Winter is officially upon us (bye bye, heat) and with the copious amounts of rain (and occasional strong winds), there's a slew of cozy events to showcase Adelaide. Australia's most Euro-feeling city is looking cooler than ever in terms of tours and international visitors this year (check out our complete guide here) plus it seems every week there's a new festival, gigging artist in town, rooftop dinner or completely charming market popping up, much to our delight.

So let's jump straight into the good stuff, here's Urban List's picks for the best things to do this week, month and beyond in Adelaide.

What's On In Adelaide July 2026

Firstival

Participating libraries across South Australia | July 1 - 31

Image credit: Firstival

Now, there's more to do at the library than simply read your fave book. Firstival, South Australia’s official library festival, is back for its fourth year with a month-long program jam-packed with some 300 events and activities for every age and taste. Looking to try a new hobby or acquire a new skill? There's plenty on offer with masterclasses on sourdough bread, kimchi and sauerkraut making, as well as puppy yoga, planting succulents while drinking wine (yes, you read that correctly) and learning circus tricks while drinking ‘Juggle Juice' aka gin cocktails - all to the backdrop of glorious books.

And the kids don't miss out either, with school holiday friendly activities including kid's yoga, homemade book week costume workshops, biscuit decorating and kite making, while for the teens, there is an intro into Dungeons and Dragons, astrology for beginners and brush pen calligraphy. Most events are free, but do require booking. To find out more, click here.

Alba After Dark

Hotel Alba | Fridays all winter

Image credit: Hotel Alba

Hotel Alba, one of Adelaide's best hotels, is turning up the heat this winter with the launch of Alba After Dark. Held every Friday night until the end of August, Alba After Dark is all about getting off the couch at home (yes, winter beckons hibernation, we know) and warming up with the help of the hotel's vinyl DJs, sexy cocktail list, and heart-warming food - all set to a laid-back vibe for the perfect cozy cool weather moment.

As for the food, you can't look past the hotel's $30 bottomless deal starring delish toasties, hearty fries and gooey toasted s’mores, paired with a specially curated cocktail menu including mulled wine (the perfect winter bevvy, mind you) and negronis, an exclusive for Alba After Dark. Grab the girls, the boys, and the whole gang really, and make the most of this winter Friday night special.

FIFA World Cup - Australia vs Egypt

War Memorial Drive, Adelaide | July 4

Image credit: FIFA World Cup

While you might not be lucky enough to be in North America for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, you can certainly watch the matches Australia plays in, thanks to Centre Court at The Drive hosting a Live Site - a free broadcast of all the action on an undercover big screen.

After a first-match thumping of Turkiye, a tragic second-match loss to the USA, and a nail-biting third-match draw with Paraguay, Australia is through to the top 32. Our next opponentt? Egypt. Kicking off at 3:30 am ACST, the Socceroos need to win this match (and the rest from here on in, mind you) to stay in the comp. And they need your support. So, put on your green and gold, grab your friends and family, and join hundreds of fellow Aussie soccer fans support our boys, with an "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oi, oi, oi!" In the meantime, you can brush up on your knowledge of the World Cup 2026 right here.

The Drop In: Alternative Reds

National Wine Centre | July 3

Image credit: Ben Macmahon

Love a drop of red? Then come along to the National Wine Centre's celebration of all things Australian red wine, as you expand your wine knowledge of the good ol' adult grape juice, and your palate, while you're at it.

With over 25 producers under one roof, you'll get to sample both alternative and emerging reds including Cinsault, Barbera, Tempranillo, Nero D’Avola, Sangiovese, and Petit Verdot from makers from across our beloved country, including some local makers too.

With unlimited samples and a take-home Spiegelau glass, that's a big "cheers", from us. Or, as they say in France, "Santé!" Book tickets here.

Patience and Penitentia 

Samstag Museum of Art | June 26 - September 18

Image credit: Ida Sophia

Berlin-based South Australian artist and 2023 Ramsay Art Prize winner Ida Sophia is bringing her major work 'Patience and Penitenita' to Adelaide.

Opening as part of Samstag Museum of Art’s Kudlila season, the performance-slash-exhibition will take visitors on a journey into the depths of “silent treatment”, or the relational punishment oftentimes used by families, relationships and communities when conflict arise. Using sound, language, movement and gesture, Sophia’s work looks to bring light to this hidden, abusive tactic to show what happens when communication, affection and attention is withheld. Sounds like a great alternative to your weekly therapy. Admission is free. 

Champagne Tray Fridays

2KW Bar | Fridays All Winter

Image credit: 2KW Bar

Forget the meat tray, 2KW Bar is busting out the champagne for its new winter promotion - Champagne Tray Fridays. 

On Fridays throughout winter, simply purchase a drink at the rooftop venue’s Terrace Bar between 5pm and 7pm to receive a raffle ticket for the chance to win a champagne tray featuring three top shelf bottles of champagne. Now, that’s the classic pub raffle with a sparkling twist.

Double your winnings with the bar's scrumptuous food menu, including Southern rock lobster or lamb shoulder, and you've got yourself a great start to the weekend.

The Olive Hours

Paloma Bar & Pantry | Thursdays All Winter

Image credit: Alexander van de Loo

Paloma Bar’s new weekly winter activation, The Olive Hours, is all about the martini. Created in partnership with Never Never Distilling Co, this CBD hotspot’s new Thursday night ritual brings together James Bond’s drink of choice (shaken, not stirred, remember?) with a European twist.

Martini connoisseurs can switch between a Classic Gin or Vodka Martini, Oyster Gin Martini or Vesper Martini, each paired with a classic gilda, a small Spanish snack served on a skewer, featuring an anchovie, pickled pepper, and of course, an olive.

Whether you prefer it dirty or dry, The Olive Hours is the perfect opp for after-work drinks or a sophisticated kickstart to an early weekend celebration.

Pretty Woman: The Musical

Her Majesty’s Theatre | June 9 - July 5

Image credit: Adelaide Festival Centre

Everyone's favourite '90s rom-com has arrived at Her Majesty’s Theatre stage with the dazzling stage adaptation - Pretty Woman: The Musical.

Aussie pop icon Samantha Jade takes the lead role of Vivian (made iconically famous by Julia Roberts in the Hollywood film original) alongside Ben Hall, who plays the unassuming businessman-turned-reluctant-love interest, Edward (we're looking at you, Richard Gere), all set to the cathchy original score by Grammy winner Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, with direction and choreography by two-time Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell. It'll be a "big mistake" if you miss this classic in Adelaide. Book tickets here.

After Light

Exchange Lane, The Marriott Hotel Adelaide | Thursdays in WinterImage credit: Charlie Conybeare

As the June sun starts to set earlier and the mercury begins to drop, Adelaide Marriott Hotel’s Exchange Lane is heating things up with After Light - a new night-time winter dining experience that makes going out worth it.

Taking place every Thursday from 4 - 7 p.m., the cozy, yet sophisticated intimate dining experience is whipping up seasonal cocktails and the very-best South Aussie wine, accompanied by bespoke food offerings, all within the warmth of outdoor heating. When the social bug bits, After Light at Exchange Lane is your versatile winter go-to for after-work drinks, catch ups with the gang, or a cute date night with someone special.

Nightcha

Yakisan | Friday & Saturday nights

Image credit: Yakisan

You've heard of yum cha, but now there's Nightcha: Yakisan's new late-night supper club that serves up delish bites of Asian fusion delights (with bubbles, if that's your poison) from 10pm to midnight, on both Friday and Saturday nights. 

With a menu starring champagne, caviar, nigiri, and hand rolls, alongside a high-end cheeseburger and juicy fried chicken, it's the perfect feast for the more stylish night owls among us (or those looking for something other than regretful fast-food beyond 10pm). Praise be.

Mount Lofty House

Adelaide Hills | All Winter

Image credit: Mount Lofty House | Instagram

Ditch city life for a hot minute and turn those winter blues into a weekend of (very well deserved) five-star luxury at the decadent Mount Lofty House. Just a speedy thirty minutes from the CBD and set on thirty acres of lush, immaculate grounds, a stay at this cosy, completely charming vineyard escape is the antidote to those cold, dreary winter morns. Better still, if you book through Hotel Tonight, you'll a) grab a cheeky discount and b) score yourself 10% credit back into your Airbnb account too. A total win win.

Monet to Matisse: Defying Tradition

Art Gallery of South Australia | July 11 - November 8 

Image credit: : Supplied | Toldeo Museum of Art | 'Water Lilies' by Claude Monet c.1922

Fancy seeing a Monet on a Saturday morning in Adelaide? Or a Matisse during the holidays with the kids? Now, you can, thanks to the upcoming Monet to Matisse: Defying Tradition exhibition taking place at the Art Gallery of South Australia (ASGA) from this July. Expect to get up close with some of the world's most famous artworks created by the most influential European and American artists of the 19th and 20th centuries. The line-up is a big one: Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas, Helen Frankenthaler, Henri Matisse, Piet Mondrian, Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot and Vincent van Gogh, from the collection of the Toledo Museum of Art, United States. And, their arrival at ASGA mark an Australia-first for most of these works, making the exhibit an even more must-see.

There's somethings for music lovers too, with the preview night on July 10 featuring a live performance by Australian musician Alexander Flood. Hosted in the Monet to Matisse lounge, expect a high‑energy live show, blending dynamic rhythms with driving bass from the world-class drummer.

To celebrate the exhibit, from July 24 AGSA will kick-start weekly Monet to Matisse Friday Nights events, with each evening featuring a curated line-up of live performances from local musicians, after-hours access to the exhibition, a Taittinger champagne bar, and French-inspired snacks (bon appetit, mes amis). Already on the schedule are performances from DJ duo Ebonyplusdylan, and Adelaide-based beat producer Oisima. Then from August, Friday Nights will link up with Creative Original Music Adelaide, for four nights of weekly musical acts including trumpet and piano duo After Words, ambient electronica musician Georgia Oatley, former ABC Jazz artist-in-residence Ciara Ferguson, and flute and piano virtuosos Fleur Green and Melanie Walters Duo.

Finally, South Australian artists Arlon Hall and Billie Justice Thomson will present a new installation in AGSA’s free activity space The Studio, where visitors are taken on an explorative journey of light, colour, line and shape. From fans of art to music, and French food, there's something here for everyone. Book tickerts here.

Illuminate Adelaide

City-wide | July 1-19

The city's premier winter festival of art and technology, Illuminate Adelaide (1-19 July) returns as curious and innovative as ever, boundary-pushing art and new experiences to spark joy in the cold. You are the controller in Augmented Games, a sprawling interactive play zone taking over the Ridley Centre at Adelaide Showground. In The Lost Art of Listening, audiences join a unique sonic experience as handheld phones become a ‘smartphone choir’. Unsound returns with two nights of experimental music and late night DJ sets, before Supersonic club bursts into Hindley Street Music Hall the next week. Foodies, rejoice! There’s more festival dining than ever, as venues across the city come alive as Illuminate Hosts, and Ocean To Plate brings the bounty of South Australian waters to the table in an immersive experience.

As always, there are all-ages activities in spades. Art shines through the dark in the free City Lights installations stretching all the way to Rymill Park, and Night Visions will transform the Botanic Garden once more. Digital Abyss, by pioneering digital artist Miguel Chevalier, will flood the walls of ILA with an evolving and interactive AI undersea ecosystem, while Universal Kingdom: Ice Age sees megafauna brought to life with puppetry.

Tickets on sale now.

Illuminate Paws Walk 

City Lights Trail | July 6

Image credit: Illuminate

Illuminate Festival has a new event this year, and it’s sure to be a howler. Introducing the Illuminate Paws Walk: a new community event that invites you and your beloved pooch for a night-time stroll (did someone say ‘walkies’?) along the City Lights trail. Starting off at Rymill Park from the Neon Dog Park installation, groups of 250 doggos will set off over eight staggered start times for a once-in-a-life time adventure where you’ll witness all the magical lights and art along this special trail.

Better yet, the walk is in partnership with RSPCA South Australia, with every ticket purchase helping the animal charity to keep doing its important work. Tickets are limited, so get those tails wagging, and book here. Paws up.

7 Paintings Dinner Show

Crowne Plaza Mawson Lakes | April - September

Image: 7 Paintings

Name a better combo than great food and world-class art? We can't either. After a successful stint in Melbourne and Brisbane, 7 Paintings - a gastronomy-meets-art-meets-technology dinner show - has landed in Adelaide. The globally renowned dining experience takes the traditional restaurant meal and turns it into two-and-a-half-hour immersive journey, thanks to a whopping seven courses, each inspired by some of the world's most influential artists: Michelangelo, Banksy, Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, Salvador Dalí and Vincent van Gogh.

Prepared by culinary great Chef KG, diners will tuck into a menu made up of native ingredients (hello, Davidson plum-decorated kangaroo and line-caught barramundi) and fancy international imports such as asil caviar, all the while painting and solving puzzles before the last course ends. One of the tastiest and educational events this year for sure. Book now here.

French at Five

2KW | Last Thursday of every month 2026

Image Credit: 2KW

2KW is turning Thursday evenings into a little slice of rooftop joie de vivre with French at Five — a once‑a‑month wine hour where the ties loosen, the corks fly and French drops take centre stage. Guided by Jono Hersey from The French Wine Centre, guests can dive into a fast‑paced, high‑energy tasting of 4–5 French wines from rotating regions and styles. No lectures, no pretence — just seriously good wine poured with enthusiasm, all against that signature 2KW skyline. Drop in between 5 and 6pm on the last Thursday of each month and let a little French flair lift your week. No need to book.

What's On In Adelaide August 2026

MOULD x PINOT PALOOZA

The Queens Theatre, Playhouse Ln & Gilles Arcade, Adelaide | Friday 28 to Sunday 30 August 2026

Cheese with wine tastes sublime, and the perfect festival pairing heads to Adelaide for the first time, giving us an abundance of both as part of the one experience. That’s over 50 varieties of Australian artisan cheese and more than 50 expressions of Pinot Noir from Australia, New Zealand and beyond, all in the one place! Expect plenty of tastings as well as ready-to-eat bites. There’ll even be pantry staples and grazing essentials up for grabs. If you’re more of a spirit, beer and cocktail vibe, fear not, bars across the event will cater for you too. Salivating yet? A ticket includes festival entry, unlimited cheese and pinot tastings, a complimentary cooler bag for cheese purchases, a stemless wine glass for tastings and a custom wine tote. Session numbers are limited, so secure a spot here.

What's On In Adelaide October 2026

Adelaide Fashion Week

Various Locations | October 7 - 11

Image credit: Supplied | Lucas Dawson

Adelaide is having its very own Devil Wears Prada moment this year, with Adelaide Fashion Week returning to the city this October. Last year's fashion week included iconic moments such as the Acler show at The Loft at Hotel Richmond, and the Future Collective runway featuring The Wolf Gang, Van Brussel, Katya Komarova and 23rd of August. 

While the official 2026 schedule is yet to be released, fashionistas can expect an equally wow-factor programming spanning runways, workshops, talks and dining experiences, bringing the state's best designers and style makers to the forefront for the fashion community to experience and explore. Full program details, including the 2026 runway lineup and associated events, will be announced later in the year. In the words of Miranda Priestly, "That's all."

Strummingbird Festival

Victoria Park, Newington, Victoria | October 10

Image credit: Strummingbird Festival | Supplied 

Strummingbird Festival is back for its second year, touring a stacked lineup of American country stars and homegrown heroes across regional Aus. Topping the bill is cross-genre superstar Post Malone, bringing his Nashville-inspired F-1Trillion to the stage. On support duties are the likes of Bailey Zimmerman, Cooper Alan, Jindabyne local Brad Cox and Cigarettes @ Sunset—plus a stack more on the mammoth program. 

Kicking off in Ballarat on October 10, before heading north to Newcastle on October 17 and finishing the run on the Sunshine Coast on October 18, it’s set to be a toe-tapping, head-banging boogie. We don’t need to tell you that country’s having a comeback, so make sure to grab your presale tickets here on May 13 to lock in the best price.