This weekend, head to the Adelaide Botanic Park for the final Million Paws Walk or enjoy the magic of cabaret at the Cabaret Fringe Festival.
Looking for Alibrandi at Dunstan Playhouse
It’s the 1990s, and Josephine Alibrandi is in her final year at an all-girls Catholic school in suburban Sydney. Adapted from Melina Marchetta’s semi-autobiographical coming-of-age novel of the same name, Looking for Alibrandi follows Josephine as she deals with the pressures of finishing school, including a budding romance, a tragic event and reconnecting with her estranged father. Coming off the back of sold-out seasons in Sydney and Melbourne, this play is directed by Brink Productions’ Stephen Nicolazzo and stars Chanella Macri as Josephine, Lucia Mastrantone as her mother, Christina, and Jennifer Vuletic as Nonna Katia. This State Theatre Company South Australia production will be performed at Dunstan Playhouse on various dates from May 22 to 31.
Million Paws Walk
Bring along your four-legged friend to the Adelaide Botanic Garden this weekend for the final Million Paws Walk. Hosted annually by the RSPCA, this fundraiser has raised $17 million over the past 30 years for much-needed animal welfare initiatives. A total of 1.6 million paws from 400,000 pooches plus 750,000 owners have taken part since its inception. This event marks the final chapter for Million Paws Walk, with organisers citing a “significant shift” in the fundraising landscape and cost-of-living pressures leading them to make the difficult decision. Million Paws Walk will be held at Adelaide Botanic Garden on Sunday, May 25.
Cabaret Fringe Festival
The Cabaret Fringe Festival is back for 2025, bringing the magic of cabaret to the heart of Adelaide. Dating back to 1880s France, cabaret is a type of variety show often performed in a restaurant or bar. This year’s festival takes place from May 23 to June 1 and will feature a program of more than 100 performances in genres ranging from burlesque to live music, circus, comedy, street shows, and of course, cabaret. This open-access event is a counterpart to June’s Adelaide Cabaret Festival and includes both seasoned performers and up-and-coming talent.
National Festival of Male Choirs Gala Concert
Enjoy the beautiful voices of a 350-strong all-male choir this Sunday as South Australia plays host to the National Festival of Male Choirs Gala Concert for the first time since its inception in 2006. SA’s Metropolitan Male Choir has agreed to organise this year’s festival, which will see 14 choirs from across Australia come together to perform everything from traditional hymns to Broadway hits. The program will include Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, the Welsh hymn Deus Salutis (Llef), and Finlandia by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, as well as music by Wagner, Bob Dylan, Eric Bogle and Broadway numbers. This concert takes place at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Sunday, May 25 at 2pm.
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Northern Sound System music festival
Make your way to northern Adelaide this Saturday for the Northern Sound System music festival. This celebration of First Nations’ music, cultures and communities will be headlined by electronica duo Electric Fields, who represented Australia at Eurovision in 2024. Electric Fields will be joined by hip hop artist J-Milla, emerging R&B musician RIAH and singer-songwriter Katie Aspel. This multi-stage event will also feature food trucks and a licensed area.
SA Museum quiz night
Test your knowledge this Friday as the South Australian Museum hosts its Ancient Quizilisations quiz night. Host Chad Criddle will quiz participants on ancient cultures, including the Aztecs, ancient Egyptians, Vikings and Visigoths. A bonus round will be related to the Museum’s current exhibition, Treasures of the Viking Age: The Galloway Hoard. There will be various prizes available throughout the night, as well as a bar with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Tickets are available for tables of up to 8 people and include access to the Treasures of the Viking Age exhibition.
Reach for the Stars Black and White Ball
Sammy D was tragically killed by a one-punch attack in 2008 at the age of just 17. He is remembered by his friends and family as a young man who loved sports and was always looking out for others. Seventeen years on, and his parents, Nat Cook and Neil Davis, continue to honour their son’s legacy through the Sammy D Foundation, which will this month once again host its Reach for the Stars Black and White Ball. This gala raises vital funds for the Samm D Foundation’s mission to fight the impact of violence on families and communities. This event starts at 6pm on Saturday, May 31, at Adelaide Oval’s William Magarey Room and will feature entertainment, fine dining and a wine wall.
ASO’s Winter Nights
Head to the Adelaide Town Hall this winter for the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra’s Winter Nights. Performed as part of the 2025 Symphony Series, Winter Nights will begin with the Mesmerise performance on June 20 and 21, which will feature Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture and Piano Concerto No. 2, Ravel’s Pavane for a Dead Princess and Boléro and the world premiere of a new work by the ASO’s Composer in Association, Jakub Jankowski. Then, on July 4 and 5, the ASO will present Mythic, which will include Mythic by Kats-Chernin, Stravinsky’s Petrushka (1947 version) and Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 performed by world-renowned Spanish pianist Javier Perianes. Finally, on August 15 and 16, the ASO will present Rhapsody, with performances of Othello Overture by Dvořák, Vltava (The Moldau) by Smetana, Taras Bulba by Janáček and Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2 performed by ASO’s concertmaster, Kate Suthers.
