Event date: 28 May 2027
The Sweet Days Hot Nights Festival celebrates the essence of the Burdekin region, renowned as the Sugarcane Capital of Australia, by showcasing its people, produce and culture.
Consisting of two headline events, the Sweet Days Hot Nights Festival starts with the Burdekin Cultural Fair featuring First Fire on Friday night, followed by the Australian Hand Cane Cutting Championships on Saturday at the Home Hill Showgrounds.
The Burdekin Cultural Fair featuring First Fire celebrates the diversity of the Burdekin region bringing together a diverse range of cultures through a variety of culinary delights, interactive activities and captivating entertainment. Don't miss the highlight of the night, the lighting of the first fire of the 2027 sugarcane crushing season. Hear the crackling of the crop burning, smell the sweet essence of the burning sugar and feel the heat of the fire as it tears through the paddock.
The Australian Hand Cane Cutting Championships is the ultimate test of skill and endurance, with competitors swinging their cane knives in hopes to be crowned the Australian Hand Cane Cutting Champion! Spectators will have the opportunity to walk through a paddock of burnt sugarcane, immersing themselves in the dirty, back-breaking work of a by-gone era. This family-friendly event promises great food, live music, captivating entertainment and so much more!
Event date: 11 - 13 August 2026
The biennial Eyre Peninsula Field Days showcases agricultural innovations and services in Cleve, South Australia.
More than 400 exhibitors from across agricultural machinery, farm services and rural lifestyle sectors set up displays, demonstrations and stalls showing new technologies, tools, and innovations. Alongside that are guest speakers, workshops, food and craft stalls, and features like “Artyculture” — a sustainable fashion/fashion-upcycling catwalk competition.
Facilities include food and beverage options, first aid, baby change, courier service for heavy purchases, free bus service around the site and ample parking.
With well over 10,000 attendees, EP Field Days plays a vital role in sharing farming innovations, inspiring rural lifestyle improvements, and strengthening community across Eyre Peninsula.
Event date: 18 - 19 April 2026
The award winning National Tourism Accredited Laura Fair is a major rural festival of the Southern Flinders Ranges, held over two days annually in Laura on the first weekend of April and typically attracting 10,000 to 15,000 patrons.
The Laura Fair was first held in 1980, the brainchild of Rocky River Historic and Art Society member Dick Biles. It has been held every year since except during the COVID years. Originally started as a way to promote art and culture in the area, the resounding success of the first year led to the formation of a separate committee to undertake organisation of the event. Since 1981 the wholly volunteer driven Laura Fair Committee has been responsible for this.
The event has since grown into one of the major festivals of our region and has an important economic benefit for businesses around the region. It is the main annual fundraising avenue for many local community groups.
Our family focused event provides a wonderful country experience, with free entertainment over the whole weekend. Our event features a Street Parade with a themed costume parade put together by the local school, beautiful PADARC vintage cars, SES, CFS and local business floats, two stages of live entertainment playing all weekend, as well as roving performers and buskers, Sideshow Alley and the Showmen’s Guild of South Australia rides, on Saturday night there’s food stalls, licensed bar and Entertainment until 10pm. Golden North Ice-Cream Eating Competition, Boot toss competition, Old Courthouse Art Gallery exhibition and over 100 stalls selling a huge variety of handcrafted items, as well as food and refreshment stalls catering to a wide range of tastes.
Laura is a vibrant, artistic rural community with a population of approximately 650, situated beside the Rocky River and amongst the rolling hills of the Southern Flinders Ranges. Our event is wholly driven by a small volunteer committee and a large contingent of casual volunteers who assist with various aspects of the event.