This weekend, embrace French culture at Alliance Francaise’s French Film Festival or let the adrenaline flow at the Adelaide Motorsport Festival.

Words Elisabeth Marie

From the ashes

The New Shoots Festival returns to Penneshaw Oval on Saturday, March 25. The 2023 line up features The Rubens, Ross Wilson, Mell Hall, Dusty Lee’s Blues Jam, Busseys, Bermuda Bay, Nathan May and a selection of local Kangaroo Island musicians. Born from the bushfires that devastated Kangaroo Island in 2019 and 2020, the not-for-profit event seeks to bring tourists back to the Island and showcase everything it has to offer from musicians and brewers, to artisan wares and beautiful beaches.

Little black dress

Be inspired by the fashion icon that is the little black dress at the inaugural The Black Dress fashion parade on Friday, March 24. Hosted in the Festival Plaza, more than 50 Finesse Models will take to the catwalk to showcase black dresses from the fashion houses of celebrated Australian brands.

Diverse taste

Gather your colleagues this March and host a Taste of Harmony luncheon in celebration and recognition of cultural diversity in the workplace. Every participant is invited to bring a dish that represents their cultural heritage and share it in a banquet-style lunch alongside their fellow workers and friends. The event runs until March 31 and is free to participate in. Register online to gain access to resources and enjoy a taste of harmony.

Fantastic French films

Indulge in the best of French cinema with Alliance Francaise’s French Film Festival on now until April 19 at Palace Nova East End and Prospect Cinemas. With a carefully curated selection of films, this year’s festival ranges from France’s biggest box office successes to infectious tales of hope and resilience. Festival highlights include the opening night film, Masquerade, a story where glamour, sex, money and manipulation combine in a deadly vortex on the unassuming shores of the dreamy Côte d’Azur; Two Tickets to Greece, a comedy by Marc Fitoussi about estranged childhood friends who tentatively reunite for a trip to the Greek Islands; and L’Innocent – a film about tensions, criminal hijinks and unexpected romance – that has taken France by storm and holds the highest number of nominations for a single film at the César awards.

Splendour of scones

The South Australian Country Women’s Association will be hosting a scone pop-up at the Community Kitchen of the Adelaide Central Market on March 24 and 25. Opening at 9am on Friday and 8am on Saturday, the pop-up will sell freshly-made scones, jars of jam and scone mix until sold out. All funds raised go directly to supporting the welfare and conditions of life for women and children in South Australia.

Rev your engine

Strap in for a weekend of fast cars and VIP hospitality at the Adelaide Motorsport Festival. Held at Victoria Park on March 25 and 26, the festival combines high-octane action on the track with a laidback picnic atmosphere in the surrounding Adelaide Parklands. Watch as 18-year-old South Australian race car driver Sebastien Amadio makes his 2023 season debut, taking to the track in his S5000 class – the fastest category of racing car in Australia that can reach speeds of up to 300km/h. Bring the whole family and enjoy race car simulators and historic car displays, or opt for a luxe experience in the Aston Martin VIP Suite. In the heart of the event precinct with premium trackside viewing, the suite experience lets attendees rub shoulders with celebrities and motorsports stars while enjoying decadent food, local wines and luxury masterclasses.

Keeping it quirky

Opening on Friday, March 24, the new group exhibition at BMGArt Gallery features paintings, bronzes and etchings by Nate Finch and Chris Ingham. Nate Finch explores colour harmonies and surface textures using mixed media on canvas to explain the unexplainable in his “own unique visual language”. Chris Ingham’s artworks consist of bronze figurines and copper line etchings to create “quirky” figures that he then hand paints. The exhibition will run until Saturday, April 15 and the displayed artworks are available for purchase through BMGArt.

For more of what’s on around South Australia this month, pick up the March issue of SALIFE, which is on sale now.