Taking place on Saturday 21 February 2026, Scroll Less, Fringe More is a special Adelaide Fringe program designed to support families and young people to engage, explore and connect beyond smartphones.
Running from 10am to 4pm, the event will transform Fool’s Paradise into a daytime family hub, with $5 tickets across a program of family-friendly shows, alongside free activities including roving performers, face painting, games and hands-on entertainment.
The initiative is delivered by Adelaide Fringe, in collaboration with Wait Mate, a parent-led, not-for-profit movement that connects parents, making delaying smartphones feel normal. The collaboration draws on shared values around balance, wellbeing and real-world connection.
Adelaide Fringe Acting CEO Tara MacLeod said, “Adelaide Fringe is about shared experiences, curiosity and connection. Scroll Less, Fringe More invites people to Fringe at a low-cost entry point and creates a welcoming space for families to experience the joy of live performance together, while encouraging kids to step away from smartphones and into real-world play, imagination and time together.”
Wait Mate’s South Australian Lead Emily Harrison said, “This collaboration with Fringe brings a simple idea to life: phones down, families together. This is how social norms change, together. Fringe is helping us kick off this conversation in the most Adelaide way possible by getting together and doing what this city does best, festivals!”
The program is supported by long-time Fringe champions Bill Manos & Theo Maras who are widely credited as key drivers in helping Fringe thrive in the East End for the last 25 years.
Theo Maras on behalf of Bill & Theo said, “The arts bring families and communities together. As fathers and grandfathers, we know how important it is for kids to access creativity, culture and shared experiences beyond smartphones, and we’re proud to support Wait Mate and Adelaide Fringe to make this possible.”
All ticketed shows at Fool’s Paradise between 10am and 4pm on the day will offer a $5 ticket option, excluding select adult-only performances. Tickets will be capped at four per customer per show to ensure broad access.
The program includes popular Fringe favourites such as The Giant Balloon Show, The Flying Bubble Show, Tiny Doctors: Happy Labs, Storybook Circus and All Star Circus, offering a full day of theatre, circus, comedy and interactive performance for children and carers alike.
The event comes as Wait Mate begins working with school communities across South Australia to help parents support one another to delay smart phones for their kids, made possible through South Australian Government funding.
Scroll Less, Fringe More takes place on Saturday 21 February 2026, as part of Adelaide Fringe, running from 20 February to 22 March 2026.
Running from 10am to 4pm, the event will transform Fool’s Paradise into a daytime family hub, with $5 tickets across a program of family-friendly shows, alongside free activities including roving performers, face painting, games and hands-on entertainment.
The initiative is delivered by Adelaide Fringe, in collaboration with Wait Mate, a parent-led, not-for-profit movement that connects parents, making delaying smartphones feel normal. The collaboration draws on shared values around balance, wellbeing and real-world connection.
Adelaide Fringe Acting CEO Tara MacLeod said, “Adelaide Fringe is about shared experiences, curiosity and connection. Scroll Less, Fringe More invites people to Fringe at a low-cost entry point and creates a welcoming space for families to experience the joy of live performance together, while encouraging kids to step away from smartphones and into real-world play, imagination and time together.”
Wait Mate’s South Australian Lead Emily Harrison said, “This collaboration with Fringe brings a simple idea to life: phones down, families together. This is how social norms change, together. Fringe is helping us kick off this conversation in the most Adelaide way possible by getting together and doing what this city does best, festivals!”
The program is supported by long-time Fringe champions Bill Manos & Theo Maras who are widely credited as key drivers in helping Fringe thrive in the East End for the last 25 years.
Theo Maras on behalf of Bill & Theo said, “The arts bring families and communities together. As fathers and grandfathers, we know how important it is for kids to access creativity, culture and shared experiences beyond smartphones, and we’re proud to support Wait Mate and Adelaide Fringe to make this possible.”
All ticketed shows at Fool’s Paradise between 10am and 4pm on the day will offer a $5 ticket option, excluding select adult-only performances. Tickets will be capped at four per customer per show to ensure broad access.
The program includes popular Fringe favourites such as The Giant Balloon Show, The Flying Bubble Show, Tiny Doctors: Happy Labs, Storybook Circus and All Star Circus, offering a full day of theatre, circus, comedy and interactive performance for children and carers alike.
The event comes as Wait Mate begins working with school communities across South Australia to help parents support one another to delay smart phones for their kids, made possible through South Australian Government funding.
Scroll Less, Fringe More takes place on Saturday 21 February 2026, as part of Adelaide Fringe, running from 20 February to 22 March 2026.
