Celebrating 35 Years of The World's Festival
Held amongst the trees of Botanic Park/Tainmuntilla, WOMADelaide — the World of Music, Arts & Dance in Adelaide — is one of Australia’s most loved festivals.
For more than three decades, WOMADelaide has showcased global icons as well as tomorrow’s favourites in music, arts and dance from around the world, across multiple stages over the March long weekend.
It’s a place where discovery happens naturally, where generations return to share unforgettable moments, and where the exchange between artists and audiences creates something more than a music festival: a celebration of our shared humanity.
WOMADelaide began in 1992 as a daring experiment of the biennial Adelaide Festival following an approach to WOMAD, a global arts festival and charitable foundation founded in the UK by award-winning musician Peter Gabriel. In 1993 the festival took on an independent life of its own, subsequently becoming an annual event in 2004 and extending to four days in 2010. Today, WOMADelaide is an internationally acclaimed event known as Australia’s most diverse festival, a cornerstone of South Australia’s cultural calendar and, for many people around the world, an annual tradition.
Every year WOMADelaide welcomes hundreds of artists from more than 30 countries to the stunning Botanic Park/Tainmuntilla in the heart of Adelaide. From desert funk to mountain folk, homegrown bands to transnational orchestras, traditional vocalists to groundbreaking DJs, WOMADelaide is a testament to the power of music, multiculturalism and sounds of the planet.
Beyond the stages and Around the Park you’ll find dance, theatre and large-scale performances that defy gravity. Join the world’s foremost activists, scientists and leaders in thought-provoking discussions at The Planet Talks. Sing and dance in artist Workshops or hear their stories while they cook a dish full of personal history at Taste The World. Experience a festival within a festival at KidZone, a space dedicated to nature-play and art for children of all ages. You’ll find all this and more, including a wide array of cuisines, crafts and other surprises, in every pocket of the glorious green space of Botanic Park/Tainmuntilla.
As an independent charitable foundation, WOMADelaide has a long history of embracing and driving cultural, community and sustainability initiatives. The festival diverts more than 99.8% of waste from landfill and powers the majority of the site, including all stages, with 100% renewable energy. WOMADelaide also invests back into the environment by planting biodiverse native forests on Kaurna, Ngarrindjeri, Peramangk and Nauo Country. WOMADelaide is dedicated to championing First Nations artists alongside extraordinary major and emerging works from across the globe, while ensuring the festival remains accessible through initiatives such as the Community Access Program.
Today, tens of thousands of people make the annual pilgrimage to Botanic Park/Tainmuntilla to take part in something bigger than themselves: a cultural gathering built on curiosity and connection. Wherever you're from, wherever you’re going, you'll find a place here at WOMADelaide — The World's Festival.