What’s On in Adelaide This Month: Your October Guide

Spring has arrived and with it comes longer days, warmer afternoons and a fresh line-up of events. From festivals to food, new openings and more, make October the perfect month to explore Adelaide’s culture and community — all while celebrating the energy of a new season.

Start mapping out your calendar with our guide to what’s on in Adelaide this month.

What’s On in Adelaide This Month: Don’t Miss

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LIV Golf Announces New Digs for 2027

LIV Golf is on the move, and its 2027 stage is one of South Australia’s finest. Taking over from Grange Golf Club, Kooyonga Golf Club has long been a cornerstone of Australian golf, earning a rank among the nation’s top 20 courses. With its undulating sand hills and championship pedigree, it’s hosted six Australian Opens, legends of the game — including The Big Three: Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player — and now it’s teeing up to take the international tournament to new heights.

May Terrace, Lockleys

Once-In-A-Lifetime Art Experience Coming to Adelaide

Adelaide has scored a major art world coup — and it comes with a brushstroke of history. Next winter, Monet to Matisse: Defying Tradition exclusively lands at the Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA), bringing 57 masterpieces from Ohio’s renowned Toledo Museum of Art — and yes, many have never been seen in Australia.

The star of the show? Vincent van Gogh’s Wheat Fields with Reaper, Auvers, arriving in Australia for the very first time. Painted in the final months of Van Gogh’s life, this luminous work captures a golden harvest with all the intensity and colour that made him a legend. Alongside Van Gogh, you’ll encounter works by the most influential European and American artists of the 19th and 20th centuries, including Claude Monet’s dreamy Water Lilies and Henri Matisse’s vibrant Dancer Resting.

Running from July to November 2026, the exhibition is the blockbuster debut of AGSA’s new Winter Art Series, and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to stand before works that changed art forever.

July 11th to November 8th, 2026

Art Gallery of South Australia, 490 North Terrace, Adelaide 

Tickets can be purchased here.

Once-In-A-Lifetime Comet Lights Up Aussie Skies

Newly discovered comet, C/2025 R2 (SWAN), is swinging by for a rare cameo across the Southern Hemisphere. Making its closest approach to Earth around October 20th, small binoculars will give you the best view, and under dark, clear skies, some lucky stargazers might even spot it with the naked eye. Comets don’t hang around for long, so take a moment to sweep the western horizon near Mars and constellations Libra–Virgo for this once-in-a-lifetime sky show — yep, the experts think this cosmic traveller will take more than 20,000 years to orbit the Sun. Don’t blink, or you’ll miss it!

First Look Inside Thebarton Theatre’s Multi-Million-Dollar Makeover

Fondly known as Thebby, this heritage-listed gem has been a cornerstone of Adelaide’s live music scene for nearly a century. Today, the iconic venue has unveiled stage one of its long-awaited $8-million dollar transformation. Breathing fresh life into the beloved theatre while keeping its charm intact, the new look marks the start of an exciting new chapter for the legendary space, set to reopen in October.

112 Henley Beach Road, Torrensville

What’s On in Adelaide This Month: Festivals, Entertainment & Culture

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WOMADelaide Just Dropped Its First 2026 Headliner

Baker Boy is officially coming to WOMADelaide 2026. The proud Yolŋu man and hip-hop legend brings the only Adelaide show of his newly announced tour to Botanic Park / Tainmuntilla, performing tracks from his latest album DJANDJAY. From ARIA Awards to the AFL Grand Final and stages worldwide, he’s earned his crown as the Fresh Prince of Arnhem Land. Stay tuned — more lineup drops are coming very, very soon!

WOMADelaide, March 8th, 2026

Botanic Park/Tainmuntilla, Plane Tree Drive, Adelaide 

Subscriber tickets are on sale now.

Harvest Rock 2025

After taking 2024 off in what’s been a tough run for festivals, Harvest Rock is coming back swinging. On October 25th and 26th, 2025 Rymill and King Rodney Parks will transform into a two-day feast of music, food and wine. Saturday serves up Aussie-exclusive sets from The Strokes and The War on Drugs, with Vance Joy, M.I.A., Wolfmother, The Presets and more in tow. Sunday’s all about Jelly Roll, Royel Otis, PNAU, Shaboozey and Ministry of Sound Classical, accompanied by a killer mix of homegrown and global acts. Add in the Amuse-Bouche Stage — a sensory playground where chefs, comedians, podcasters, and musicians collide — and it’s clear, Harvest Rock is back to remind us how it’s done.

October 25th & 26th, 2025

Rymill Park/Murlawirrapurka, East Terrace, Adelaide

Find the full lineup and more ticket information here.

Oktoberfest in the Gardens

Raise your steins — Oktoberfest is back! Australia’s biggest Bavarian blowout, Oktoberfest in the Gardens, is coming to Adelaide — with more froth, food, and fun than ever. Think authentic German beers, wines, cider, and food stalls, plus all your local faves… and a cheeky surprise for the Adelaide crew. It’s time to dust off those Lederhosen and Dirndls!

October 4th, 2025

Pinky Flat, War Memorial Drive, North Adelaide

Tickets can be purchased here.

Cirque du Soleil – Corteo

It’s showtime! Cirque du Soleil brings Corteo under the Big Top at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Imagine a clown dreaming up his own funeral in a carnival parade — joy, comedy, acrobatics, and heart collide in a world suspended between heaven and earth. With acrobatics that defy gravity, hand-painted Eiffel Tower-inspired curtains, and a central stage giving a performer’s-eye view, every seat feels like the best seat in the house.

October 2nd to 5th, 2025

Adelaide Entertainment Centre, 98 Port Road, Hindmarsh

Tickets can be purchased here.

Marking Adelaide’s 10th year as a UNESCO City of Music, the Adelaide Guitar Festival returns with a jam-packed program of world premieres, international debuts, and performances by guitar icons and rising stars. From John Butler, Troy Cassar-Daley and Nancy Bates at Her Majesty’s Theatre, to a one-night-only tribute to Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti, and an exclusive double bill with Catalonia’s Lau Noah and Australia’s Lior, the festival is set to strike a chord. Elder Hall hosts global names and the International Classical Guitar Competition, while Guitars in Bars and the On the Road series take the music beyond the city. Plus, under 30s score $30 tickets to select shows.

September 10th to October 12th, 2025

Various venues

See the full program here.

CATS 40th Australian Anniversary Tour

The 40th Australian Anniversary of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s record-breaking musical CATS lands at Her Majesty’s Theatre from September 20th. Gabriyel Thomas stars as glamour cat Grizabella, with Todd McKenney, Mark Vincent, Lucy Maunder and a stellar feline crew bringing an adaption of TS Eliot’s classic to life in a whirlwind of music, dance and magic.

September 20th to October 12th, 2025

Her Majesty’s Theatre, 58 Grote Street, Adelaide

Book tickets here.

TIMELIGHT — “Beyond Our Ticking World”

In a world premiere, the minds behind EDEN, Immersive Light & Art (ILA) and Berlin’s flora&faunavisions bring TIMELIGHT — “Beyond Our Ticking World” to Adelaide. Step inside 110m² of wall-to-wall LED screens with over 12.5 million pixels and get ready to play with ‘time’. Movement, touch and sound become your tools for interaction in this bold, high-energy, sensory playground.

September 26th to October 26th

63 Light Square, Adelaide

Tickets can be purchased here.

What’s On in Adelaide This Month: Food & Drink

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CheeseFest 2025

Celebrating 20 years in 2025, CheeseFest brings the best of South Australia’s artisan cheesemakers, food producers, winemakers, distillers and brewers together for a foodie weekend like no other. Taste, nibble, meet the makers, and get lost in all things gooey, creamy, and delicious. Matt Preston returns as Master of Fromage, joined by MasterChef 2025 winner Laura Sharrad, runner-up Callum Hann, and more on the demo stage. With live music, masterclasses and tastings galore, CheeseFest is a must for friends, family, and food lovers alike — perhaps just not the lactose-intolerant!

October 18th & 19th, 2025

Rundle Park/Kadlitpina, Rundle Road and East Terrace, Adelaide

Tickets can be purchased here.

Lucky Dumpling Market

Elder Park/Tarntanya Wama transforms into a riverside wonderland of Asian street food for the return of the Lucky Dumpling Market. A joint venture from OzAsia Festival and the team at Gluttony, you’re invited to taste your way through bubble tea, baos, noodles, dumplings, and delicious eats from the Philippines, China, Thailand, India, Japan, Nepal, Korea, Vietnam, and more. This year, three exciting new vendors join 25 returning faves: Just Sticks’ giant squid skewers, Xeo Xeo’s sizzling Vietnamese pancakes, and Please Send Noods’ Italian–Asian fusion noodles. Enjoy free entertainment Thursday to Sunday with live music, DJs, cultural performances, films, games, and family fun. Grab your crew and let the dumplings take over.

October 17th to November 9th, 2025

Elder Park/Tarntanya Wama, King William Road, Adelaide

Free entry

The Sugar Man Begins Sweet New Chapter

Hutt Street’s beloved The Sugar Man is turning the page — after years of dazzling us with pastries and chocolates, the team closed their doors for research, redesigns, and a full refresh. The ovens cooled and now The Sugar Man Gelato is scooping from October 10th, 2025. Expect the unexpected, there’s no fake pastes or gels here, just local, traceable Aussie ingredients doing the heavy lifting — yuzu grown in NSW, South Australian hand-churned jersey butter and Yarra Valley hazelnuts. Tiramisu leads the lineup, with a cheeky glance at the menu board revealing vanilla bean, Thai basil, and Sangiovese flavours, too. It’s the same passion, same quality, now frozen and ready to blow your mind.

Re-opening October 10th, 2025, 197 Hutt St, Adelaide 

Pistachio Party at Tutto Cucina + Bar

Tutto Cucina + Bar is going full-on green for a Sicilian-inspired pistachio takeover. Expect a pistachio-packed menu with spaghetti al Sicilian pesto di pistachio and creamy burrata, a zesty blood orange and pistachio ‘Tuttomisu’, and house-made Sicilian pistachio gelato. Cocktails get the nutty treatment too, with pistachio negroni, spritz, and a decadent dolce martini. Lunch or dinner, dishes from $12 — it’s the perfect excuse to indulge in some pistachio bliss.

October, 2025

55 Waymouth Street, Adelaide

88 O’Connell Rooftop Restaurant Opens

This month, powerhouse duo Adam Liston (formerly SORA and Shobosho) and Nate Scutter take the reins at Yakisan, a Japanese/Korean-inspired restaurant and bar. Inside, an open kitchen sits at the heart of the space, while outside, guests can dine amid a curated Japanese garden. A sky deck stretches across the precinct, perfect for private events. On the menu, expect Bluefin tuna nigiri, Wagyu tataki, and seasonal creations highlighting local produce, paired with sake, premium soju, inventive cocktails, and a thoughtfully curated wine list.

Opening October, 2025

88 O’Connell Street, North Adelaide

East End Cellars Norwood Relaunches As Lola’s

East End Cellars Norwood is no more — meet Lola’s. Still at 88 Magill Road, this six-day-a-week spot blends wine bar, cocktail lounge, and neighbourhood bistro vibes in one unpretentious, all-day hangout. Nibble on small eats like oysters and grilled mushrooms with rayu or mains like pork milanese and mussels with sobrasada, washed down with cocktails, wine, or takeaway drinks. With vinyl DJs, occasional disco nights, and chic, moody interiors by Adrian Condina inspired by the romance of wine, Lola’s is your new eastern suburbs HQ.

Opening October 3rd, 2025

88 Magill Road, Norwood

What’s On in Adelaide This Month: Getaway & Wellness

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Love Athletica Opens Adelaide’s Biggest Hot Mat Studio

The biggest Hot Mat Pilates studio in Adelaide is coming to Norwood. Love Athletica’s new flagship space opens this month, expanding to meet months of high demand. With 40+ mats, infrared heat, moody mirrors, luxe interiors, curated playlists, iced tea, and signature cool mist, it’s more than a workout — it’s a full-sensory experience.

Opening October 6th, 2025

100 Magill Road, Norwood

Now that you know what’s on in Adelaide this month, you can fill up your social calendar with endless options for good times! Looking for more inspo? Discover the best spots for food and drink, including where to get an excellent coffee in Adelaide.