EVENTS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

SOUTH Australia has long been the little state that could and is no longer hiding its light under a bushel when it comes to hosting holidays.

In the 12 months to June 2021 domestic visitor expenditure rose by 3 per cent to $5.8 billion, while the national number declined by 6 per cent in the shadow of the pandemic, with travellers arriving from around Australia when they could to sample the delights of a destination that has it all.

The state's list of star attractions includes spectacular scenery – from the crystal-clear water of the Eyre Peninsula and patchwork green of the Adelaide Hills to the parched ochre of the Flinders Ranges – and world-class eating and drinking with the location home to legendary wine regions.

South Australia is road trips and wildlife encounters, long lunches in vineyards and brunches in chic cafes, it's the arts, history that stretches back past early explorers and pioneering pastoralists to the pre-historic Ediacaran era, seasons of sport, charming country towns, and a capital brimming with culture.

But it's also about significant occasions, with Australia's self-proclaimed Festival State home to a calendar that's crammed with big-ticket events that make for many good reasons to schedule a sojourn.

So, before you plan your next visit to this southern gem, find out what's on when it comes to events in SA and the Inspiring Journey's itinerary that will take you on tour at that very time of the year.

FESTIVAL OF CYCLING

South Australia is sports mad with the calendar of world-class events kicking off in January when the destination plays host to the Festival of Cycling which is celebrated as the biggest event of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

The Santos Tour Down Under is the jewel in the crown of the 11-day extravaganza – in the 2022 calendar from January 21 to January 29 – with some of the world's best cycling teams and riders visiting to compete in the men's and women's road races contested across three daytime stages and an after-dark criterium.

The Adelaide Track League, Santos Para-Cycling Team Relay, Santos Para-Cycling Time Trial, BMX Racing National Cup, MTB Gravity Enduro in the Adelaide Hills, Summer Cross, and Family Ride are also in the summertime schedule.

ADELAIDE FESTIVAL

Australia is famous for its big-city festivals with Adelaide's now-iconic event – born in 1960 to become an annual event in 2012 – defined by The Australian as "a place for cultural and intellectual nourishment, and sense of gathering and of community".

In 2022 Adelaide Festival directors Rachel Healy and Neil Armfield are promising a "feisty festival that won't lie down and shrink" with an inventory of local and international artists on alert to descend during the "warm days and starry nights "between March 4 and March 20.

Venues around the city – from Adelaide Town Hall and Odeon Theatre to Rundle Mall and Pioneering Women's Memorial Garden – will play host to dance companies and actors, solo musicians and orchestras, bands and ensembles, writers and influencers.

But hurry, shows are fast selling out.

WOMADELAIDE

WOMAdelaide is a four-day festival of music, arts and dance curated to celebrate and encourage cultural and creative diversity that's been in the diary since 1992 and is scheduled to start on March 11 in 2022.

Dozens of performers will descend on Botanic Park to strut their stuff on stages dotted around the precinct with the 2022 line-up featuring famous faces like Paul Kelly, Goanna, Springtime and The Cat Empire while A.B Original will return to the WOMAD stage after many years away.

TASTING AUSTRALIA

Autumn sees the South Aussies celebrating “people, produce and place” during the annual Tasting Australia with the carnival inviting visitors to "step beyond a standard food festival and discover deliciously different experiences that feed their curiosity".

There are dozens of happenings in the 10-day program shaped to showcase the state's home-grown produce and culinary talents, with the pop-up Town Square in the heart of the CBD becoming the city's temporary gourmet food hall offering something for every palate and pocket.

The carnival is set to start on April 29 in 2022, with the now-famous Glasshouse returning to boast a roster of world-famous names and emerging talents ready to weave their mealtime magic while Adelaide's top eateries will again host The Tasting Table encounters.

ILLUMINATE ADELAIDE

The state's newest winter festival was launched in 2021 and is set to make the capital's main streets, hidden lanes and noteworthy buildings glow again in 2022 with an agenda of free and ticketed events in the works to take place between July 5 and July 21.

The innovative mid-winter event will celebrate music, art, technology and light with local and international artists, performers, groups and companies invited to stage what promise to be theatrically thought-provoking encounters.

AN INSPIRED VIEW OF SA

Inspired Journeys understands every destination promises endless opportunities to create the memorable moments that make magical memories and has designed two tempting tours to show travellers the very best of South Australia.

Flavours of South Australia is a five-day outing that completes a clockwise loop from the capital and is described as "a culinary discovery" because it visits the Barossa, Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale wine regions and samples Adelaide Central Market, Maggie Beer's Farm Shop and d'Arenberg Cube.

Savour South Australia is another five-day trip that takes travellers behind the scenes to meet the passionate makers working inside the state's food and wine scene. This tailored excursion includes long lunches, cellar-door stops, tasting tours and market visits around the celebrated culinary corners of the Adelaide Hills, Barossa and McLaren Vale.

 Both bespoke itineraries are exclusive long-weekend escapes – limited departures are scheduled for 2022 – and hosted to help travellers seeking sustainable experiences, superb service, small groups, and immersive encounters discover South Australia's famous places and hidden gems.