Last year’s inaugural Illuminate Adelaide festival was a beacon of creativity and joy not just in the midst of winter, but also the COVID pandemic. Despite a sudden mid-festival lockdown, travel restrictions limiting visitors from interstate and overseas, and even some cancellation-level severe weather, hundreds of thousands came out when they could for South Australia’s fledgling major event.

Illuminate Adelaide is “all about art, light, music and technology, and the way those forms converge and intersect,” Co-Founder and Creative Director Lee Cumberlidge explained at a recent 2022 festival preview. “We’re really looking forward to presenting our event in full.”

Futures, a 50-metre walkway of light, sound and mirrors by Lucid Creates, appearing at the 2022 Illuminate Adelaide festival.

A mix of free and ticketed, indoor and outdoor experiences, this year’s festival takes place throughout the month of July – nearly double 2021’s intended 17 days. This time Adelaide will not only be welcoming visitors from...