Free and fabulous: Huge news for Adelaide Pride event
Feast Festival’s Picnic in the Park will be free this year when it returns on November 22.
The centrepiece event of LGBTQIA+ community festival will be free this year after Feast Festival secured City of Adelaide and Adelaide Economic Development Agency (AEDA) funding.
Picnic in the Park will also run for an extended period – 11am to 9pm – at Whitmore Square/Iparrityi on Saturday, November 22.
Feast Festival CEO Tish Naughton said the changes being introduced in 2025 would make the event “one of the best yet”.
“There really is nothing like it on the South Australian social calendar in providing a joyful and inclusive space for people to celebrate who they are – and with the backing of AEDA and City of Adelaide we are making it more accessible for people to attend,” Naughton said.
“Not only will 2025 feature the return of fan favourites such as the iconic Feast Dog Show as part of our bumper picnic program, we’ve also secured a special headline live music act to close out the night.
This year, the festival coincides with the 50th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in South Australia.
City of Adelaide Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith said it was “powerful to see our city continue to support events that speak to liberation in all its forms, celebrating identity, reclaiming space, and creating room for everyone to be seen and heard”.
“Whitmore Square/Iparrityi has long been a place of gathering, protest, and visibility, so it’s fitting that it is hosting this year’s Picnic in the Park,” she said.
The full Feast Festival program details will be revealed in the coming weeks, organisers said.
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The theme of this year’s festival is ‘LIBERATION’, which is tied to the anniversary of decriminalisation but also “celebrates reclaiming space, telling stories, living without fear and celebrating queerness in all its forms”.
AEDA general manager Greg Ratsch said Picnic in the Park played a “big role in shaping Adelaide’s reputation as a vibrant, inclusive city”.
“As they grow, so do the opportunities, for local businesses, for our visitor economy, and for the communities that bring our city to life,” he said.
