The definitive guide to Illuminate Adelaide 2025: Navigating 134 extraordinary experiences

Illuminate Adelaide returns for its fifth edition from 2-20 July 2025, transforming South Australia's capital into a winter wonderland of art, light, music, and technology.

As the chill of winter settles over Adelaide this July, a constellation of light is about to burst forth across the city. For three spellbinding weeks, the fifth edition of Illuminate Adelaide will once again transform the South Australian capital from a winter hibernation zone into a pulsating playground of art, technology, music and immersive experiences.

Horizons at Adelaide Oval

• Date: Friday 18 July
• Location: Adelaide Oval
• Ticket prices: $29-$69

A world premiere and Adelaide exclusive, Horizons is a one-night-only spectacle that will transform Adelaide Oval into a living canvas using hundreds of drones, light, sound, and sky to celebrate South Australia. Taking place on the banks of Karrawirra Parri/River Torrens, this production explores 60,000 years of history through human connection, from the site’s deep cultural significance to the Kaurna People to its future possibilities.

Created through a collaboration between Illuminate Adelaide, Adelaide Oval, AGB Creative, and KOJO, and presented by RAA, Horizons features two of Australia’s leading drone pilots creating mesmerizing aerial displays synchronized with dynamic video animations and dazzling lighting effects. The production promises to be one of the festival’s most spectacular events, combining cutting-edge technology with profound storytelling.

Night Visions at Adelaide Botanic Garden

• Dates: 2-20 July
• Times: Wed-Thu 5:30pm-9pm; Fri-Sun 5:30pm-9:30pm
• Location: Adelaide Botanic Garden
• Ticket prices: $42-$45

An extraordinary sensory journey exclusively conceived by Illuminate Adelaide, Night Visions transforms Adelaide Botanic Garden into a portal of parallel dimensions utilizing cutting-edge light, lasers, projections, and sound. This self-guided immersive experience leads visitors along a curated 2km path where iconic locations like Ficus Avenue and the Bicentennial Conservatory shape-shift into alternate realities.

Night Visions brings together an impressive team of visual and audio luminaries including UK light sculpture artist Amelia Kosminsky, Melbourne audio-visual creator Robin Fox, and Sydney’s site-responsive projection artist Craig Walsh. South Australian talents are also featured prominently with Jayden Sutherland (The Bakery Design Co) and Adelaide lighting designer Chris Petridis working alongside Melbourne composer and sound designer Jethro Woodward to create a truly otherworldly experience.

For those wanting to enhance their Night Visions journey, The Botanic Lodge Experience offers a special dinner package ($135) featuring a curated menu in a unique lakefront setting nestled between key installations.

Universal Kingdom: The Next Era at Adelaide Zoo

• Dates: 3-20 July
• Times: Thu-Sun, 5:30pm, 6:30pm and 7:30pm sessions
• Location: Adelaide Zoo
• Ticket prices: $29-$36 (under 4 free with $0.00 ticket)

The prehistoric world roars back to life in this spectacular after-dark experience that transports visitors to the age of dinosaurs. As the second installment in the Universal Kingdom trilogy, this year’s adventure brings prehistoric creatures to life in ways never seen before, making it perfect for families and anyone fascinated by these ancient giants.

Created by renowned creative studios A Blanck Canvas and Erth, the experience begins with a breathtaking illuminated dinosaur skeleton entrance before leading to encounters with towering Triceratops, mighty T-Rex, and other awe-inspiring dinosaurs. Interactive experiences abound throughout the journey, with opportunities to pat baby dinosaurs, race against raptors, and help children unearth ancient fossils in a specially designed kids’ zone.

Free Program

City Lights

• Dates: 4-20 July
• Times: 5:30pm-10:30pm
• Locations: Various across Adelaide CBD including Rundle Street, Festival Plaza, North Terrace
• Cost: FREE

Adelaide’s winter nights transform with more than 40 installations and performances across 17 spectacular evenings. Running nightly from 5:30pm, City Lights showcases work from local, national, and international artists throughout the CBD—from Adelaide’s vibrant East End to Festival Plaza, Government House, Bonython Hall, and the Art Gallery of South Australia.

The 2025 program brings together a diverse range of light-based artistic expressions and interactive elements. Spanish artist Javier Riera transforms Government House’s gardens into a contemplative light experience, while UK installation This Is Loop creates a reflective circle of chaos and order made from 75 mirrors and 14,000 pixels. Performance art enters the program with visually striking Illuminated Angels by Melbourne’s Born in a Taxi floating through city streets and France’s Compagnie des Quidams presenting giant roaming illuminated horses.

Interactive installations feature prominently this year, including VOICES by South Australian collective Pulsing Heart, UK’s expansive SomniUs by Illumaphonium, and the epic Lightbattle III light-cycle showdown on bikes from Dutch studio Venividimultiplex. Rundle Street will become its own illuminated wonderland with large-scale interactive installations throughout Adelaide’s East End.

Base Camp at Lot Fourteen

• Dates: 3-20 July (closed Mondays)
• Times: Nightly from 5pm until late
• Location: Lot Fourteen, North Terrace
• Cost: FREE

Illuminate Adelaide’s beloved late-night hub returns to Lot Fourteen on North Terrace, serving as both a perfect starting point and ending point for festival exploration. This vibrant village of flavor, sound, and light features a curated selection of Adelaide’s most exciting food and beverage experiences, from bold street food to plant-based options.

Showcasing South Australia’s rich culinary talent, Base Camp includes more than 10 food vendors such as Gang Gang, Sneaky Cheetah, and Cheesy Street. The hub creates a festive atmosphere where visitors can warm up on chilly winter nights while connecting with other festival-goers. Its central location makes it an ideal meeting point before heading out to experience the city’s illuminated wonders or a relaxing spot to unwind after an evening of exploration.

Offline Club

• Dates: 5-13 July
• Locations: Various, including The Pear Café, Queens Theatre, McGregors, Paper Shell Farm, LUMEN BAR
• Ticket prices: Hangouts $25; XL Event $35; Paper Shell Farm Lunch $55

The Dutch digital detox initiative Offline Club comes to Australia for the first time in an exclusive series of experiences at Illuminate Adelaide. In a world dominated by screens and digital noise, Offline Club invites guests to step away from their devices and rediscover the joy of real-world connection through curated phone-free experiences.

Founded in Amsterdam by Ilya Kneppelhout, Jordy van Bennekom, and Valentijn Klok, the program offers three distinct formats. Hangouts (running Saturday 5, Thursday 10 & Saturday 12 July) create cozy gathering spaces for mindful activities including journaling, art, and conversation without digital distractions. The Paper Shell Farm Lunch (Sunday 6 July) elevates the concept with a shared dining experience featuring a curated menu, tree planting activities, and live music.

For the most comprehensive experience, the XL Event (Sunday 13 July) transforms LUMEN BAR at Adelaide University into a large-scale phone-free environment featuring multiple activity zones. Participants can explore reading nooks, engage with interactive art installations, and join facilitated discussions—all without the constant pull of notifications and screens.

Music Program

Unsound Adelaide

• Dates: Friday 11 & Saturday 12 July
• Times:
  • Friday: Unsound Adelaide Part 1, 7pm-3am
  • Saturday: Unsound Adelaide Part 2, 8pm-12am
  • Saturday: Unsound Closing Party, 11pm-5am
• Locations: Lion Arts Factory, Hindley Street Music Hall, Ancient World
• Ticket prices: $49-$150

The Southern Hemisphere’s only outpost of Europe’s cult experimental music festival Unsound returns over two electrifying nights with its most impressive lineup yet. This year features legendary Velvet Underground founding member John Cale, improvisational US noise duo Yellow Swans (in their first-ever Australian appearance), German producer and DJ Wolfgang Voigt presenting his influential GAS project, and UK electronic musician aya with her new show Hexed!

Friday’s program at Lion Arts Factory brings together a global lineup of boundary-pushing artists, beginning with the innovative percussion and electronic grooves collaboration between Valentina Magaletti and DJ Nídia. The night continues with the Andean-influenced sounds of LOS THUTHANAKA, followed by aya’s genre-defying Hexed! performance and culminating in Yellow Swans’ powerful noise explorations. After midnight, the venue transforms into Unsound Club with sets from First Nations artist DJ PGZ, UK underground mainstays Raime, and Nídia.

Saturday shifts to Hindley Street Music Hall where two legends from different musical worlds headline the evening. John Cale, whose influential career spans from the Velvet Underground to his visionary solo work, will perform material from across his storied discography. Wolfgang Voigt’s exclusive A/V presentation of his ambient-techno GAS project promises to be equally mesmerizing, with rising band Moin completing the lineup. The festivities continue at Ancient World for the Unsound Closing Party featuring unique DJ sets alongside local Adelaide talent.

Supersonic

• Date: Saturday 19 July
• Time: 5pm-5am
• Locations: ACE Gallery, Ancient World, ILA, Jive, Lion Arts Factory, Nexus Arts, Mercury Cinema
• Ticket prices: $35-$80

A brand-new music event taking over Adelaide’s West End for one night only, Supersonic presents 17 artists across seven venues for a truly immersive musical journey. This multi-layered festival spans 12 hours, allowing audiences to move between free and ticketed events featuring live performances, DJ sets, and film screenings throughout the night.

The diverse lineup showcases both emerging and established talent across multiple genres and disciplines. Highlights include performances from Alycia Bennett, Chela Betty, Memphis LK, Marcus Whale, and Motez, who will curate a special techno program at Lion Arts Factory. The Mercury Cinema hosts The Sound of Revolution Film Program, curated by Shalom Almond, offering extended music documentaries and visual work for those seeking a more contemplative festival experience.

Supersonic creates a dynamic environment where festival-goers can craft their own unique musical journey, moving between venues and discovering new sounds throughout the night. From indie performances to experimental electronic music, the inaugural event aims to energize Adelaide’s nighttime culture and spotlight the city’s West End as a creative hub.

Kiasmos

• Date: Friday 18 July
• Time: Doors 8pm
• Location: Hindley Street Music Hall, 149 Hindley Street
• Ticket prices: $59-$69

Experimental Icelandic techno duo Kiasmos bring their acclaimed live show to Illuminate Adelaide for a one-night-only performance. Comprising good friends Ólafur Arnalds and Janus Rasmussen, Kiasmos create a unique blend of minimal techno and orchestral flourishes that has won them global acclaim and a devoted following.

Their performance delivers what critics have called an “emotional rave” experience—music that’s both emotionally evocative and wildly infectious on the dance floor. With their seamless fusion of electronic beats and neoclassical sensibilities, the duo’s return to Australia after more than eight years promises to be an exhilarating multi-sensory performance featuring immersive live visuals that perfectly complement their hypnotic sound.

10-Minute Dance Parties

• Dates: 3-20 July (closed Mondays)
• Times: Tue-Sun from 5pm, sessions every 20 minutes
• Location: Base Camp, Lot Fourteen
• Ticket prices: $15

A high-energy, immersive pop-up experience inside a shipping container at Lot Fourteen, 10-Minute Dance Party offers the perfect burst of joy and release during the festival. Popular Melbourne-based artist and DJ Jof O’Farrell invites guests to step inside a fun-filled lighting extravaganza and let loose for 10 electric minutes surrounded by pumping beats, immersive lighting, and pure party vibes.

This all-ages event celebrates the universal nature of dance and the social aspect of its importance within the community. Whether used as an energizing start to an evening of exploration or a celebratory finale to a night of experiences, the dance party creates a concentrated dose of festival energy in an intimate, judgment-free space. Collaborating with three rotating DJs throughout the season, O’Farrell ensures each 10-minute experience offers a fresh and exhilarating escape.

Immersive Experiences

Streetlights and Long Nights

• Dates: 15-20 July
• Times: Tue-Fri 6pm & 8pm, Sat-Sun 5:30pm & 7:30pm
• Location: Waterside Workers Hall, 11 Nile Street, Port Adelaide
• Ticket prices: $25

A powerful new immersive audio work making its world premiere at Illuminate Adelaide, Streetlights and Long Nights explores the intimate conversations that unfold after dark. Developed by South Australian artists Isobel Marmion, Dr Sarah Peters, and Sascha Budimski, and presented by Vitalstatistix, this innovative installation creates a uniquely atmospheric experience in Port Adelaide.

Participants are seated in stationary vintage cars near the Port Adelaide waterfront, wearing headphones that immerse them in carefully crafted audio narratives. The work blends video, sound, and light to transform the historic Workers Hall car park into a deeply immersive environment that evokes the feeling of late-night conversations and connections. The experience invites audiences to reminisce and relish the specific atmosphere that emerges when people open up to each other in dark, slightly unexpected places.

Ecstatic Utopian Fantasy

• Dates: 18 June-20 August (live performance on Saturday 5 July 7pm-9pm)
• Location: ART POD, Adelaide City Council Offices, Pirie St, Adelaide
• Cost: FREE

A groundbreaking video-sculpture installation by multidisciplinary light artist House of Vnholy makes its world premiere at ART POD. This ambitious collaborative work brings together House of Vnholy with acclaimed noise duo Messianic Gloss, Capital Waste Pictures, Miles Dunne, and Melbourne’s extreme metal vocalists Karina Utomo and Marcus Ian McKenzie to explore themes of utopia, dystopia, and the evolving landscapes we inhabit.

As part of City of Adelaide’s ART POD Residency, House of Vnholy begins constructing micro-world dystopian dioramas from late June, with scenes filmed by Capital Waste Pictures becoming the backdrop of the performance installation during Illuminate Adelaide. Live feed cameras will capture the staging of sound, light, and performance artists, building layers upon these foundational images to create a constantly evolving artistic environment.

The installation can be viewed throughout its extended run, but the special live performance on Saturday 5 July offers a rare opportunity to experience all elements of this multimedia project simultaneously, as the artists transform the space through real-time intervention and performance.

Culinary Experiences

Winter Forest

• Presenter: ILA Immersive Table Series

From the ILA Immersive Table Series, Winter Forest brings seasonal storytelling and sensory design to the dining table in one of the festival’s most unique culinary events. This immersive dining experience surrounds participants with mesmerizing moving visuals and layered soundscapes that transform the atmosphere throughout the meal.

Each course of the carefully curated menu reflects aspects of the winter landscape, with flavors, presentations, and accompanying sensory elements designed to enchant diners and spark imagination. The marriage of gastronomy with multi-sensory art creates a truly distinctive way to experience winter’s essence, offering a more intimate and reflective counterpoint to the festival’s larger-scale productions.

Chalk Hill Wines Sensory Odyssey Experience

• Location: McLaren Vale, Alpha Crucis Lounge
• Days: Every Wednesday (two exclusive sittings)

Located in the picturesque hills of McLaren Vale, this immersive wine tasting takes participants beyond the traditional cellar door experience. The Sensory Odyssey pairs five distinctive Chalk Hill wines with a specially curated musical soundtrack, creating a multi-sensory journey that explores how sound, smell, and texture shape our perception and enjoyment of wine.

Hosted in the elegant Alpha Crucis Lounge, these exclusive tastings run every Wednesday throughout the festival with two limited sittings per day. The experience offers a perfect daytime complement to the evening-focused festival program and provides an opportunity to explore the relationship between sensory inputs in a beautiful regional setting just outside Adelaide.

Illuminate Hosts

• Dates: 2-20 July
• Locations: LUMEN Bar (Adelaide University), Garçon Bleu (Sofitel), 2KW, Monica, East End Cellars, Mother Vine, Station Road, Aurora, NOLA, West Oak, Botanic Lodge, and Adelaide Central Market

Debuting in 2025, Illuminate Hosts is Illuminate Adelaide’s brand-new culinary program featuring exclusive dining experiences at some of Adelaide’s best restaurants and bars. Running throughout the festival, this initiative showcases South Australia’s iconic venues and culinary talents with special creative offerings designed specifically for festival attendees.

The program pairs Adelaide’s top restaurants with bespoke, limited-edition menu items and immersive experiences that complement the festival’s themes of light, innovation, and transformation. Participating venues span the spectrum from university bars to high-end restaurants, ensuring options for every taste and budget.

As part of this program, Adelaide Central Market will transform into a glowing hub of light and celebration with immersive art installations and performances throughout the space. Market vendors will offer exclusive Illuminate Adelaide-inspired winter warmers—delicious seasonal bites that match the creativity of the surrounding experience and provide sustenance for festival exploration.

For more information, head here.

This article was made in partnership with Illuminate Adelaide.