This weekend and upcoming week, attend a food and wine extravaganza in the Adelaide Hills, have a night out for the final days of the Fringe, or relax to classical piano at the Town Hall.

Words Charlie Gilchrist

A FOOD AND WINE EXTRAVAGANZA

Showcasing some of the best produce in the Adelaide Hills region, A Taste of the Hills is a weekend full of food, wine and music. Hosted against the backdrop of treasured South Australian artist Hans Heysen’s former home and studio, The Cedars in Hahndorf, this event showcases local businesses with farm-fresh produce and award-winning wine from Hills-based producers such as Paracombe Wines, Amadio Wines, Mr Murphy Wine Co and Red Cacao Chocolates. There will also be live music and masterclasses, including a wine and oyster pairing masterclass and “A Journey of Native Foods” presented by Australian Native Food Co. A Taste of the Hills is on March 23 and 24.

LAST WEEKEND OF FRINGE

This weekend is your last chance to get out to the Fringe, with children’s opera, a costume display and a soirée at Ayers House all on offer. The State Opera will be presenting the Frog Prince at Botanic High School; the children’s opera is a retelling of the classic Grimm fairy-tale about an unlikely friendship that blossoms between a spoilt princess and a sassy frog, and their adventures in the city’s underground waterways. Also on this weekend is the free art and costume display Mod a GoGo at A Rare Notion in the Adelaide Arcade, which is inspired by the flower power of the swinging ’60s. If that’s not your vibe, head to the historic North Terrace mansion Ayers House for the Ayers House Lawn Party this Friday and Saturday evening.

TRAVEL EUROPE’S WATERWAYS

Join Phil Hoffmann Travel and APT Luxury Travel as they launch their European River Cruising 2025 Season. Learn about APT’s new fleet of river ships that will be travelling through Europe’s picturesque waterways. During the event, you can indulge in fine wines and delectable canapes while exploring last-minute offers for 2024 and early bird deals for 2025. This week’s event takes place at the Vine Inn in the Barossa on Monday, March 18.

ICELANDIC BACH VIRTUOSO

World-class Icelandic classical pianist Víkingur Ólafsson will be performing one of Bach’s most beloved works, the Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, at the Adelaide Town Hall on Friday, March 15 at 7:30pm. Written in 1741 for keyboard (clavichord, harpsichord and organ), the Goldberg Variations begin with an aria followed by 30 variations of different styles and tempos. Ólafsson has recently released a recording with his own unique interpretation of the approximately 75-minute-long composition, with NPR magazine writing that his performance “shines in its crystalline transparency of voices, (is) lyrical in how split-second notes are connected, and above all exudes pure joy.”

ADELAIDE MOTORSPORT FESTIVAL

Held a week prior to the Australian Grand Prix, the Adelaide Motorsport Festival offers a weekend honouring historic, rare and significant racing vehicles in the Adelaide Parklands. The classic cars will be paired with the latest go-fast tech, while a regular picnic race around a section of the former Adelaide Grand Prix track will showcase everything from historic Formula 1 cars to fire-breathing Time Attack weapons. Off the track, you can taste local food, wine, beer and spirits, enjoy classic car and motorcycle displays, or browse the various trade stalls. A highlight of the event is the Gouger Street Party, with a high-powered parade of wild and rare vehicles. The Adelaide Motorsport Festival is on March 16 and 17.