Events around South Australia in 2026

Posted 23 July, 2026 the sa move team

Each month, sa move brings you our pick of SA events that everyone should have on their calendar.

August 2026

August is going to be a cracker of a month for events, whether you’re revving up, rugging up or living it up. Here’s what’s happening across SA.

1. SALA Festival

When: 1–31 August
Where: Various locations

Art isn’t confined to beautifully lit walls inside peaceful galleries. The South Australian Living Artists Festival (SALA) is back in 2026, celebrating thousands of local visual artists from across the state since 1998.

The art of 10,000 artists is taking over in the month of August at more than 700 venues statewide, from sheds and schools to cafes, wineries and more. Hear from local artists at the Art Gallery of South Australia, support talented high school class exhibitions, and find your next favourite piece in your local gallery, shop, business or café.

2. Fleurieu Food Festival

When: 1–31 August
Where: Fleurieu Peninsula

Pack your stretchy pants because it’s time to savour the flavours of the Fleurieu Peninsula all month long. Long lunches, chef-led dining events and hands-on workshops are just some of the indulgences you can enjoy at the Fleurieu Food Festival.

Spice up your calendar by dipping into locally produced cheese melted to fondue perfection. Learn how to craft your own gourmet sausages or test your tastebuds in the Brew and Burn Hot Wing challenge, quelling the flames with a pint of craft beer.

3. Crystal Brook Show

When: 8 August
Where: Crystal Brook Showgrounds

Shake off winter and celebrate at the State’s first country show of the spring season. Enjoy a wholesome day out at the Crystal Brook Show, brimming with community spirit and country hospitality.

Take part in the scarecrow competition, explore hundreds of exhibits showcasing local talent, browse trade sites and sample delicious food. Kids will love the giant sandpit, oversized games, petting zoo and show rides, and everyone will get a kick out of the Grand Parade and the Ute Muster.

4. Top Dog Film Festival 2026

When: 8 August
Where: Capri Theatre

No need to sniff out what’s on this weekend because the Top Dog Film Festival is the pick of the litter. This ‘paw-sitively’ delightful collection of films prove that dogs are far more than just pets, featuring powerful stories that celebrate heroic hounds, daring doggos and pampered pooches.

First launched in 2017, the film festival tours the country bringing more than two hours of inspirational, heartwarming and entertaining films about dogs and their human companions from independent filmmakers around the globe. You’d be barking mad to miss it.

5. Burnouts at the Bend

When: 15 August
Where: The Bend, Tailem Bend

Don’t tread carefully. This is one event where putting rubber to the road is all part of the fun. Burnouts at The Bend is ready to ignite the senses as powerful vehicles smoke, squeal and spin their way into the spotlight.

From the first rev to the final engine roar, this is an event that’ll keep your heart racing long after the smoke clears. Expect wheel-spinning and tyre shredding, engines firing on all cylinders and high-octane crowds, as competitors put the pedal to the metal in the pursuit of burnout glory.

6. Strathalbyn Antiques and Vintage Fair

When: 15–16 August
Where: Strathalbyn Oval

Some things really do get better with age, like wine, a pair of jeans and priceless antiques. Turn once discarded items into exciting discoveries at the Strathalbyn Antiques and Vintage Fair.

Located around the Strathalbyn Oval, the fair is spread between Carruthers Hall, the Oval Function Centre and the Treasure Market. A mini market at Gilbert’s Motor Museum adds another stop to your treasure hunt. The fair is polishing up to be quite the gem, so keep your eyes peeled for rare relics to well-worn wares with a story to tell.

7. Hansel and Gretel

When: 21–29 August
Where: Her Majesty’s Theatre

Once upon a time, in a deep dark forest on Her Majesty’s Theatre stage, stood a poor woodcutter, his wife and their two children, Hansel and Gretel. This is the fairy tale as you’ve never seen it before; not just for children, but for anyone who’s ever had to face their fears and find their way home.

RAA members can have their cake and eat it too. Follow the breadcrumbs to RAA Rewards and use your membership to save 10 percent on tickets to this visionary, genre-bending production. Now that’s a happily ever after.

Bonus event: City-Bay Fun Run

When: 20 September 2026
Where: Adelaide CBD to Jetty Road, Glenelg

Grab your running shoes and a handful of safety pins as it won’t be long until you’ll be attaching your unique race bib and heading for the 2026 City-Bay Fun Run starting line.

Haven’t registered yet? Better sprint to RAA Rewards. Register before 2 September and you’ll get 20 per cent off the half marathon, 12km and 6km events thanks to your RAA membership.