Gather in the Garden

Gather your friends and loved ones for a magical summer evening in Adelaide Botanic Garden
 

Enjoy exclusive after-hours access on a balmy summer night, where live jazz bands and lush lawns set the perfect scene for your night out.

Savour delicious bites from food trucks and refreshing drinks from the bar as you listen to toe-tapping music, or BYO picnic.

Then, wander through the stunning Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition in the rainforest-filled conservatory to explore jaw-dropping images that capture nature at its most dramatic, beautiful and raw — entry is free with your ‘Gather in the Garden’ ticket. (Important: please see note below for weekend of 16-17 January).

Also admire the Tails from the Coasts exhibition, a captivating collection of 200 year-old watercolour paintings featuring fauna from Singapore and the Malay Peninsula. Discover this exquisite art in the magnificent Museum of Economic Botany in the heart of the Garden for free.

For art lovers, there is even more! Explore the beautiful outdoor exhibition, Opuntia and Olea, or revisit the incredible Glacier Ice and Lapis Chandelier by Dale Chihuly in the Palm House.

Don’t miss your chance to soak up the vibrant atmosphere, nature and art at this stunning city treasure!
 

 Toe-tapping live music by excellent local talent.

Music lineup

Friday 9 January - Sabor a Cuba

Saturday 10 Jan - Texas Swing

Friday and Saturday 16-17 January - Zooma Zooma

Friday and Saturday 23-24 January - Sol Bossa 
 

Pack a picnic or enjoy food truck fare and drinks from the bar

Explore the jaw-dropping photographs at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition - entry is free on the evening with your ticket.

Discover 200-year old watercolour paintings featuring creatures from Singapore and the Malay peninsula in Tails from the Coasts - free evening entry with your ticket.

Add-on experience - Gin Masterclass

Boost your night with a special gin masterclass from Adelaide’s favourite local distillery, Prohibition Liquor Co.

Start your Gather in the Garden experience early by soaking in the atmosphere as you sit under the Wisteria arbour and taste a local gin inspired by nature.

Be guided by one of Prohibition’s expert staff through a flight of gins, with matching mixers and garnishes as you learn the process of gin distillation and recipe creation.

During this masterclass you will receive three tasting pours of Prohibition gin with matched canapes from award-winning Botanic Lodge while you sip, swirl and taste.

Your ticket includes entry to Gather in the Garden, so after your masterclass head to the Museum Lawn to hear the live band, grab a bite to eat and drink, and discover the jaw-dropping images in the acclaimed Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, and see the exquisite 200-year old watercolours in Tails from the Coasts.  

Please note to participate in this masterclass you must be 18-years old and over.
 

Gin masterclass under the Wisteria Arbours. Photo credit: Simon Casson

Book now

Location
Gather in the Garden: Museum Lawn, Adelaide Botanic Garden (reference D4 on the map) 
Gin masterclass: Wisteria Arbour (reference C4 on the map)

Times
Gather in the Garden: Gates open at 6.45pm until 9:00pm
Gin masterclass: 6pm - 7pm

Gates
Enter and exit via Main Gate on North Terrace.

Getting here

Find out more about getting to the Garden here.

Find a map from the car parks to the Main Gate and event spaces here. 

What to bring

• Food trucks will be on site, or you are welcome to bring a picnic.
• BYO alcohol is not permitted, but bars will be available to purchase alcoholic and soft drinks.
• Picnic blankets and low chairs if you want to relax on the lawn where the jazz band is playing.

**Weekend of 16-17 January 2026

Please note that there is a chance that a corpse flower (Titan Arum) will bloom on the weekend of Friday 16 - Saturday 17 January. If this happens, the popular bloom will draw large crowds to view the infamously smelly plant which is in the Bicentennial Conservatory, where the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition is on.

Due to the expected high volume of visitors to see the corpse flower on the nights that it blooms, we are unfortunately not able to offer Gather in the Garden ticket holders the standard entry to view the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition.

If you purchase a ticket for Gather in the Garden on Friday 16 or Saturday 17 January, we offer you a complimentary ticket to view the photography exhibition during the day at another time. Alternatively, we can offer a ticket swap to Friday 23 or Saturday 24 January. Please email us at botanicexhibitions@sa.gov.au no later than Wednesday 21 January if you wish to arrange this.

Gather in the Garden ticket holders will be able to join the queue to view the corpse flower after the event. The queues will be open until 10pm, with the corpse flower viewing finishing at midnight. Queues will be via Plane Tree Drive. Please visit our website to find out more.

Gather in the Garden is proudly supported by Media Partner Nine, and Local Partner Foodland.