Adelaide’s OzAsia Festival will return this October for its 20th anniversary and final edition, bringing two decades of Asian and Asian Australian creativity to audiences with a program that will be free to the public. The farewell season will feature music, literature, visual arts, food and cultural experiences across Adelaide from 9 October to 1 November.
The closing festival will feature free live performances from Australian rock group Regurgitator and Japanese Australian electronic duo Lastlings, giving audiences an opportunity to celebrate the festival’s long-running contribution to Adelaide’s cultural calendar. The program will bring together established performers, emerging artists and culturally diverse creative voices for its final four-week season.
A major attraction will be the return of the festival’s Moon Lanterns at Elder Park, where they will remain on display throughout the extended season. The lanterns will form part of Lucky Dumpling Market, which is being presented by OzAsia Festival and Gluttony and will include a broad schedule of free entertainment on the OzAsia Festival Stage.
Food will be another major feature of the Elder Park program, with 25 vendors serving street food inspired by Vietnam, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, India and Cambodia. Visitors will also be able to enjoy live music, DJs, cultural performances and an expanded selection of free activities designed for children and families.
Adelaide Festival Centre CEO Kate Gould said the organisation was proud to mark the festival’s 20-year journey with the community. She also confirmed that from 2027, Adelaide Festival Centre will continue the festival’s cultural legacy through a year-round program featuring Asian and Asian Australian artists and stories, while Lucky Dumpling Market is expected to return annually to Elder Park.
The visual arts program will feature several distinctive installations and exhibitions. Damien Shen will present Entombed in Joy inside the Adelaide Railway Station Historic Phone Booths, while Jake Yang’s Fire Horse at Artspace will develop and change throughout the festival. In the Festival Theatre foyer, Naina Sen’s large-scale video work SHUNDORI will create an immersive exploration of contemporary South Asian identity.
Literature will also have a prominent place through the return of Weekend of Words, curated by award-winning writer and comedian Sami Shah. The 2026 program will bring together a range of writers, performers and commentators, including Antoinette Lattouf, Benjamin Law, Durkhanai Ayubi, Michael Hing and Yumi Stynes.
The final edition provides an opportunity to acknowledge the many people who have contributed to OzAsia Festival since its beginning. Adelaide Festival Centre has recognised current Festival Director Joon-Yee Kwok as well as former artistic directors Annette Shun Wah, Joseph Mitchell and Jacinta Thompson for their roles in shaping the event over the years.
The festival’s history also extends to founder Douglas Gautier AM, the former Adelaide Festival Centre CEO and Artistic Director whose vision helped establish a prominent platform for Asian and Asian Australian artists and stories. His contribution, alongside that of artists, staff, partners, ambassadors and supporters, has helped create a legacy that Adelaide Festival Centre plans to continue beyond the festival’s final edition.
As OzAsia Festival prepares to close its chapter after 20 years, its final program is designed as a celebration rather than simply a farewell. With free performances, exhibitions, food, literature, family activities and cultural experiences spread across Adelaide, the October program will give audiences an opportunity to reflect on the festival’s contribution while experiencing the diverse artistic traditions it has championed.
Anshi Agarwal
Anshi Agarwala is a South Asian biomedical science student based in Australia who is passionate about accessible education, dance, and celebrating diaspora voices. Her work reflects the lived experiences of young people navigating culture and ambition.
