Public events in the Park Lands
When the Adelaide Park Lands become international playgrounds
The Adelaide Park Lands offers a wonderful backdrop for a huge variety of events - from major and medium events attracting international and interstate visitors to small-scale community events for the people of Adelaide, or private events such as weddings. Events may also be held in one of the parks or squares throughout Adelaide city and North Adelaide.
Event guidelines
As managers and caretakers of the Adelaide Park Lands, the City of Adelaide also oversee the use of the Park Lands for events according to the Adelaide Event Guidelines. Applications for events are assessed on a case-by-case basis. See Best Practice Event Management for Council’s approach to consultation, fee structure and caring for the Park Lands.
Fees and charges
When budgeting for your Park Lands event, there are three primary costs levied by the City of Adelaide that you will need to consider, including Park Land site fees, Operational Service fees and Remediation charges.
Please note: other costs may apply depending on the nature of your event but we’ll discuss them with you during the application process.
Following two years of waived Park Lands site hire fees, from 1 October 2023 site hire fees will return to the pre-covid (2019/2020) rate.
The City of Adelaide provides a variety of operational services such as power, rubbish bin delivery, irrigation mark outs and tap installations. Prices for operational services can be found in the Operational services fees document.
Remediation is the process of bringing the Park Lands back to life after an event has been staged. Remediation allows the City of Adelaide to return the Park Lands back to their pre-existing state. The extent of remediation is based on multiple factors, such as weather, event attendance, and infrastructure, to name a few.
Remediation requirements and associated charges are confirmed once a site inspection has occurred between the event organiser and the City of Adelaide representatives.
Planning your event
Planning and organising an event in the Adelaide Park Lands is a large undertaking, so it’s important to plan ahead. Refer to the Adelaide Event Guidelines
to start the planning process.
Facilitation
The Event facilitation process explains the Council approval process for medium and major events in the Adelaide Park Lands.
Application lodgement
The following table shows the minimum application lodgement times, depending on the category of your event.
| Event category | Definition | Application time (Minimum) |
|---|---|---|
Major event | 1,499+ people and/or over 1,000m2 of area | 6 months prior to bump-in |
Small/minor event | Up to 1,499 people and/or less than 1,000m2 of area | Single Day Event: 21 days prior to bump-in Multi-Day Event: 3 months if held over multiple days. |
Location
The right location can be critical to the success of your event. To choose the best site/s for your event and review the site requirements, please refer to the Adelaide Event Guidelines.
Conditions of hire
Use of the Adelaide Park Lands is subject to conditions of hire. It is important as an event organiser to understand the conditions required for your event, based on the event category: Major/medium events, or small/ minor events.
Ready to book?
You can apply to host an event in the Adelaide Park Lands, either online, or by completing an application form.
Before you begin your application, you will need to have the following information ready:
- The preferred dates of your event (including bump in and bump out)
- The operating times for your event
- The Adelaide Park Land or road you are interested in using
- Expected number of attendees
- A copy of your public liability insurance cover or any other relevant supporting documents
Alternatively, complete the application form and send it to [email protected].
The following information sheets have been put together by the City of Adelaide to assist you in your event planning/management.
Alternatives to single use straws
Animal contact guidelines - reducing the risk of illness associated with animal contact
Development Approval Requirements
Disability Access and Inclusion Considerations
Event Amplified Sound Management Guidelines
Event listing and promotion (Australian Tourism Data Warehouse)
Event Notification Letter Template
Event Planning and Remediation Fact Sheet
Events in Park Lands Standard Operating Procedures
Food safety - City of Adelaide guidelines
Guide to Compostable Packaging Suppliers
Incident Notification Form for Event Licences
Permit Application Form for Burning in the Open
Permit Application Form for Burning in the Open - Smoking Ceremony
Music
It is a legal requirement to obtain licenses to broadcast music at your event. Contact Australian Performing Rights Association (APRA) or Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA) for more information.
Liquor licencing
If alcohol will be sole at your event, you may need to apply for a limited liquor licence. For information, online application forms and factsheets, visit Consumer and Business Services.
Declared Smoke-free Outdoor Areas and Events
Sections 51 and 52 of the Tobacco Products Regulation Act 1997 allow local councils and other incorporated bodies to class events as non-smoking. Contact SA Health for more information.
SafeWork SA
As an event organiser, it’s your responsibility to manage risks to ensure work health and safety is a priority. SafeWork SA provides information to event organisers to assist in identifying, monitoring and managing risks with relation to their event. For further information please see SafeWork SA - Event Safety.
SA Police
SA Police request that all event organisers, regardless of the size of their event, use the Safety Assessment - Crowded Places tool which assesses the likely attractiveness for your location and event for terrorism.
Further information for places of mass gathering can be found on the SAPOL website.
Need more information?
If you need more information or have questions about hosting an event in the Adelaide Park Lands, please contact our Customer Centre: