Extended Saturday trading, an espresso martini bar, live street performers and DJs will headline this year’s MallFest, as Festival Season arrives in Rundle Mall.
Retailers in Rundle Mall will open for an extra hour until 6pm each Saturday from 16 February to 17 March to encourage city visitors to shop before or after attending the Fringe or Adelaide Festival.
It comes after the tremendous success of last year’s first-ever extended Saturday trading hours and curated MallFest entertainment program.
Data from the Adelaide Economic Development Agency (AEDA), which manages the Rundle Mall Precinct, shows foot traffic doubled in the Mall during extended Saturday trading hours last year, compared to the standard trading hours of the 2021 Festival Season.
Overall, foot traffic in Rundle Mall throughout the 2023 Festival Season also increased, up 18% year-on-year.
The additional trading hours for shoppers contributed to city retail spending increasing 14% to $127 million during 2023’s Festival Season.
“South Australians, and our interstate and international visitors, want to shop for longer and later in Rundle Mall when there are festivals, sport and other major events happening in the city,” said Andrew White, Adelaide Economic Development Agency’s Executive Manager, Rundle Mall.
“Last year’s extended trading hours and MallFest activations were an overwhelming success, with city retail spending hitting new record levels, and we’re pleased to have them return in 2024.
“The extra shopping time means you can come into Rundle Mall to shop, and then head straight to a show or out for drinks and dinner, instead of going home and returning later in the evening. Likewise, we expect many Festival and Fringe-goers will come in early to first explore the Mall, when it would have previously been closed.
“To add to the atmosphere, we’ll also have a range of activities that will deliver the fun and frivolity of Festival Season in the heart of Rundle Mall.
“MallFest will come alive under the Gawler Place Canopy, with shoppers able to enjoy DJs every Festival Friday, along with a daily program of musicians, artists and world-class street performers.”
The MallFest Bar will be mixing espresso martinis and cocktails at the Canopy from 11 am each Friday to Sunday to provide shoppers with a place to relax and unwind.
Cotton On, H&M, Myer, JD Sports, rebel, Sephora, David Jones, Kmart, QBD Books and Nike Adelaide are among some of the Rundle Mall stores opening for longer during this year’s Festival Season.
Nike Adelaide Store Manager Chris Fleming said extra trading hours would allow the active and footwear retailer to capitalise on increased foot traffic in the city during the Adelaide Fringe and Adelaide Festival.
“Foot traffic and sales were strong from 5pm to 6pm on Saturdays during the last Festival Season,” he said. “We are excited to offer our customers an opportunity to shop late again this year and make the most of all that’s happening in Rundle Mall and the city during this busy time.”
This year’s MallFest program also sees the return of HEXADECA, the architecturally-designed aural playground. Created by Pulsing Heart, and featuring music written and recorded in South Australia, HEXADECA invites passersby to explore and interact with the custom-built spinner seats and observe how different interactions dictate which element of the whole musical score are heard.
