Top Free Things to do in Adelaide - August 2014
Find Brightly Coloured Mushrooms or Tree Fungus in Kuitpo Forest
On average July is our coldest month in Adelaide, and it has certainly seemed that way lately. August sees the temperatures start to rise slowly as the days get longer, but you can be sure that plenty of people will brave the cold for the
Willunga Almond Blossom Festival on July 26-27 and the Barossa Gourmet Weekend on August 15-17.
Many people who appreciate fine South Australian wines and other goodies from our farms will be out rallying in force on Saturday August 2 to
Protect Our Food Bowl from the risk posed by fracking and mining. There's short term gain from mining, but we need our food production to continue sustainably in the long term without pollution of our soil and ground water.
Parliament House in Adelaide - 1904
You won't even have to leave the metropolitan area for most of this month's free things to do in Adelaide, and fortunately many of the free events are indoors too.
But if you rug up well there are still some magical places to visit in winter like
Kuitpo Forest in the unspoiled
Battunga country. Take a picnic basket, watch for wildlife, look out for colourful mushrooms and fungi to photograph, and enjoy escaping the city. Afterwards you can warm up
at a winery and reward yourself if you choose.
Another lovely place that's a little closer to Adelaide is
Blackwood Forest, where a pine forest sits at the top of the hill. The forest is an eerie place to walk your dog (off leash permitted) while watching for wildlife.
Do you have any special places in Adelaide to visit during winter? If so, please share them with us in the comments.
What's On in Adelaide - Free Events
Free Family Entertainment at Wild at Hart Market
Everyone has heard of the Big Day Out festival, and many have been to one of them. But
A Little Day Out is a new free event with fun things to do especially for Adelaide kids and toddlers, spiced with family entertainment and live music which will also appeal to parents and carers.
Another one day festival is the
Spirited exhibition held by Espionage pop up gallery in Adelaide's Himeji Gardens on Saturday July 27. More a festival than an art exhibition, there's activities for kids of all ages, food trucks, workshops, and games for the whole family.
Watch Port River Dolphins Play Near the Loop Path
Soundpond are also hosting the free
Still Waters art exhibition until August 8 in Adelaide's trendy east end.
Throughout August the
South Australian Living Arts (SALA) festival has free art exhibitions and fun things to do, including several walking tours - one with Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood. Be sure to
book early for these to avoid disappointment. If you're not sure what's on in Adelaide you can find the SALA festival program online or a print version.
August is
Family History Month at the State Library of SA, and they are hosting many free events which will help you find your ancestors and piece together your family tree. It's likely that you will discover that your ancestors fought during World War 1, and you can learn more about that at the free
annual Hawke Lecture at UniSA by Air Chief Marshal Houston, AFC, AC.
Note: booking is required for all these events.
Genealogy SA is also holding a
free Open Day for people researching their Irish family history, and anyone of other backgrounds are welcome too.
One of my favourite free things to do in Adelaide's winter is to explore new markets - especially if they are under cover. There are some new (and newly discovered) markets that our writers have found lately - for retro clothing and vintage fashion, why not try
That Dapper Market or the super cheap
Pre Loved Treasure Shop.
The Engine Order Telegraph on the Steam Tug Yelta
Port Adelaide is now home to the new
Wild at Hart Market, a farmers' market with family entertainment in the iconic Harts Mill precinct. It boasts an
awesome playground next door, with heaps of activities for kids on the unusual new play equipment, and is next to the new
Inner Harbour Loop Path. The Loop Path has been an instant hit with locals - cycling, jogging, skating, skateboarding, scooting, Nordic walking, or just pram pushing around the scenic harbour.
Closer to Adelaide the new
Pratty's Showgrounds Warehouse Market pulls punters every weekend in search of antiques and collectables. It's right next door to the hugely popular
Adelaide Showgrounds Farmers' Market, which only operates on Sundays.
Antiques and Collectibles at Prattys Showgrounds Warehouse Market
Early birds can
see the Super Moon on August 11 at 3.40am, afterwards you might want to try a
Brain Break morning tea for National Science Week.
Not Free, but Fun Things to Do
Get With the Crowd at Cherry Darlings Vegan Bakehouse
While the weather is chilly it's just the time to treat yourself to something tasty at one of the new cafes and bakeries in Adelaide. I enjoyed a delicious inexpensive brunch from
Dear Daisy Cafe's all day breakfast menu recently, and just around the corner the vegan
Cherry Darlings Bakehouse makes an amazing cheeseburger pie - as well as tempting cupcakes and great coffee.
If you really want to treat yourself lavishly try some artisan
locally made chocolate, or sample some exotic
Ethiopian cuisine.
You Won't Pull the Wool Over Their Eyes - at Platform 1 Heritage Farm Railway
Why not escape the city to Littlehampton in the Adelaide Hills, where the kids will love the
Platform 1 railway ride, and the chance to get up close to farm animals? Or take a
Port River cruise on the old steam tug Yelta, and then swing by the Maritime Museum's Rough Medicine Exhibition afterwards?
When it comes to dancing I have two left feet, but does that really matter at a
Charity Ball for the homeless?
Other Things to See and Do in Adelaide
Try Time Travel in Adelaide
If you're still looking for what to do in Adelaide on a winter's day, you can find a heap
more ideas here. Rainy days can pose a problem, but we found a
few opportunities too. Or you could just visit Adelaide's
warmest swimming pool.
Have You Lost Your Tardis, Doctor?
Have you tried
time travelling in Adelaide with the new apps that are available for your smart phone? Or would you rather just stay at home to discover Adelaide's
underground bunkers and tunnels?
Feel free to share your tips for fun things to do in winter in the comments section - we're all up for trying something new.
