The January long weekend is just around the corner so we’ve compiled a guide on where to be and when, to make the most out of the last weekend of the month.
There’s plenty of fun for the whole family during the final few days of the school holidays, from Australia Day ceremonies, festivals and more – it’s all up to you!
SATURDAY JANUARY 24
Rosé and Dumpling Festival
There’s a vibrant, summery food and wine festival calling your name this January long weekend, and it’s rife with live music, bottles flowing, and New Year cheer. Howard Vineyard will host its annual Rosé and Dumpling Festival over two upbeat days, kicking off the new year with delicious rose-tinted pours and a crowd of people who, if past years are anything to go by, will no doubt bring the energy.
Think Rosé all day, a full bar of wine, cocktails and beer, plus an irresistible spread of dumplings and festival favourites. Chill out on the acoustic lawns or dance at the main stage with live sets daily from DJ DFOE and Mr BUZZY Band.
Choose from luxe ticket options – like the new Rosé Pavilion Package, or crowd favourites
What: Rosé and Dumpling Festival
When: Saturday, January 24th and Sunday 25th 2026
Where: 53 Bald Hills Rd, Nairne SA 5252
For more info, click here.
SERAFINO CELLAR DOOR DECK DAY
Enjoy live music, wine, and good times at Serafino this Long Weekend! Join the team at Serafino deck for a perfect Saturday afternoon filled with live music, and great wine, as part of the McLaren Vale Summer Vines festival. Enjoy a glass (or bottle!) of Serafino wine.
Listen to live music from Juliet Oliver and enjoy free entry – but bookings are recommended! First in, best dressed, so grab your friends, find your spot, and enjoy.
When: 1pm – 4pm
Where: 39 Kangarilla Road, McLaren Vale
For more info, click here.
CANCELLED – LOVE LELO VINES | JAN 24
Update as of 22/01: Due to forecast extreme heat and strong winds, council has made the difficult decision to cancel the Love Velo Vines event.
There’s nothing more South Australian than kicking back in the summertime, enjoying time outside with some perfectly paired wines, and watching a bit of sport. As the Tour Down Under peddles into town, Richard Hamilton Wines is making that even easier with their Love Velo Vines event on January 24th.
Where: 439 Main Rd, McLaren Vale SA 5171
Price: Garden Party free, Long Table Dinner $155 per person
For more information, click here.
All Together Know Summer Festival
Celebrate the vibrant community of West Torrens through the universal language of music and dance, with live performances from Jambu Loco, African Soul, and Cartel Afinke. Enjoy an action-packed program of free children’s entertainment with Amazing Drumming Monkeys, PLAI, Dig-a-dino and CircoBats, plus inflatable slides!
What: All Together Know Summer Festival
When: Saturday January 24th 2026, 5pm
Where: Weigall Oval, Birdwood Terrace, North Plympton
For more info, click here.
January Long Weekend at Malt Shovel Taphouse
Join the team at Malt Shovel Taphouse all January Long Weekend with awesome deals, live music and river vibes! There’ll be charcuterie boards, flowing drinks, exclusive specials and French champagne, paired with the best part? Enjoying the iconic views of the River Torrens and Adelaide Oval.
Make the Taphouse a sure place to stop this long weekend, whether it’s for a quick drink, night out or lunch with the besties.
When: Friday January 23rd – Monday 26th, 2026
Where: Festival Centre, Festival Dr, Adelaide SA 5000
For more info, click here.
Australia Day Multinational Party
This Australia Day long weekend, a colourful celebration of culture, community and connection will take over Adelaide’s northern suburbs, with the Australia Day Multinational Party set to bring together communities from across the globe for one joyful night.
Running on Saturday 24 January, the event celebrates Australia’s multicultural identity, with international communities including Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Iran, Africa and the Philippines coming together under one roof. Guests can expect a lively, welcoming atmosphere packed with entertainment, food and shared stories — a reflection of the many cultures that now call Australia home.
Where: St Joseph Italian Community Centre, 340 Waterloo Corner Rd, Paralowie, SA
When: Saturday 24 January, 2026, 7pm – 11.30pm
Cost: $30 pp
For more information, or to book tickets, contact TP Thai Kitchen:
Sam 0481222719 or Eddy 0420417714.
Wirra Wirra & Harry’s Deli
In the heart of McLaren Vale, Wirra Wirra is open every day over the January long weekend for wine experiences, tours and lunch, offering the perfect place to gather with friends and family.
Enjoy a hosted wine tasting in the Wirra Wirra cellar door or a tour of the historic ironstone cellars. Settle into a long lunch with a seasonal set menu and a la carte options at Harry’s Deli. The chef’s seasonal menus feature estate-grown vegetables and herbs, sustainably caught local seafood and produce from regional farmers and artisans.
WHERE: 255 Strout Road, McLaren Vale SA
WHEN: January 24, 25 and 26
For more info, click here.
Australia Day Long Weekend at Woodhouse Adventure Park
Ready for a screen-free Australia Day long weekend? Head to Woodhouse Adventure Park in Piccadilly for a day trip or overnight escape packed with outdoor fun across their 54-hectare nature wonderland. Day Adventure Passes run 9am–5pm and include Challenge Hill, The Labyrinth giant maze, Tube Slides (weather permitting), Cameron’s Climb, orienteering, disc golf and more.
Want the full Woodhouse experience? Our Camping Adventure Pass lets you stay overnight and enjoy activities from 9am on arrival to 5pm on departure. Pitch a tent or park your van on unpowered sites with no minimum stay. Bookings are highly recommended – long weekends fill fast. Visit www.woodhouse.org.au.
SUNDAY
Vibe and Vines at Grounded Cru
Join Grounded Cru for a day at their headquarters filled with great wine, live music by DJ Matt Horton and delicious wood-fired pizza. Come and relax with a glass in hand amongst the old vines and help celebrate this great region and the SummerVines Festival.
Book now as is filling up – register your interest by confirming a casual visit at cellar door on Sunday 25th.
When: January 25, 11.00 am – 5.00 pm
Where: 49 Ingoldby Road McLaren Flat, South Australia 5171
Price: free
For tickets, click here.
M7 BNKR FESTIVAL | JAN 25-26
Landing on Sunday (Australia Day long weekend) inside a 160-year-old sandstone quarry at the Overland Corner Hotel on the Murray River, M7 BNKR is a brand-new electronic music festival that doubles as the launch of a new South Australian seltzer, Mirage 7.
Instead of rolling out the usual brand-launch playbook, M7 BNKR is rolling out as a full day-to-night experience, letting underground electronic music, site-specific production and a seriously unique setting do most of the talking.
Volume 1, M7 BNKR / Mirage 7 seltzer launch
Where: Overland Corner Hotel, Old Coach Rd, Overland Corner, South Australia
When: Sun 25 Jan, 2pm – Mon 26 Jan, 12:30am
For the Mirage 7 website, click here
MONDAY
MOURNING IN THE MORNING – SMOKING CEREMONY
This respectful and inclusive ceremony focuses on Our Continuing Story led and shaped by South Australian First Nations community leaders. Held in Elder Park/Tarntanya Wama on the banks of Adelaide’s River Torrens/Karrawirra Parri, this First Nations-led event is for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous Australians.
A welcome to Kaurna country will be followed by First Nations speakers, musicians, dancers and interactive activities grounded in respect.
What: Mourning in the Morning
When: 7:30am January 26, 2026
Where: Elder Park King William Road Adelaide, SA 5000
For more info, click here.
AUS LIGHTS ON THE RIVER
Please note time change to 7pm as of 23/01.
Aus Lights on the River program enables us to reflect on the great land and its peoples, starting with the oldest living cultures and First Nations, to our most recent arrivals and the refugees who call Australia home.
The much-loved, Aus Lights on the River, is returning, promising to be an enchanting marine-themed spectacle at Tarntanya Wama/Elder Park on January 26.
The Official Ceremony features live performances from the dynamic Diana Rouvas, Festival Statesmen Choir, Young Adelaide Voices and musical collaborations with the Adelaide Youth Orchestra.
Don’t miss the fireworks display, which will be lighting up over the River Torrens.
Aus Lights on the River
Where: Tarntanya Wama/Elder Park
When: 26 January from 7pm – 11pm.
For more info, click here.
RESPECTING COUNTRY PARADE
Starting at 6 pm, the parade will travel along King William Street, finishing at Torrens Parade Ground, Victoria Drive.
This vibrant celebration brings together more than 60 South Australian community organisations, showcasing the diversity, creativity and spirit of our state. It is a moment of inclusion, respect and shared belonging, filled with colour, music, dance, cultural groups, performers and charities that enrich our community.
WHERE: Across the Riverbank Precinct Bridge down to Elder Park / Tarntanya Wama
WHEN: From 6pm, January 26
PRICE: Free, open to public
AUSSIE DAY DUCK RACE
It’s back, and it’s quackier than ever! Purchase a duck or two and watch it sail downstream to victory. There is over $3500 in cash and prizes up for grabs, with all donations going to community causes.
The Rotary Club of Morialta is once again at the helm of this event, offering an opportunity for everyone to get involved. Purchase one, two, or even three rubber ducks to contribute to projects benefiting the local community.
Will you be a lucky duck?
Where: Thorndon Park Reserve, Athelstone, SA, 5076
When: January 26th, 2026
Tickets: Click here
SPLASH AT NORWOOD SWIMMING POOL
Spend this Australia Day poolside at Norwood Swimming Centre!
Grab your friends and your bathers for a classic Australia Day pool party. Enjoy music, games and a sausage sizzle, and race the clock on the giant inflatable obstacle course.
Only $5 entry all day.
When: 26th January, 12.30pm – 3.30pm
Where: 32 Phillips Street, Kensington SA 5068
For more info, click here.
SURVIVAL DAY SA
Survival Day SA is where everyone gets together in Tarntanyangga to celebrate the oldest Living continuing culture on Planet Earth. There will be strong & powerful speakers as well as amazing performers to entertain you all throughout the day.
Where: Victoria Square
When: from 11.30am January 26th
For more info, click here.
CONTINUOUS EVENTS
The Santos Tour Down Under 2026 -JANUARY 16 TO JANUARY 25
South Australia is set to welcome one of the strongest line-ups in Santos Tour Down Under history, with reigning champion Jhonatan Narváez returning to defend the Ochre Jersey as part of a star-studded UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad for the 2026 race.
The full start list for the Santos Tour Down Under has now been officially revealed, confirming an action-packed January for cycling fans. The three-stage women’s race will run from January 17 to 19, followed by the Vanguard Women’s One Day Race in the Barossa on January 21. The men’s race begins with the South Australia Prologue on January 20, before five challenging road stages conclude the event on January 25.
What: The Santos Tour Down Under 2026
When: January 16th to 25th
Where: Events and action across SA
For more info, click here.
SUMMERVINES FESTIVAL – Friday January 16 to Monday January 26
From long lunches beneath wide blue skies and paired tastings to meandering wine adventures overlooking a sea of vines, SummerVines is the festival for those who live in the moment. For those who appreciate the stories behind every bottle and savour the craft in every bite.
At the heart of it all is McLaren Vale’s world-class, contemporary wines. From bright and fresh summer favourites to year-round classics, SummerVines invites you to celebrate long days and warm nights in South Australia’s iconic coastal wine region.
What: SummerVines
Where: McLaren Vale Wine Region
When: Friday January 16th to Monday January 26th
For more info, click here.
Summer Festival | UNTIL SATURDAY FEBRUARY 8
Looking for a fun – and free – way to spend a blistering hot South Aussie summer? Look no further than the Summer Festival 2026, a five-week celebration of long evenings, family-friendly entertainment and classic summer vibes, hosted by the City of West Torrens.
Running every Saturday from January 10 until February 7, the festival is set to transform warm summer nights into easy, low-cost adventures for families, friends and anyone keen to soak up the season without blowing the budget. Across five epic events, locals can expect a rotating mix of live music, outdoor cinema experiences, giant water inflatables to beat the heat, mouth-watering food options and even a silent disco designed to keep kids moving long after the sun goes down.
What: Summer Festival 2026
When: Saturday 10 January – Saturday 7 February, 2026
Where: Multiple locations in Adelaide’s West
For more info, click here.
To find out everything that’s happening in Adelaide, check out our What’s On section here.
To view the full event calendar and see what’s happening, click here.
More News
