Your First Sidebyside: What to Know Before 30 January

Sidebyside has been running in the Adelaide Parklands since 2019, and for most of that time it has been the kind of festival people found out about from a friend. That changed in January 2026, when the sixth edition sold out for the first time. The seventh lands on Saturday 30 January 2027 at Tulya Wardli / Helen Mayo Park, and if you’re going for the first time, here’s what you’re in for.

Date	Saturday 30 January 2027, 12pm to 1am
Venue	Tulya Wardli / Helen Mayo Park, Adelaide CBD, Kaurna Country
Age	Strictly 18+, valid photo ID required
Tickets	$150 entry before 3pm, $190 entry anytime, via Humanitix
Early access	Register by 11:30am ACST Wednesday 30 September 2026
General sale	12pm ACST Thursday 1 October 2026

The festival is run by Company Works, the Adelaide team behind Sanctuary and PLACES. It is independent, 18+ only, and built around one long day. Gates open at 12pm and the music runs until 1am. That’s thirteen hours in a park on the edge of the city, and the organisers design it that way on purpose.

How the tickets work

The ticketing is where Sidebyside does something different. There are two general admission tickets. One gets you in before 3pm for $150. The other lets you arrive whenever you like for $190. The idea is simple: come early, pay less, and give the afternoon acts a real crowd. It worked last year, with more than half the crowd through the gates before 4pm. If you buy the cheaper ticket and your afternoon gets away from you, you’re not locked out. You pay the $40 difference at the door and walk in.

Getting a ticket at all is the first hurdle. Early access registration is open now at sidebysidefestival.com and closes at 11:30am ACST on Wednesday 30 September. At midday, registered people get an SMS with the ticket link, and every ticket type is available. General sale opens at midday the next day. Given how 2026 went, registering is the sensible move. Tickets are sold only through Humanitix, and an official resale option will be announced for anyone whose plans change.

Who’s playing

The lineup leans toward house, techno, trance and garage, with a few acts you won’t often see in Adelaide. Silverlining, the long-running UK project of Asad Rizvi, makes his Sidebyside debut. Liquid Earth brings his live show to Adelaide for the first time. Leeds producer Captain Wallop covers the house and garage end.

From Australia, Bella Claxton and Juicy Romance bring faster, harder sets, Not Without Friends play loose and fun house, Aldonna comes back from Amsterdam with 90s-leaning trance and progressive, and Eluize plays live. Kia returns after playing in 2026.

Locals Chark, Musch, Wallace & Malone and XXXQuisite fill out the day, and there is a special guest still to be named, someone who sold out a Company Works show in Adelaide earlier this year in very little time. Set times come out closer to the festival.

The site

The site itself is part of the draw. This year’s design mixes steel scaffolding and concrete with water and plants, and a new stage built around that look joins the existing ones on a bigger site. There’s a dedicated art space run with Sanctuary’s arts program, plus installations and lighting that change the park as the day turns to night. The organisers describe it as a festival in the city that makes you feel you’ve left it.

Getting there and getting in

There’s no festival parking, so plan on public transport, walking, cycling or a rideshare. Routes and a drop-off point will be published closer to the day.

Bring your ticket, your photo ID, your phone, a bank card, sunscreen, a hat and an empty reusable plastic bottle. Free water is available on site, and it’s late January in Adelaide, so you’ll use it. Leave the alcohol, glass, umbrellas, big chairs and drones at home. Bags are searched at the gate, and there are no pass-outs, so once you’re in, you’re in.

On the day

Food runs all day with vegetarian and vegan options, and the bars serve both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. There’s no dress code. Dress for a long, hot day outside and bring something light for later.

Sidebyside takes looking after people seriously. First aid, medical staff and security are on site all day. If something feels off, ask for help early. Ask for Angela works at any bar or with any staff member if you need help quietly. Harassment and discrimination aren’t tolerated, and neither is filming other people, which will get you removed. Phone photos are fine. Professional cameras need accreditation.

Accessibility and weather

The event goes ahead rain or shine, and it includes loud music, flashing lights, haze and strobes. The site has an accessible entry route and accessible toilets, and accredited assistance animals are welcome. More detail on terrain, Companion Card and accessible parking is coming. If you have a specific question, email [email protected] or message the festival on Instagram at @sidebyside.festival.

If you only remember three things

Register for early access before 11:30am on 30 September, bring your ID, and get there early.

Sidebyside 2027. Saturday 30 January, 12pm to 1am, Tulya Wardli / Helen Mayo Park, Adelaide. sidebysidefestival.com