Guides

Top 10 events in Adelaide this May

By Glam Adelaide

Posted on April 20, 2025

With May fast approaching it’s time to rug up for the winter and explore what Adelaide has to offer in the cooler months.

With May fast approaching, it’s almost time to pull out your favourite blanket and rug up for the winter. But while the temperatures might be dropping, our social calendars continue to be jam-packed.

With the likes of Tasting Australia, Chardonnay May, and plenty of awesome festivals, May is bursting with fun events you can tag along to.

Whether you want to sip on a glass of red next to a fire pit, or party the night away to all your favourite hits, there’s an event to suit everyone’s vibe. We’ve put together a list of our top ten favourite events in Adelaide this May, so you don’t have to. Here’s the list in date order.

Adelaide Equestrian Festival | 1 – 4 May

Adelaide’s parklands are about to be transformed into a scene of elegance, adrenaline and unforgettable moments as the 2025 Adelaide Equestrian Festival canters into Victoria Park from Thursday 1 to Sunday 4 May. Adelaide is about to put on a show that’s a little bit country, a little bit city, and completely unmissable.

With local wine flowing, picnic rugs sprawled across the grass, and activities for all ages, this festival offers much more than simply equestrian.

Where: Rymill Park and Victoria Park, Adelaide
When: Thursday 1 to Sunday 4 May, 2025
For more info, click here.

Chardonnay May | May 1 – 31

Throughout the entirety of May the Adelaide Hills will be celebrating Chardonnay with a number of cool events. Cellar doors will be highlighting their incredible Chardonnays with a range of tasting experiences, from paint and sip or canvas and chardonnay experiences, to five-course lunches, to walking tours of vineyards and more.

Where: Adelaide Hills
When: May 1st to 31st
For a taste of the action, read about the Chardonnay May Trail.

Bowerbird Market | 2 – 4 May

It’s well worth making your way down to Bowerbird at the Showgrounds. Grab yourself a coffee and wander through the 120 magical stalls set out in the expansive Wayville Pavilion.

Discover the best of Australian design for three days of style, creativity and connection. Shop from a handpicked lineup of designers, makers and producers from across the country, with a host of labels exclusive to the event.

Enjoy a delicious selection of food and drink in a relaxed setting while browsing the latest trends and revisiting your favourite brands—all under one roof.

Where: Wayville Pavilion, Adelaide Showground
When: 2 – 4 May
For more information, click here.

Tasting Australia | 2 – 11 May

Tasting Australia is set to return for 2025, with a fresh lineup of events that go well beyond the plate.

This year’s festival introduces new experiences including a table styling masterclass with In the Roundhouse, a Sunday Supper Club, and a laid-back afternoon of Lawn Bowls at Sturt Bowling Club featuring local personalities like chef Justin James.

James will also host an exclusive secret-location dinner for just sixteen guests, offering a rare insight into his seasonal cuisine.

Town Square will buzz with energy as the newly renovated Drinks Academy hosts Aperitivo Hour—an after-work collaboration between top bars and chefs offering snacks and sips for $50.

Wine lovers can explore the new Matchmaker Series and Top 3, where Tom Jonas shares his favourite drops.

Foodies can get hands-on with the MAKE series, blending creative table styling with pasta-making, while families can enjoy relaxed Sunday vibes with lawn games, snacks and tastings.

Town Square’s food offering has also expanded, now boasting 15 vendors including newcomers Athena Greek Eats and Francesca’s Pizza and Sandos.

Where: Across South Australia
When: 2 – 11 May
For more information, click here.

SA Medieval Fair | 3 – 4 May

Hear ye! Hear ye! Loyal subjects from wide and far are invited back to this year’s SA Medieval Fair which is actually South Australia’s original Medieval Fair. Making a grand return this May, the SA Medieval Fair will be gracing Paracombe as fairgoers young and old prepare to debut their admirable finery, dine like kings, and celebrate all things medieval.

This year over a fantastic two days, nearly 100 stalls featuring both local and interstate Merchants, Artisans, Armourers and Artists will be set up. See handcrafted wares, Blacksmiths, Wood Carvers, Bowyers and other makers of fine crafts as they get ready to demonstrate the skills of their trades.

Where: Paracombe Recreational Grounds, 383 Paracombe Rd, Paracombe
When: Saturday 3 May, 10am to 5pm, Sunday 5 May, 10am to 4pm.
For more information, click here.

Beauty and the Beast | 8 May – 6 July

If the Melbourne run of the beloved Disney classic is anything to go by, this is an experience you won’t want to miss.

The show is coming to the Festival Theatre in May 2025, bringing with it a dazzling reimagined production filled with cutting-edge technology, opulent sets, and breathtaking costumes.

With a talented Australian cast, iconic musical numbers like “Be Our Guest,” and show-stopping moments that left Melbourne audiences gasping, crying, and cheering, this magical experience is a must-see.

It’s a timeless tale brought to life with spectacular flair—and for South Australian audiences, it’s the first chance to witness the magic live on stage.

Where: Festival Theatre
When: 8 May – 6 July
For more information, click here.

Mother’s Day | 11 May

She’s the best lady in our lives – the one who brought us into this world after all – so she deserves a day to be pampered and showered in love and recognition, don’t you think?

We’ve done the hard yards and put together a guide to some of the best places to eat and drink with mum, along with some Mother’s Day events especially for the two of you.

When: Sunday 11 May
Where: Across SA
Our guide to events: click here.

Clare Valley Gourmet Week | 16 – 25 May

The Clare Valley SCA Gourmet Week, Australia’s premier food and wine festival, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. The festival, renowned for showcasing the best of Clare Valley’s culinary and viticultural offerings, has announced a program filled with over 85 events, honouring this significant milestone.

The festival’s 10-day program from 17th to 26th May is divided into three main parts: Festival Weekend, Breathe It In, and Land of the Long Lunch. Each segment offers a unique way to experience the festival, catering to those who wish to attend for a day, a weekend, or the entire week.

Clare Valley Gourmet Week
When: May 17th to 26th
Where: Clare Valley (various)
More info: Click here

The English Ale | 17 May

Unlike anything else on the South Australian calendar, The English Ale festival turns the town of Mylor into a living folktale.

The English Ale is hard to explain to those who haven’t felt it under their feet. It is part folk ritual, part theatre, part magic. It is not something you merely watch — it is something you wander into, wide-eyed, and carry home long after the embers have cooled.

Where: Mylar Oval
When: Saturday 17, May 2025. 12pm- 11.30pm
For more information, click here.

Coriole Music Festival | May 17 – 18

Set among the vines of McLaren Vale, the festival offers a rich and intimate celebration of music at its most expressive.

The 2025 Coriole Music Festival embraces the theme Musical Crossroads, presenting a bold program that explores the meeting points between folk and classical, mystical and grounded, sacred and profane. Curated by Artistic Director Simon Cobcroft, this year’s festival promises a weekend of striking contrasts and exceptional musicianship.

Highlights include the Australian debut of renowned British-Malaysian pianist Mei Yi Foo, and first-time Coriole appearances from flautist Joshua Batty, mezzo-soprano Victoria Lambourn, and clarinettist Philip Arkinstall. Returning favourites include soprano Lorina Gore, violinist Elizabeth Layton, violist Justin Julian, the Lyrebird Piano Trio, and celebrated pianist and author Anna Goldsworthy.

When: 17 and 19 May
Where: Coriole Vineyards, McLaren Vale
For more information, click here.