While the Adelaide Fringe takes over the CBD with fun and delight, the regions are hosting shows, concerts and festivals of their own.

Words Elisabeth Marie

Sips and sausages

Don your dirndl or lederhosen and pour yourself a pint as Schützenfest returns to Ellis Park on February 24 and 25. Take a Bavarian dancing class and dance the day away to live German music after filling up on hearty food and plenty of beer. Get into the spirit of the day by joining the ‘strong arm’ competition, or take a shot at the German Club shooting range. There will also be plenty of entertainment for the kids with face-painting, balloon twisting, bubble shows and circus workshops.

Performing in paradise

The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra will bring bright, symphonic works to Mount Gambier on Friday, February 24 as it performs Sounds from the Blue Lake at the Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre. Millicent High School will perform Turn of the Lone Wanderer and St Martins Lutheran College will pay homage to the Blue Lake with a performance of Deep Blue. These works were developed collaboratively with composers Adam Page and Hilary Kleinig as part of the Silos & Symphonies program in 2020. Members of the Limestone Symphony Orchestra will also feature at the event with a pre-concert performance in the courtyard.

A place for all

Head to the McLaren Vale and Fleurieu Coast Visitor Centre on Saturday, February 25 for the Festival of Many; a day celebrating the achievements of more than 20 refugees and migrants who have opened businesses in South Australia. Browse the Artisan & Founders Market where you will find crafts, fashions and homewares before biting into a range of authentic culinary delights from Latin America and the Middle East. There will be a range of cooking classes, workshops and demonstrations for visitors to try their hand at a new skill and embrace multiculturalism. At 6pm, the festival will transform into the twilight program for an evening of music and dancing.

Rock it

Rock the Ranges will enliven the Flinders Ranges on February 24 and 25 as the festival takes over Quorn Oval. On Friday, February 24, The Blues Brothers Re-Booted and Jo Page will take the stage, while Birds of Tokyo will be the headline act performing on Saturday, February 25 alongside Hussy Hicks, Andy & The Rockits and Red Hot Chilli Peppers tribute act, Funky Monks. Food trucks and pop up bars will offer food and beverages across the weekend.

Show up

The Angaston Show will take place at the Angas Recreation Park on Saturday, February 25 in addition to three days of Horses in Action from February 24 to 26. Enjoy a day of rides, competitions, markets and live entertainment as Angaston shows off the best of its local produce. Whether you are participating in the bake-off or pulling a tractor in a race with your friends, there are activities for the whole family at the show.

An artist’s touch

Works by Stephen Bowers and Mark Thompson are on show at BMGART Gallery from Friday, February 24. Stephen Bowers’ Ouija Birds and Other Fragments showcases ceramic earthenware works decorated with intricate designs that are then glazed. Mark Thompson’s … to be continued … features the artist’s earthenware sculptures that represent crazed minds crafted by social upheavals. The exhibition will run until Saturday, March 18 and the artwork on display is available for purchase through BMGART.

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