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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-03-29 Daily Xml
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ADELAIDE FESTIVALS

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA (15:05): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Tourism a question about events.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA: In Adelaide we have been known to refer to the month of March as 'mad March'. This time of year there are just so many exciting things to do and see that perhaps we should refer to March as 'magnificent March' or 'marvellous March'. Will the minister tell the chamber about some of the successes of this year's March events?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (15:05): I thank the honourable member. He is quite right: March is indeed a full and exciting month for South Australia, and we are very lucky to have so much to choose from. We saw the opening of the Garden of Unearthly Delights and the opening night of the Fringe Festival last month. The Garden of Unearthly Delights seems to get bigger and better every year, and I hope that members were able to get down to Rundle Park and enjoy the live acts, food and drink for which the garden is so well known at night. The garden was beautifully lit and was really a sight to see.

Members may know that the Fringe opened on 24 February with the well-attended parade, and I am told that 21 different venues across the city celebrated opening night with a wide range of performances occurring. The parade saw the western side of King William Street spectacularly lit up, making a wonderful backdrop for the parade. I am sure members know that the Adelaide Fringe events are staged in pop-up venues in parks, warehouses, laneways and empty buildings, as well as established venues such as theatres, hotels, art galleries, cafes and town halls. It is a wonderful event that really showcases all that Adelaide has to offer.

The Fringe is affordable—many events are free—and the Festival always gives us the opportunity to enjoy comedy, cabaret, theatre, dance, art shows and events for children. Of course not all Fringe events are city based; many events are held in our beautiful regions, which is always pleasing to see. This year I am advised that the Adelaide Fringe saw 367,000 tickets sold, which is a 10 per cent increase from 2011.

The garden and Fringe are obviously not the only attractions in March: the Adelaide Festival was another fabulous arts event, which ran from 2 to 18 March. The Festival is well known for offering impressive shows, and I know that this year the production of Streetcar was much discussed. A huge variety of national and international artists bring their shows to Adelaide for the now annual Adelaide Festival.

The Hon. T.A. Franks interjecting:

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: There was a range of different views about the show, but it did create discussion. There really is something for everyone, with the Festival featuring theatre, dance, opera and cabaret and classical and modern music, and I am delighted that this year the Adelaide Festival saw more than 245,000 attendances.

WOMAD, of course, is another significant event held each March, this year from 9 to 12 March. WOMADelaide began in 1992 and really has gone on to become one of Australia's favourite festivals, held in the very beautiful Botanic Park. WOMADelaide brings some of the world's respected musicians, actors and visual artists to Adelaide. I am advised that this year WOMADelaide saw 87,000 attendances over four days.

Of course, March also saw the Clipsal 500 roar into Adelaide again from 1 to 4 March. This annual motor racing event attracts V8 supercar fans from across the nation and overseas and is held on the streets of the East End. The carnival also features a music concert every night and air displays. This year I am advised that the Clipsal saw 263,400 attendances. In fact, this is much more than just a motor race, being recognised on several occasions as the winner of the Major Festivals and Events category at the Australian Tourism Awards, to winning the best event series for many successive years. The Clipsal was in 2005 inducted into the V8 Supercar Hall of Fame. It was the first time an individual event has been inducted.

Other events held in March include the Australian Swimming Championships and the Clare Film Festival. I am advised that the swimming championships saw 33,500 tickets sold, which is incredible. I am sure members will agree that Adelaide in March has many exciting things to do and see, and I hope everyone had the opportunity to attend some of these wonderful events.

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