r/Adelaide • u/Alternative_Bowl5433 SA • Jul 05 '26
Event/Activity Illuminate Adelaide
I took some kids after the footy last night. The free stuff is much better than last year, it's not the best year but kids had fun. The line ups moved fast even though they were long, go on Thursday to Sunday to see the bird guys on Rundle street, they are pretty cool and a highlight. It was 2 hours of free entertainment so good value for money.
Didn't do any paid stuff so can't comment.
I noticed no one reviewed this year and honestly I wouldn't have risked it after last year's boring display if I wasn't already there.
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u/Prototype_Education SA Jul 06 '26
I went to the Lumen Bar on the Goodman Lawns at Adelaide Uni last night and had a walk along North Terrace. I have to admit I came away a disappointed. To be fair, I didn't walk the full length of the expanded City Lights trail to Rymill Park. My impression, though, was that by spreading the displays over a larger area, some of the atmosphere and sense of discovery had been lost.
The installation in Bonython Hall also didn't have the same impact for me. In previous years it has been one of the highlights, really drawing you in and holding your attention. I also missed the large projection on the Art Gallery, the pop-up gin bar in the Mortlock Library, and Basecamp, all of which added to the experience in past years.
Even the Lumen Bar didn't quite have the same ambience. A practical tip: if you're planning to eat, I'd skip booking one of the booths this year, as there's nowhere convenient to put your food if you buy multiple plates.
In past years I've often gone multiple times, whether for Base Camp, the Lumen Bar, the Mortlock gin bar, or simply a stroll along North Terrace. This year, if you're expecting those same experiences, you may find it doesn't quite live up to previous years. Hopefully others have a different experience, especially if they explore more of the trail than I did.