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South Australia is known as the Festival State and its main city, Adelaide, has plenty to celebrate. A thriving arts scene, more restaurants per capita than any other state in Australia and a climate conducive to most sporting activities combine to make Adelaide an entertaining place to spend time in.
Every Thursday the daily newspaper The Advertiser publishes a lift-out guide listing the week's entertainment, focusing mainly on pop and dance. Community radio stations such as 5UV Radio Adelaide offer an insight into local affairs and free street tabloids such as DB Magazine and The Adelaide Review carry details of the music and arts scenes.
The South Australian Tourism Commission has a well stocked Travel Centre in King William Street, Adelaide's main thoroughfare, and offers assistance with general information about local events.
Pubs and Bars
The city centre alone has 91 different clubs and pubs offering food and entertainment. Pubs with an Irish theme have made an impact on the city and many of them, such as PJ O'Briens and Finn McCool's, offer rollicking entertainment as an accompaniment to their fine range of ales. Adelaide's temperate climate is conducive to outdoor entertaining and many pubs have beer gardens or outdoor areas with live music on weekends.
Rundle Street and North Terrace's cosmopolitan mix of Asian and European style restaurants which feature tables on the sidewalk, are the setting for Adelaide's executives to unwind after the working day. The Universal Wine Bar, created by Michael Hill-Smith, Australia's first Master of Wine, is the place to go for serious wine lovers, while the Oyster Bar is just that, with a buzz of conversation thrown in. Quiet Waters is the place for belly dancing. Enigma Leisure Lounge and Bar features regular live local rock and DJs.
Live Music
A vigorous local music scene exists in Adelaide, with one of the top venues, The Governor Hindmarsh Hotel, featuring shows or jam sessions every night. Jazz, bluegrass, folk, blues or rock—they are all at "The Gov."
The pubs of Rundle and Hindley Streets are hip spots for new music. Adelaide University usually has a good selection of alternative bands in the "Uni bar" or the Cloisters. For the folkie in us all, the Folk Centre of South Australia offers a range from world music, blues and Celtic, to acoustic and dance, as well as a series of workshops and events for the more dedicated.
Looking for something a bit more classical? The Adelaide Festival Centre features symphony concerts, opera and popular musicals. If you are keen on chamber music, try the Elder Conservatorium at Adelaide University—they often hold concerts in Elder Hall. For the "blockbusters", rock spectaculars and grand classic concerts check out Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
Nightlife
The city centre has traditionally been the drawcard for nightlife and the Hindley Street strip is still the scene for adult nightclubs and live entertainment. Adelaide's Casino is not just for the gamblers—it is a stylish venue offering good restaurants and bars, and some great bands on weekends.
The clubs in Adelaide mostly belong to the young, with venues like Heaven and Mars Bar, for both gays and lesbians. Edinburgh Castle Hotel is a popular drinking spot with plenty of entertainment.
Try to get your hands on a copy of the free fortnightly newspaper blaze, which is widely available and which lists news and happenings on the scene.
Theatre and Cinema
A fine reputation for the arts means Adelaide has lots to offer the casual visitor. The Festival Theatre is Adelaide's showcase for musicals, with many of the productions being formulated in Adelaide before touring the other Australian states. The South Australian Theatre Company presents classic and modern theatre throughout the year at the Optima Playhouse and smaller repertory groups are active throughout the city and suburbs.
Adelaideans love the movies, so cinemas are everywhere, from the huge Megaplex Marion with multiple screens to the suburban single screen favourites like Windsor Theatres. Arthouse cinemas include the city centre Palace Nova EastEnd Cinemas and Trak Cinemas. The Mercury Cinema often hosts exclusive specialty festivals.
Events
Sports lovers are well catered for with the Clipsal Powerhouse, where the fabulous Adelaide 36ers play some of the best basketball in the country.
The thrilling Clipsal 500 V8 saloon race has taken over from the Australian Grand Prix as Adelaide's premier international motor sport event. The Adelaide International Horse Trials is the only four star event held in the southern hemisphere and one of only four in the world.
Major festivals helping South Australia live up to its name include the biennial Adelaide Festival, the Fringe Festival and Tasting Australia, all events that are recognized and respected throughout the world. Complementing the major events are local events such as the Clare Gourmet Weekend, the McLaren Vale Sea and Vines Festival, the Medieval Festival and the Barossa Music Festival. A visit to Adelaide without a wine-related festival would seem remiss!
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