As we bring in the last month of winter, Adelaide is already turning up the heat.
If you’re looking for something to do in Adelaide this August and are not sure where to start, this guide has you covered. There’s everything from food festivals, live entertainment, and heaps more, so all you have to do is decide what vibe you’re in the mood for. Let the good times roll.
Everything’s sorted by date, so as you work your way through the month, work your way down the list!
OysterPalooza | Until Aug 2
If fresh oysters, gin cocktails and frozen tastings out of oyster shells sound like your dream weekend, then OysterPalooza is about to be your happy place. Never Never Distilling Co. has announced the return of its all-time favourite oyster festival at the end of the month, with OysterPalooza taking over the distillery’s McLaren Vale homebase for a fifth consecutive year.
Timed to perfectly coincide with World Oyster Day, the event will run across the weekend of July 31st to August 2nd, bringing together the best of the best South Australia oysters, live music, oyster shucking, cocktails and a whole lot of Oyster Shell Gin. And yes, the iconic Shelly is making its return.
Where: Never Never
For more information, click here.
Fleurieu Food Festival | Aug 1 – 31
Running from August 1st to 31st, the festival stretches across more than 60 venues and producers, bringing together hands-on workshops, wine dinners, farm experiences, tastings and one-off dining events.
Spanning four regions across the Fleurieu with events in McLaren Vale, Willunga, Aldinga, Goolwa, Strathalbyn, Langhorne Creek, Victor Harbor and Yankalilla, it’s a perfect excuse to hop in the car and road trip with friends.
Where: Fleurieu Peninsula
For more information, click here.
SALA Festival | Aug 1 – 31
South Australia will become Australia’s biggest open-air gallery once again, with the full program for the 2026 South Australian Living Artists (SALA) Festival officially unveiled.
Returning from August 1st to 31st, the 29th annual festival will see more than 11,000 artists showcase their work across over 700 exhibitions and events, transforming galleries, cafes, wineries, libraries, schools, community halls and public spaces into creative destinations across the state.
Where: Acrosss Adelaide
For more information, click here.
River Night Walk | Aug 14 – 16
Port Adelaide will glow after dark this August, when eight giant neon frogs take over Commercial Road as part of a new free, family-friendly night-time experience.
River Night Walk will transform the historic waterfront precinct with illuminated sculptures, live music, fire, food and markets across three nights from Friday, August 14th to Sunday, August 16th. Running from 5:30pm to 9pm each evening, the event is expected to attract around 10,000 people to Commercial Road and Black Diamond Square.
Where: Commercial Road and Black Diamond Square, Port Adelaide
For more information, click here.
Copper Coast Show | Aug 15 – 16
Promising to be the very best yet, The Copper Coast Show will return to the Kadina Showgrounds on August 15th and 16th, marking an impressive 155 years of one of South Australia’s most enduring community traditions. Bringing together the towns of Kadina, Wallaroo and Moonta, the event continues to celebrate the region’s rich agricultural heritage while offering a vibrant weekend of entertainment for all ages.
Where: Cnr Mines Rd &, Agery Rd, Kadina SA 5554
For more information, click here.
Small Business Week | Aug 17 – 21
South Australian small and family businesses will have a chance to sharpen their digital skills, explore the role of AI and connect with industry experts when Small Business Week returns this August.
Running from Monday, August 17th to Friday, August 21st, the annual statewide program will bring together workshops, networking opportunities, regional events and the flagship Small Business Expo, with this year’s program placing a strong focus on digital capability, artificial intelligence and business resilience.
Where: across metropolitan and regional South Australia
For more information, click here.
Parachilna Outback Beer Fest | Aug 21 – 23
Set on the edge of the Flinders Ranges, the Parachilna Outback Beer Fest brings together some of South Australia’s best regional breweries, a stacked country music lineup, and a weekend of food, flavour & outback celebration.
Where: Prairie Hotel & Outback Lodge, Parachilna, SA
For more information, click here.
Hansel & Gretel | Aug 21 – 29
Forget the sugar-coated fairy tale you remember from childhood. This August, State Opera South Australia is bringing a darker, more daring version of Hansel & Gretel to Adelaide, transforming the beloved Brothers Grimm story into a powerful operatic experience.
Taking over Her Majesty’s Theatre from August 21st to 29th, Engelbert Humperdinck’s work will be reimagined by acclaimed director Constantine Costi in a genre-bending production which will uncover the sinister secrets lurking beneath one of the world’s most famous fairy tales.
Where: Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide
For more information, click here.
Mould x Pinot Palooza | Aug 28 – 30
Mould x Pinot Palooza is finally heading to Adelaide in 2026, bringing its largest-ever national tour to the city for the first time as part of a flavour-packed celebration of cheese and wine.
Mould will showcase more than 50 varieties of Australian artisan cheese, from fresh and delicate styles through to bold, aged favourites. Alongside it, Pinot Palooza, will pour more than 50 expressions of Pinot Noir from Australia, New Zealand and beyond, celebrating the diversity of the grape across regions and winemaking styles.
Where: The Queens Theatre, Playhouse Ln & Gilles Arcade, Adelaide
For more information, click here.
Monet to Matisse: Defying Tradition | Ongoing
Monet to Matisse: Defying Tradition follows a ground-breaking era in art history through iconic works by the most influential European and American artists of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Exclusive to the Art Gallery of South Australia, art lovers will be able to experience fifty-seven masterworks from the Toledo Museum of Art’s world-renowned collection. Featured artists include Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas, Helen Frankenthaler, Henri Matisse, Piet Mondrian, Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot, Pablo Picasso, Robert Rauschenberg, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Vincent van Gogh and James McNeill Whistler.
Where: 490 North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000
For more information, click here.
Special Mentions
Buy SA Week Farmers’ Tasting Trail | Aug 2
Gerard McCabe Antique Jewellery Roadshow | Aug 14
Kangaroo Island Wine Dinner at the National Wine Centre | Aug 19
ABBA Gold – The Flaming Sambucas ABBA Tribute Show | Aug 20
10 Years at The Table – A Celebration of Harry’s Deli | Aug 29
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For the full list of events happening, check out our events calendar.
