Adelaide is often called ‘The Festival State’ and rightly so: there are many fine, fun festivals offering up a variety of delights, from fine food and wine to the ‘fine’ Arts.
Arguably the most fun and popular of these has to be the Adelaide Fringe.
What is the Adelaide Fringe?
It’s the biggest yearly Arts festival in the Southern Hemisphere and since its inception, has become known worldwide as one of the best.
The Adelaide Fringe now fairs comparably with the Big Dad of Fringes: the Edinborough Festival Fringe, and is, in fact, used as a testing ground for many productions planning to invade the prestigious Scottish event. Well known Australian comedian Sammy J always uses Adelaide Fringe audiences to test drive his new shows before performing in the Melbourne Comedy Festival.
The Adelaide Fringe is held every February/March and is now so big, that it has its own special entertainment venue in Adelaide’s beautiful East End parklands: the Garden Of Unearthly Delights (and what delights)!!
History
The Adelaide Fringe began in 1960, the same as the Adelaide Festival Of Arts. It was conceived and originated by a small group of artists, actors and performers who felt that they were being excluded from the more ‘high-brow’ Festival. It was held every two years (coinciding with the Festival Of Arts) until 2007 when, due to its growing size and popularity, it became annual.
The Present Day Fringe
Like a well fed pet, the Adelaide Fringe has grown and grown – from a few plays and performances in the Sixties to well over 700 activities in 2012. 2013 will see 930 events happening over 4 weeks. To give you an idea how diverse the Fringe has become, its events for next year can be broken down thus:
- 114 cabaret shows
- 32 circus and physical theatre shows
- 107 theatre productions
- 254 comedy events (featuring national and international comedy stars)
- 25 dance shows
- 7 film events
- 197 music concerts
- 105 art exhibitions
Where is the Fringe held?
Basically – where isn’t it held! Apart from attractions in the popular ‘Garden Of Delights’, events occur all over Adelaide; from the City to as far north as Port Pirie and as far south as Noarlunga. Venues include old skating rinks, deserted factories, gutted theatres, and one year, even someone’s living room.
The Adelaide Fringe is so popular nowadays, that it has virtually knocked the Festival Of Arts into the outer.
As you can see, living in Adelaide is never dull. In fact, with its abundance choice of great food, wine and entertainment, Adelaide is one huge Garden Of Unearthly Delights.
Remember: if you’re moving to or just considering buying property in Adelaide, it pays to use a buyers agent to take all the hassle and stress out of finding exactly what you want.
