More funding for South Australian events to boost regional visitor economy

32 South Australian events and festivals will share in grants totalling more than $390,000 to help attract more visitors and boost the local visitor economy.

The South Australian Government grants are on top of the $70 million in additional tourism funding in the past two State Budgets.

The events and festivals have been funded through the 2016/17 Regional Events and Festivals Program.

The Program provides financial support toward marketing and promotional activities for events and festivals, which boost the visitor economy and strengthen the profile of our regions.

Eight of the successful applicants are receiving sponsorship for the first time. Eleven new multiple-year agreements have been put in place, which help events develop long term plans and increased financial security.

Commenting on the grants, South Australian Minister for Tourism Leon Bignell stated “tourism is one of South Australia’s key economic drivers and the State Government works around the clock to support local events and festivals so we can continue to boost the visitor economy.

“The State Government’s goal is for tourism to directly employ 41,000 people and to grow the visitor economy to $8 billion by 2020.”

Events and festivals sponsored through the 2016/17 Regional Events and Festivals Program include:

Kangaroo Island Marathon - 27th August 2016 
18 Hours of Melrose, Flinders Ranges and Outback - 2nd and 3rd September 2016 
Lower Lakes Stockman’s Challenge, Fleurieu Peninsula - 16th to 18th September 2016 
Bay to Birdwood, Adelaide Hills - 25th September 2016 
Ceduna Oysterfest, Eyre Peninsula - 30th September to 2nd October 2016 
Coonawarra Cabernet Celebrations, Limestone Coast - 1st to 31st October 2016 
Renmark Rose Festival, Riverland - 14th to 23rd October 2016 
Fleurieu Folk Festival, Fleurieu Peninsula - 21st to 23rd October 2016 
Riverstock, Riverland - 11th to 13th November 2016 
Handpicked Festival, Fleurieu Peninsula - 12th November 2016 
Yankalilla Cruise, Fleurieu Peninsula - 18th to 20th November 2016 
All Steamed Up, Murray River - Lakes and Coorong, 19th and 20th November 2016 
Bay Sheffield, Adelaide - 27th and 28th December 2016 
Crush, Adelaide Hills - 27th and 29th January 2017 
Tunarama, Eyre Peninsula - 25th to 29th January 2017 
Fleurieu Film Festival, Fleurieu Peninsula - 3rd and 4th February 2017 
Kangaroo Island Cup Carnival, Kangaroo Island - 16th and 18th February 2017 
South Australian Masters Games (Clare), Clare Valley - 24th to 27th March 2017 
Floatfest, Murray River, Lakes and Coorong - 8th and 9th April 2017 
Blenheim Music and Camping Festival, Clare Valley - 14th April 2017 
Barossa Vintage Festival, Barossa - 19th to 23rd April 2017 
South Australian Wooden Boat Festival, Fleurieu Peninsula - 22nd and 23rd April 2017 
Kernewek Lowender, Yorke Peninsula - 15th to 21st May 2017 
Clare Valley Gourmet Weekend, Clare Valley - 19th to 22nd May 2017 
The Great Breakaways Marathon, Flinders Ranges and Outback - 27th May 2017 
Whyalla Sea Life Festival, Eyre Peninsula - 3rd to 12th June 2017 
Melrose Fat Tyre Festival, Flinders Ranges and Outback - 9th to 12th June 2017 
Adelaide Beer & BBQ Festival, Adelaide - July 2017 
Winter Reds Weekend, Adelaide Hills - 28th to 30th July 2017 
South Australian Living Artists Festival, across South Australia - 1st to 31st August 2017 
Barossa Gourmet Weekend, Barossa - September 2017 
Yorke Peninsula’s Saltwater Classic, Yorke Peninsula - April 2018

Images: Kangaroo Island Marathon (top) and the Adelaide Hill's Crush Festival (below).

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