For one month each year, this Aussie city becomes the best place on earth to visit
I'm walking down Adelaide's main street, but if you told me we were in London or New York, I'd probably believe you.
Adelaide has a reputation for being a bit of a sleepy place to visit - but whoever said that clearly didn't go during the Fringe Festival.
The entire street has been blocked off, allowing pubs, bars and restaurants to set up tables in the street, buskers to whip out their instruments and street performers to start juggling flaming torches.
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The best time to visit Adelaide is during Fringe. joeyjoenes
Each year since 2023, over one million tickets to Fringe have been sold, and walking through the city on opening night, I can believe it.
It feels like the entire population of Adelaide has congregated to celebrate.
The festival, which was initially created to celebrate the offbeat, quirky, independent artists that were often overlooked by mainstream festivals, started back in the 1960s.
Now it's an annual event which locals and visitors flock to in droves.
Two giant parks in the city are turned into festival grounds, complete with rides, food stalls, plenty of bars serving up local tipples, free entertainment, and - of course - show venues.
Over the month-long festival, more than 8000 artists from Australia and around the world put on shows – everything from comedy to circus and music to virtual reality.
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The Garden of Unearthly Delights is a must-visit. Brad Griffin
I spent two nights at Fringe this year and saw a diverse array of productions.
A bubble show that was borderline explicit, a feminist cabaret extravaganza, a handful of stand-up comedians, an Emmy-winning Irish band, and a circus-style show that included a man doing handstands on a flaming ladder.
Comedians you might recognise who have shows this year's festival include Dave Hughes, Josh Thomas, Celia Pacquola, The Umbilical Brothers and Jimeoin.
All that's to say, is that there's truly something for everyone at Fringe.
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The bubble show is like nothing I've ever seen. Nine
What are the best shows at Fringe?
It's impossible for anyone to see the 1500 shows across the Fringe calendar this year, but I can tell you my highlights.
Otherwise you can use the official app or website to browse the shows by vibe (eg. do you want to laugh out loud, go on an emotional roller coaster, or find a hidden gem?)
I reckon if you only have time to catch one show at Fringe, make it La Ronde. There's no neat way to describe this delightful assault to the senses – they've dubbed themselves a "blend of cabaret, circus, and live performance".
I'd say it was a mix of acrobatics, physical comedy, singing, dancing, with plenty of audience participation involved.
My mouth was hanging open for about 50 per cent of the show, as aerial artists and acrobats put their lives on the line to keep us entertained.
La Ronde is truly jaw-dropping. Supplied
Another standout for me was Millicent Sarre is Too Tired To Smash (Patriarchy), an hour-long comedy-slash-cabaret-slash-musical theatre show with bangers about dating apps, burnout, phone addiction and having an existential crisis.
One particularly good country-inspired song about mental load made me tear up a little. Millicent's lyricism is very Sabrina Carpenter-adjacent, but far more relatable.
Audience favourites include The Shamrocks, a traditional Irish pub band who will have you tapping your toes and wishing you had a tankard of beer to raise in the air. The (very risque) Bubble Show For Adults Only has to be seen to be believed – the things they do with those bubbles! Oh my...
Gluttony is full of amazing food stalls and bars. Supplied
How long is the fringe on for Adelaide?
Fringe runs annually in Adelaide from mid-February to mid-March.
In 2026, the festival goes from 20 February to 22 March.
Where is the Adelaide Fringe held?
Fringe venues can be found all over Adelaide, including in regions outside the city – like the Hills, Victor Harbour, and the Barossa Valley.
However, the majority of the events are in the CBD. The two main festival areas, Gluttony and the Garden of Earthly Delights, are in the city's East End.
Street performers take over Adelaide's East End. Meaghan Coles
Do you have to pay to get into the Adelaide Fringe?
Entry to festival areas, like Gluttony and the Garden of Earthly Delights is free, though you need to purchase a ticket for events.
The free areas still have a lot to see and do, including food stalls, live music, bars, markets, rides, and arcade games.
Why is it called the Adelaide Fringe?
Adelaide Fringe started in 1960 as an offshoot of the well-known Adelaide Festival of Arts, as an unofficial alternative that was on the 'fringe' of the mainstream culture. The idea was to give a spotlight to local talent that may have been ignored by the official program.
Initially, it was a small group of creatives who maintained this platform for artists to try out new work and experiment. Over the years it expanded to become a huge festival.
Adelaide Fringe has sold over one million tickets each year since 2023.
The writer travelled as a guest of Adelaide Fringe Festival.
