We're all part of the Australian story

The Australia Day Council of South Australia (ADCSA) has released its program of activities and events for Australia Day 2023, held at Elder Park / Tarntanya Wama on January 25 and 26, 2023.

Bring your friends, family and a picnic blanket and enjoy the program against a backdrop of a stunning sunset. This year, the Australia Day 2023 program will be held over two days at Elder Park on Wednesday and Thursday 25 and 26 January. The program includes a number of new activities alongside the return of many favourite events.

Making a return this year since COVID, is the vibrant and colourful Respecting Country Parade. Hundreds of people will take part in the parade representing more than 60 communities that will come together to celebrate diversity and the richness of our state. The parade will be filmed and beamed live onto the screens at Elder Park. Participating for the first time this year will be the West Beach Surf Lifesaving Club representing one of the parade’s theme, South Australians at their best, as the club has been recognised for its work in beach safety by teaching newly arrived migrants how to swim. It is now looking to develop a similar program for First Nations people.

For those who are keen to learn First Nations stories, a new cultural event is being held, Sunset Ceremony / Tindo Utpurndee, on January 25. Another new First Nations element is the Festival Centre Shells Soundscape. This colourful light show will be projected onto the exterior of the Festival Centre to showcase the six seasons of the Kaurna community. This year, the Mourning in the Morning Smoking Ceremony will be from 7am on the 26 January, this is an invitation for South Australians to join with our First Nations Leaders.

The official ceremony will feature a flag raising ceremony, ADF fly over, Australian artists including First Nations performers and an intercultural orchestra conducted by Julian Ferraretto.

The multi-media light and sound display, Aus Lights on the River, is making a return to Elder Park and the new element will enable South Australians to ‘See yourself in the Story’ as contributions will appear in a creative digital screen array of various shapes spanning more than 60 metres. The display will focus on stories of the people and places of South Australia including First Nations and multi-cultural communities. Thos attending Aus Lights will:

• Be transfixed by the Rotunda again being transformed this time to show the story of the river red gum.
• Be in awe of the exterior of the Festival Centre as it lights up and projects the sounds of the six weather seasons of the traditional custodians of the Adelaide Plains, the Kaurna community.
• Be immersed by the Nylon Zoo Underwater Story as you join the Giant Turtle – an inflatable storytelling theatre – on an imaginative and educational journey that celebrates the biodiversity of animals with whom we share Country.
• Be in wonder by an Ecomaze which allows you to explore a garden and bushland creatures up close like a bee through a magically magnified microcosm to learn all about natural habitats in a very tactile way.

Families will have an opportunity in an interactive space to get creative with their little humans. There will be activities that will connect you and your children with nature by playfully exploring a curious and interesting selection of organic and touchy-feely materials to co-create a large art piece.

People can enjoy the Food Hub which will be filled with flavours from around the world while listening to DJ Tommy Tequila.

JANUARY 25
5.30 - 11pm Aus Lights on the River, including the Food Hub with live DJ entertainment until 8.30pm
8pm Sunset Cultural Ceremony / Tindo Utpurndee
9.30pm Cinematic Firework Display

JANUARY 26
7 am Mourning in the Morning Smoking Ceremony
5.30 - 11pm Aus Lights on the River, including the Food Hub with live DJ entertainment until 8.00pm
6pm Respecting Country Parade
7.15pm Official Ceremony
9.30pm Cinematic Firework Display

For more information, click here.