Adelaide will be abuzz this festival season and to help, the City of Adelaide has expanded "East End Unleashed" to allow festival goers and the hospitality sector to soak up the festival vibes in a fun and safe environment.
For the duration of the Fringe Festival, Rundle Street, Frome Street, Ebenezer Place, Vardon Avenue and East Terrace will be closed to traffic every Friday and Saturday night, as well as during the day Sunday, so there'll be plenty of space for everyone to safely make their way down to the Garden of Unearthly Delights, Gluttony and WOMADelaide.
To make the most of the balmy summer nights, outdoor dining will be extended onto the streets and footpaths in the East End until midnight, for people to enjoy dinner and drinks in an alfresco setting in the heart of action.
To help bring people into the city, Council is offering free on street parking on weeknights and weekends throughout February and March, as well as UPark discounts to support a successful festival season.
City of Adelaide Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor says providing easier access to the city and more street parties is an important way council can help city traders.
"The hospitality sector has been crying out for more outdoor dining opportunities and council has responded, we're facilitating more street closures and activating additional spaces to help them serve as many customers as possible," said the Lord Mayor.
"Through the Capital City Committee, the City of Adelaide and the State Government have invested in new retractable and drop-in bollards in the East End, to enable quick and easy street closures, as well as new atmospheric lighting to help the area shine at any time of the year.
"Festival and event organisers have proven they can look after audiences safely with approved Covid safety plans, realigned entrances, expanded venues and capacities in line with the restrictions.
"The festival season is such a fun time to be out enjoying everything this city to offer, so we made it a priority to help attract even more people to the city and North Adelaide.
"By offering free parking on weeknights and weekends we hope it will encourage even more people to pop in, see a show and help the entertainment industry."
The free parking offer is one of more than 20 initiatives Council recently adopted under "Reignite Adelaide 2.0", a $7.5 million dollar support package aimed at helping city traders recover from the impacts of the Omicron restrictions in the coming weeks and months.
In total, the City of Adelaide has allocated approximately $20 million in COVID-19 City support programs since the beginning of the pandemic.
