Why more Aussies need to put the Adelaide Fringe on their festival bucket list

Thousands of people are moving steadily eastwards as if drawn by some primeval migratory urge, the occasional cowboy hat or glitter-dusted coif sticking out above this sea of humanity. They're headed towards a pair of leafy parks where a collection of giant tents, pop-up bars and carnival rides has sprouted up between the tall gum trees. For years Adelaide's wide boulevards and plentiful quarter-acre plots have tempted visitors searching for wide open spaces, but tonight there's not a square inch to spare.

I'm here for the opening week of the Adelaide Fringe, a month-long festival that draws about 7000 artists from all over the world. Forget the City of Churches - from mid-February to mid-March (February 21-March 23 next year), Adelaide transforms into the City of Circuses (and cabaret, and burlesque, and comedy ...).

For the past few weeks, workers have been busy constructing several festival hubs so large they resemble miniature cities. Gluttony alone has 14 separate venues ranging from an 80-person tent to a massive open-air amphitheatre with room for 1500 punters. Between them they host 172 different shows, and the sprawling hub also has 30 food vendors, 13 bars and enough space for 13,000 people. If this was the entire festival, it would be reason enough to visit Adelaide. But it's just one facet of a riotous citywide party that will sell more than a million tickets over four-and-a-half weeks.

Just across the road, the Garden of Unearthly Delights can accommodate a similar number of punters. When both hubs reach capacity on the weekend, thousands more descend on temporarily pedestrianised Rundle Street to take advantage of countless al fresco restaurants and beer gardens that spill onto the asphalt. In short, there's a lot going on. And yet, somehow the second largest arts festival in the world (behind the Edinburgh Fringe) has remained under the radar for many Australians. "Because of the ties with Edinburgh, a lot of staff and artists do both festivals," says Gluttony director Daniel Michael. "So there was a time when it felt like there were more people here from the UK than from the rest of Australia."

Perhaps that explains the festival's strong international flavour, while a deliciously irreverent streak leaves every night charged with possibility. Over the course of several days I witness a priest with a dodgy Texan drawl marrying a pair of strangers in an inflatable church, see silver-suited aliens dancing suggestively on the back of a semi-trailer and wander into the bowels of the Freemason's Hall for a chaotic game of bingo that somehow morphs into a show trial and then a virtual tour of the Isle of Man (if you ever get a chance to see Robo Bingo, take it).

At Gluttony I find myself lulled into a dream state as the dancers of Gravity & Other Myths effortlessly transform themselves into human Lego pieces, tumbling over and stacking on top of each other with deceptive ease. The following night, I stroll across the road to watch Odin bodyslamming his relatives as the toxic family dynamics of the Norse gods get the pro-wrestling treatment. Metres away, the ever-fabulous Reuben Kaye is belting out show tunes and doling out filthy punchlines with the enthusiasm of a vampire walking into a blood bank, each one as likely to be accompanied by a wink as a sneer.

Despite the whirlwind of activity, the experience is never overwhelming (though the 172-page Fringe guide is enough to make anyone who's dithered over a Netflix decision baulk). And when I need a break from it all I simply take a seat at one of the many outdoor bars and pair my people-watching with a glass of chilled pet nat.

Both of the major hubs have gone all in on their food and drink offering in recent years, with the Gluttony bars pouring McLaren Vale it-label Alpha Box & Dice and the Garden branching into the fun dining game.

So on a balmy Monday evening when many of the headliners have the night off, Maori chefs Rewi Spraggon and Tama Salive put on their own show as they draw slabs of quivering pork belly and steaming vegetables from a custom-designed above-ground hangi.

Sipping a smoky tamarind and mescal cocktail, I watch a giant pink cloud flounce onto an outdoor stage before Kiwi drag queen Leather Lungs emerges to show off her impressive four-octave range with a set of classic hits from across the pond. As she sings, the park behind her is illuminated with strings of festoon lights and a colony of flying foxes is silhouetted against a magnificent sunset. Not bad for a Monday night in Adelaide. Now I just need to figure out what to see on Tuesday.

Read more on Explore:

WOMADelaide, March: Without doubt the most culturally diverse festival in Australia, this four-day celebration of music and dance hosts a glorious mix of styles ranging from Cambodian space funk and Ethiopian jazz to wild cumbia punk from Mexico.

Gather Round, April: The on-ground action at this 'festival of footy' is supplemented by player appearances, pop-up bars and free concerts around town, and this year the party heads to the Barossa Valley.

Tasting Australia, May: This gastronomic celebration brings the world's finest chefs to Adelaide, but the real draw is the opportunity to join them on an epicurean road trip while tasting the best produce from around the state in situ.

Illuminate, July: Art and technology collide at this mid-winter festival that combines dazzling light installations, underground electronic music and mind-bending AI-generated exhibitions.

OzAsia, October: From the family-friendly moon lantern trail to daring contemporary music, theatre and dance, this cutting-edge festival places the spotlight firmly on the world's most populous continent.

Pictures: Meaghan Coles; Blunderland