 to October 11, which will explore South Australia’s changing seas and oyster reef recovery through film, marine science and restoration.
Meanwhile, those looking to escape the city can head to the Flinders Ranges for the Ikara Hiking Retreat, combining hiking, culture and adventure among the ancient landscapes of Ikara-Wilpena Pound. The retreat will include cultural learning facilitated by Adnyamathanha woman Rehanna Coulthard from Yura Artu.
Spring will also be celebrated at Blossom & Bud: Springtime Picnic at Jauma Farm in Lenswood, with a guided walk through blossoming orchards and spring vineyards followed by a long picnic celebrating organic farming and seasonal renewal.
At Esmay Restaurant in Hackney, The Living Table will bring growers, producers and custodians together for an interactive shared lunch, complete with seasonal installations, native ingredient cocktails and conversations about biodiversity and the future of Australian food.
Nature Festival will also continue supporting grassroots projects through 25 micro-grants across regional South Australia, funding everything from a living music of plants experience in the Adelaide Hills to a seed-inspired poetry workshop in Mintaro and an immersive art experience in the Coorong.
For Nature Festival co-founder and chair Vicki-Jo Russell AM, the theme is ultimately about encouraging people of all ages to build a deeper connection with the natural world.
“Seed is an invitation to think about what we are growing together, starting with our little ones,” Russell says.
“This year’s program is filled with experiences that help kids and families plant beautiful seeds in their lives and with the natural world. There is something for everyone, so get outdoors, bring your kids and grandkids, and plant the seed for a lifelong connection with nature.”
The festival will also continue its sustainability partnership with Solar Slice, with $1 from every paid ticket going towards biodiversity conservation and industry decarbonisation. This year’s funds will support the Agroecology Land Trust, which aims to provide First Peoples and agroecological farmers with secure tenure and equitable access to land.
With hundreds of experiences stretching from the city to some of South Australia’s most spectacular landscapes, Nature Festival 2026 is set to turn spring into a celebration of the places, people and ideas helping shape the state’s natural future.
Nature Festival 2026
When: September 25 to October 11
To view the full program, click here.
