The bright lights and colours of Adelaide Fringe Festival will be heading off shore for the first time next year with a one day arts extravaganza on Kangaroo Island.

The iconic festival will be taking over the town of Penneshaw with curated performances from local artists alongside nationally touring shows.

The event will coincide with the arrival of the Queen Mary 2 on Kangaroo Island, which will see nearly 4000 passengers and crew descend on the island for the day, as well as the 2018 Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay passing through the island.

Tourism Minister Leon Bignell expects this to be a huge tourism boost for Kangaroo Island, and provide an excellent platform for local artists.

“The State Government wants Adelaide Fringe to become a regular feature in regional areas and we are working with Country Arts SA and Fringe artists to make sure we can continue its success,” Mr Bignell said.

Adelaide Fringe Director and CEO Heather Croall also cannot wait to see this iconic South Australian destination alive with fabulous Fringe activities.

“Our program of regional Fringe events has grown in the past few years to include places such as Mount Gambier and Whyalla, which provides a fantastic opportunity for our artists to showcase their talents to broader audiences,” Ms Croall said.

Free family entertainment will be available all day set against the backdrop of the local Farmer’s Markets.

There will also be a range of shows for more mature audiences including the gin soaked cabaret Mother’s Ruin, featuring songs from Amy Winehouse, Nine Simone and the Pretenders. Mother’s Ruin had two sell-out seasons at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival last year and is a perfect fit for an island known for its gin distillery.

Kangaroo Island Fringe will take place on Tuesday 20 February. 

Image credits: Trentino Priori