23 Jul 2020

Boost for regional events and festivals

23 JUL 2020
23 JUL 2020

More than 30 South Australian regional events and festivals have today received a financial boost with $369,000 of funding announced across the state.

The South Australian Tourism Commission has confirmed 32 events across the state – including a rodeo, several food and wine festivals and a dingy race – will be supported under its Regional Events & Festivals Program.

The annual event funding provides financial and marketing support to tourism events that generate an increase in visitation to and throughout South Australia and lift the profile of the state’s tourism regions beyond the specific region they are held in.

South Australian Tourism Commission chief executive Rodney Harrex said the funding would assist regional South Australian communities looking forward to some sense of normality, and to help plan ahead.

“Clearly COVID-19, and even the bushfires early in the year, has impacted regional South Australia, with community events and festivals being cancelled or postponed, so it is positive news that we can today look ahead and plan for the next 12 months,” he said.

“The successful applicants cover a very broad cross-section of sporting, cultural, gourmet and the arts – a great snap-shot of all the creative and innovative events South Australia is renowned for.”

Applications are assessed to ensure they align with the South Australian Tourism Plan 2030, the Regional Visitors Strategy and contribute to the state’s $7.8 billion visitor economy.

The funding is from two programs  – the Regional Events & Festivals Program, which aims to generating an increase in tourism activity and does not have a maximum funded amount per event, and the Community Events Development Fund, which is aimed at smaller, community-based events that have the potential to grow into a regional tourism event, with a maximum grant of $5,000 per event.

Applications for the 2020/21 program opened on 31 January 2020 and closed on Friday 1 May, with the closing date for applications extended this year due to COVID-19.

Of the 32 events that will receive sponsorship in 2020/21, a total of eight are under the Community Events Development Fund and 24 are under the Regional Events & Festivals Program.

See below, the full list of events receiving funding in 2020-21 Regional Events & Festivals Program:

Event   Date  Region
 Pines Enduro 

 25-27 September 2020   Limestone Coast 
 Bay to Birdwood 

 27 September 2020   Adelaide Hills
 Coonawarra Cabernet Celebrations 

 1-31 October 2020   Limestone Coast 
 Riverland Food & Wine Festival 

 17 & 18 October 2020  Riverland 
 Feast Festival

 7-29 November 2020  Adelaide CBD and surrounds 
 All Steamed Up     
                    
 21 & 22 November 2020                    Murray River, Lakes & Coorong                     
 Rodeo by the Sea

 28 November 2020  Eyre Peninsula
 Bay Sheffield

 25-27 December 2020  Adelaide 
 Crush Festival

 23-24 January 2021  Adelaide Hills
 Tunarama

 23-26 January 2021  Eyre Peninsula
 Riverland Dinghy Club Championships         
                       
 February 2021 (dates TBC)                             Riverland 
 Kangaroo Island Sealink Cup Carnival               
    
 18-20 February 2021  Kangaroo Island 
 Bay Escape 

 20 February 2021  Limestone Coast
 Fringe in Mount Gambier 

 19-28 March 2021  Limestone Coast
 Oakbank Week

 28 March - 3 April 2021  Adelaide Hills 
 Clare Valley Easter Races

 3 April 2021  Clare Valley
 Seafood on Spencer

 4 April 2021  Yorke Peninsula
 Colour Tumby Bay

 9-11 April 2021  Eyre Peninsula
 Barossa Vintage Festival (biennial) 

 14-18 April 2021  Barossa 
 SALT Festival

 16-25 April 2021  Eyre Peninsula
 SA Wooden Boast Festival (biennial)

 17 & 18 April 2021  Fleurieu Peninsula 
 Generations in Jazz

 30 April - 2 May 2021  Limestone Coast
 Kangaroo Island Running Festival 

 1 May 2021  Kangaroo Island
 True Grit

 7 & 8 May 2021  Riverland
 Clare Valley Gourmet Weekend

 May 2021 (dates TBC)  Clare Valley
 Kernewek Lowender (biennial)

 17-23 May 2021  Yorke Peninsula
 Coober Pedy Opal Festival 

 18-20 June 2021  Flinders Ranges and Outback 
 500 Miles of Music

 June/July 2021 (dates TBC)             Flinders Ranges and Outback
 Winter Reds

 July 2021 (dates TBC)  Adelaide Hills
 SALA 

 1-31 August 2021  State-wide
 Barossa UnEarthed (BGW)

 20-22 August 2021  Barossa
 Oysterfest

 2-4 October 2021  Eyre Peninsula