Adelaide, SA, Australia - Day 5
Sunday, February 23, 2025
Our day in Adelaide started with a morning walk, breakfast, and a trip to the farmer’s market. Andi and I decided to let Tory and Aden sleep in this morning, and made the walk to the Adelaide Showgrounds by ourselves. Yesterday was a very warm day in Adelaide, but the weather was perfect this morning. A bright, crisp 70-degree start to the day.
Andi suggested we stop by a cafe for breakfast on our walk to the farmer’s market. He ordered a pickle plate for his breakfast with a selection of chunky bread, mustard, cheese, ham, and pickles. Different, but really tasty! I had a yogurt and fruit bowl with muesli.
By 9:00am, we made our way to the Adelaide Showgrounds for the Sunday farmer’s market. This gathering of fruit, vegetable, and meat vendors featured a variety of products local to the area. We couldn’t believe the long line for the gluten free stand! It was at least 50 people deep. There were a few food stalls selling coffee and breakfast foods as well.
Afterwards, Andi and I walked back to our apartment in Adelaide’s CBD. We passed through several of Adelaide’s Parkland green spaces and saw sports teams, people exercising, and families at the playground. Just shows, people are the same wherever you are in the world.
One thing Andi and I did find interesting were the basketball hoops. Huge crowds were gathered around sporting courts and at first, we couldn’t figure out what game the kids were playing. When we got closer, we realized it was basketball but there were no backboards on these hoops (or “rings” as they’re called in Australia).
This afternoon, we planned to attend the Adelaide Fringe Festival — an annual arts festival featuring performances, comedy, circus, and music. It’s the largest arts festival in the Southern Hemisphere! There are hundreds of Fridge events taking place over the next month geared toward every age. I purchased 4 tickets for a rhythmic percussion performance by the Junkyard Beats taking place at Gluttony in Rymill Park. Several of Adelaide’s Parklands have been transformed into outdoor event venues for Adelaide Fringe.
We’ve heard the buzz around town about Fringe, but didn’t quite realize the enormity of the event until we arrived there this afternoon. Rymill Park, where the Junkyard Beats show was taking place, was fenced in all around. As we walked inside the gate, we saw several large marquee tents erected as event venues. Different shows were taking place underneath each one of the tents. The rest of the park grounds were filled with food stalls and seating. Wow! We had no idea this huge event was set up inside the fencing. Entry was free; only the shows and any food/beverage purchases were charged.
We had about 20 minutes before the Junkyard Beats show started, so Andi bought some dumplings and chips (french fries) for he and Aden to share. There were a plethora of food stands — Argentinian meats, dumplings, tacos, Thai food, bubble tea, and more.
Most of the crowd were families, but Fringe events happen all day and night, so I’m sure the vibe changes into the evening.
The Junkyard Beats show started promptly at 1:30pm. The show featured four stage performers who used everyday household items to create music & beats through drumming, hiphop dance, beat boxing, and comedy. It was tricky selecting a show that was age-appropriate for a tween & teen, but I think I did alright. The show was fast-paced and engaging. I know Aden enjoyed it; he loves music.
After the show, we walked across the street to the Garden of Unearthly Delights, the heart of Fringe’s festival atmosphere. Inside this park area were more food stalls, carnival rides, clothing booths, and sideshow attractions. We spent the next few hours wandering through the park grounds, riding carnival rides, and eating classic Aussie fair and gourmet street foods.
I’m so glad we decided to see a show at Adelaide Fringe, and had the opportunity to experience the Gluttony and Garden of Unearthly Delights venues. The four of us had such a fun afternoon soaking up the festival culture, eating fair foods, and enjoying the gorgeous 75 & sunny weather. People were so kind, and the venues were spotlessly clean.
Believe it or not, we found ourselves at another fro-yo place on our walk home from Fringe. Tory is obsessed with frozen yogurt on this trip, and there seems to be one on every street corner in mainland Australia. We’ve decided that we like Yo-Bar the best because it has the most toppings.
None of us were hungry for dinner after all that we ate at Fringe. I made a snack plate of cheese, fruit, & crackers later this evening and we watched a few episodes of Schitt’s Creek together back at our apartment.
A great day in Adelaide.
