Adelaide Oval will be centre stage tonight as hundreds of drones take to the sky in a new light and sound show titled Horizons, the flagship performance of this year’s Illuminate Adelaide festival.
Created in partnership with RAA and presented across two sessions following high demand, the stadium event combines aerial choreography, video projection and immersive sound to tell a story spanning 60,000 years. The show traces South Australia’s cultural and environmental history over the course of a single day, from sunrise to nightfall. Cultural consultant and narrator Jack Buckskin and visual artist Pat Caruso contributed to the opening chapter of the performance.
Ticket holders can travel free on all Adelaide Metro public transport from 3pm, with additional services running to accommodate the expected crowds.
Horizons headlines a packed final weekend for Illuminate Adelaide, which wraps on Sunday. The winter festival has drawn strong audiences across the city, particularly to City Lights, a free nightly experience lighting up public buildings including Government House and the Art Gallery of South Australia. Organisers say foot traffic along North Terrace was up 66 per cent on the first weekend compared to the one before, and rose by another 20 per cent on the second. East End businesses have also seen a lift, with an 8 per cent increase in visits and nearly 40 per cent more footfall between 6pm and midnight on opening weekend.
Last year’s Illuminate Adelaide attracted more than 1.3 million attendances and delivered $74.5 million to the state’s visitor economy. This year, with the British & Irish Lions tour bringing thousands of interstate and international visitors to the city, the festival is again providing a major boost during the winter season.
Acting Minister for Tourism Clare Scriven said the festival reflects what South Australia does well: combining innovation, art and hospitality. “It has been wonderful to see our city filled with people over the past weeks… during a traditionally quiet period,” she said.
Illuminate Adelaide’s co-founders and creative directors Lee Cumberlidge and Rachael Azzopardi described Horizons as a stadium-scale project involving drones, video and lighting to explore South Australia’s identity and aspirations. “We have pulled together an amazing team of creatives and technicians… to realise our dream of a major drone and light spectacular at the iconic Adelaide Oval,” they said.
The festival is supported by the South Australian Government through the SA Tourism Commission. Other events still running include Night Visions, Kiasmos, Streetlights and Long Nights, Universal Kingdom: The Next Era, and Base Camp.
Details and ticket bookings for remaining events can be found available here.
Support independent community journalism. Support The Indian Sun.
Follow The Indian Sun on X | Instagram | Facebook
✨@TheAdelaideOval hosts #drone light show "Horizons" for @IlluminateAdl finale.🎆Tells #SouthAustralia's 60,000-yr story via drones, projections & sound.🚇FREE public transport 4 ticket holders. @AdelaideMetroSA💡1.3M+ attendees last yr. #TheIndianSun
🔗 https://t.co/lhbL9y3DaG pic.twitter.com/NKMOoGuIwQ
— The Indian Sun (@The_Indian_Sun) July 18, 2025
Donate To The Indian Sun
Dear Reader,The Indian Sun is an independent organisation committed to community journalism. We have, through the years, been able to reach a wide audience especially with the growth of social media, where we also have a strong presence. With platforms such as YouTube videos, we have been able to engage in different forms of storytelling. However, the past few years, like many media organisations around the world, it has not been an easy path. We have a greater challenge. We believe community journalism is very important for a multicultural country like Australia. We’re not able to do everything, but we aim for some of the most interesting stories and journalism of quality. We call upon readers like you to support us and make any contribution. Do make a DONATION NOW so we can continue with the volume and quality journalism that we are able to practice.
Thank you for your support.
Best wishes,
Team The Indian Sun
