There's lots to do for all the family around Adelaide and South Australia this weekend.

Words Zoe Rice

Garden fun

The Botanic Gardens of South Australia have lots for the children to do over the holidays, from July 8 to 20. Children can learn how to compost, get their hands dirty in the Little Sprouts Kitchen Garden and discover the traditional uses of plants by Aboriginal people. There will also be a treasure hunt, an activity where you can taste snacks made from bugs and a native wildlife show. Check online for the full program.

Details: botanicgardens.sa.gov.au

 

Jump in puddles

Pull on your wellies this month to help children in need. Wear Your Welly Boots Day, on Friday, July 5. Ask your school or workplace to wear their wellies and donate; funds will benefit camps run by Puddle Jumpers.

Details: puddlejumpers.org.au

BOOJUM!
July 5 to 6
Dunstan Playhouse

State Opera presents Boojum! based on Lewis Carroll’s legendary poem The Hunting of the Snark. Be led on a journey of nonsense and truth in a meandering, quirky, beautiful feast of words and music.

Details: adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au

Needle and thread

The Festival of Quilts will be on at the Adelaide Showground, from July 5 to 7. Hosted by the Quilters’ Guild of SA, the festival will showcase about 300 quilts, from traditional bed quilts to artistic quilts. The theme is “tropical vibes” and quilters will rise to the challenge, creating a quilt to reflect the topic. A sea-themed quilt will be raffled to benefit beyondblue.

Details: saquilters.org.au

Great Barrier Reef VR experience

Take a dive through the Great Barrier Reef with globally beloved natural historian Sir David Attenborough as part of this virtual-reality experience at the South Australian Museum. The 25-minute, 360-degree VR tour takes place in a bright yellow Triton submersible with Attenborough at the helm explaining the curiosities of the world’s largest coral reef. To complement the experience, the museum has scleractinian coral specimens on display, which have until now remained behind the scenes. The exhibition runs until July 14.

Details: samuseum.sa.gov.au

Ramsay Art Prize

The work of the 23 finalists in the 2019 Ramsay Art Prize is on show in an exhibition at the Art Gallery of SA until August 25. The $100,000 acquisitive prize is open to contemporary Australian artists under the age of 40, with this year’s finalists working across a wide range of media including painting, sculpture, installation art and even taxidermy. The 2019 winner was South Australian artist Vincent Namatjira, with a double-sided painting on plywood featuring a self-portrait on one side and Captain James Cook on the other.

Details: agsa.sa.gov.au