Adelaide Fringe 2023 delivers on all fronts

THE 2023 Adelaide Fringe Festival has drawn to a close after an incredibly successful season.

I’ve spent my fair share of time in the city but nothing makes Adelaide come alive more than the scale of the Fringe.

The biggest drawcard is always the sheer volume of things to do.

It is freeing being able to walk down Rundle Street, usually packed with commuter traffic, and be able to sit in the middle of the roadway at one of many pop-up restaurants.

And then, just across the road is the Garden of Unearthly Delights and Gluttony, which are remarkable to stroll through.

At one point I watched a few friends get their portraits sketched by a street artist and the results were incredible. This doesn’t include the countless street performers, live shows, food stalls, pop-up bars and everything in between that are scattered across the city for the entirety of the month.

When else can you casually stroll around and watch a circus-type performance in the middle of the street or walk through a maze of mirrors?

Not only that, but the ability to be able to pop down to Adelaide over the entire month is liberating as a country resident, knowing you’re not going to miss out on being involved.

Fringe organisers are rightfully celebrating the accomplishment of being the first Australian festival to sell more than one million tickets, with the millionth being sold at 10.01pm on the last night of the event.

I think this is an incredible and well-deserved accolade, especially for Adelaide, and should be a sign of the wide-reaching appeal and future longevity of the festival for years to come.

The roughly $23 million that will be paid to box office artists from ticket sales is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the financial benefit our state receives from the Fringe, especially hospitality and accommodation businesses .