Bright Lights, Big City: Illuminate Adelaide 2025 Guide
Illuminate Adelaide is turning out city into an experimental, sensory-driven playground that’s waiting to be explored from July 2-20. Are you ready?
Night Visions
Image Tyr Liang Xplorer Studio
Taking over the Adelaide Botanic Garden for three weeks, Night Visions is a new after-dark experience that acts as a portal to parallel worlds where anything is possible. This cutting-edge light spectacular uses lasers, lights, projections, and sound to take you on an immersive journey that reimagines the world around you. There are seven zones featuring work from local and international artists that will leave you breathless and questioning your reality.
July 2–20 | Adelaide Botanic Garden | Tickets
Horizon
Image AGB Creative
Adelaide Oval transforms into a spectacular light show when Horizons takes over the famous sporting ground for one night only. A state-of-the-art lighting show, complete with drones, audio and screen technology, this event tells the story of South Australia’s past, present and future. Horizons celebrates the deep connection the Kaurna People have to the banks of Karrawirra Parri/The River Torrens and is a celebration of human connection. The first show sold out, with limited tickets remaining for the second. Grab yours quickly before they’re all snapped up.
July 18 | Adelaide Oval | Tickets
Universal Kingdom: The Next Era
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Universal Kingdom: The Next Era is the latest thrilling instalment in this after-dark dinosaur adventure at the Adelaide Zoo. Part puppet show, part immersive light installation, this one will have the kids wide-eyed as you journey back in time to the Mesozoic Era and come face to face with prehistoric giants like the mighty three-horned Triceratops, soaring Pterodactyl and rampaging Tyrannosaurus Rex. There’s even a dino petting zoo and the chance to race a raptor in this prehistoric paradise.
July 3–20 | Adelaide Zoo | Tickets
City Lights
Image illumaphonium
The constant in Illuminate Adelaide’s ever-evolving lineup of immersive experiences, City Lights turns the CBD into a series of interactive encounters, gobsmacking projections and incredible roaming performances crafted by creatives from across the globe. Start your journey at Festival Plaza and make your way down North Terrace before ending in the heart of Adelaide’s East End with Rundle Illuminations. Highlights include Studio Toer’s Spring Vibes on Brookman Lawns, North Terrace and Universal Everything’s Migrations at the State Library of South Australia Forecourt.
July 4-20 | Adelaide CBD | Free
Supersonic
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Adelaide’s newest festival is being touted as the “ultimate music, art and film takeover.” Taking place across seven iconic venues in the West End – Adelaide Contemporary Experimental, Ancient World, The Lab at ILA, Jive, Lion Arts Factory, Nexus Arts and Mercury Cinema – expect everything from live music to art installations. There’s a curated screening of music docos by acclaimed director Shalom Almond at Mercury Cinema, while local legend Motez is hosting a late-night club takeover of Lion Arts Factory. Artists performing across the venues include Frank Yamma, NELYA, Memphis LK, Hello Moto and many more.
July 19 | Adelaide Contemporary Experimental, Ancient World, The Lab at ILA, Jive, Lion Arts Factory, Nexus Arts and Mercury Cinema | Tickets
UNSOUND ADELAIDE
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Unsound never fails to disappoint, and this year’s edition is an absolute belter! Held across two nights in three venues, expect to be blown away by some of the world’s most intriguing experimental artists. Program highlights include US electronic duo Yellow Swans, reunited after a 15 year hiatus, Italian multi-instrumentalist Valentina Magaletti and Afro-Portuguese beat-maker and DJ Nídia, German electronic musician Wolfgang Voigt, presenting GAS live — an audiovisual headtrip, and legendary artist and member of The Velvet Underground, John Cale.
July 11–12 | Lion Arts Factory, Hindley Street Music Hall & Ancient World | Tickets
