The Illuminate Adelaide winter festival is set to return, with official programming announced for both the 2025 and 2026 editions.
The event will feature a combination of light installations, interactive experiences, music events, and dining programs across multiple venues in Adelaide.
Festival Dates
The 2025 edition of the festival will run from July 1 to July 19, 2025. The 2026 edition is also scheduled for July 1 to 19, 2026.
Core Program Elements
Interactive Experiences
Augmented Games, a headline experience created by Canadian design studio Moment Factory, will be presented at the Ridley Centre, Adelaide Showground. The installation features eight multiplayer games in which participants use their bodies as controllers, testing agility, memory, and reflexes. The 2026 program describes it as an Australian debut, while the 2025 program lists it as a headline event suitable for all ages and abilities.
Light and Art Installations
- Night Visions: An after-dark trail at the Adelaide Botanic Garden featuring light, lasers, sound, and nature. A dining experience at the Botanic Lodge is included.
- Digital Abyss (2026): An installation by artist Miguel Chevalier that uses artificial intelligence to create evolving marine ecosystems. It is part of the Immersive Light and Art program.
- Universal Kingdom: Ice Age: An illuminated event at Adelaide Zoo featuring ice-age creatures, puppetry, and light installations.
- City Lights: A free trail across North Terrace, Rundle Street, Rymill Park, and the CBD. It features over 50 installations, including illuminated swans and a work titled Birdmen by Close-Act.
Music Events
- Unsound Adelaide: An experimental music festival held in the city's west end, spanning two nights across three venues. The lineup includes local and international artists.
- Supersonic: A music event scheduled for July 18, 2025, at Hindley Street Music Hall. The 2025 lineup is headlined by Skin on Skin (a South Sudanese-born, Brisbane-based DJ) and curated by Motez. Other announced 2025 artists include moktar (Sydney), Stev Zar and Soju Gang (Victoria), and Khuevo (Adelaide).
- Hania Rani (2025): The Polish electronic keyboardist is scheduled to headline a Saturday performance at Hindley Street Music Hall. An Adelaide exclusive collaboration titled Concrete Waves with Suzanne Ciani (UK DJ, actress, composer) is also announced.
- Ancient World Afterparty (2025): An event at Hindley Street featuring DJs Lauren Duffus, Shannon SP, 2K88, DJ Cookie, and Elsie Craig.
Dining Program
The Illuminate Hosts Program includes over 30 venues. Announced immersive dining experiences include:
- Ocean to Plate at the Adelaide Convention Centre.
- Symphony of the Senses with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra at Sofitel.
- A cheese and caviar masterclass at the Adelaide Central Market.
Summary Statistics
The festival is reported to feature over 100 experiences, including 11 world premieres and 11 Adelaide exclusives.
Ticket Information
Tickets for the 2026 edition go on sale April 27.