Not even bad weather or sky-rocketing fuel prices could stop AFL fans from flocking to Gather Round this year.
Because once you’ve done it, you get it. This isn’t just another round of footy, it’s a full-blown festival that turns a city into one big, buzzing changeroom.
Adelaide again leaned into its now well-earned role as host, rolling out its signature blend of sport, food, wine and atmosphere that would be tough to replicate anywhere else.
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From packed grandstands to laneways humming well after the final siren, the energy rarely dipped — even when the skies did their best to.
Early fears that fuel prices and the miserly forecast would scare people away were quickly shattered, with a record 270,018 fans attending the nine matches across four days in South Australia
And while the footy remains the centrepiece, it’s everything around it that keeps drawing people back year after year.
I got to drive the Toyota bZ4X and Toyota Tundra around the city for three days, squeezing every bit out of a jam-packed few days that went well beyond the boundary line.
If you need a perfect two-night, three-day itinerary for next year, here it is — rain, road trips and all.
Wednesday – Omada
We landed in Adelaide on Wednesday afternoon and, after checking in at the beautiful Crowne Plaza, had some downtime to relax and explore if we wanted.
I used the time to head down to the Gather Round festival at Elder Park, which is only getting bigger and better each year.
That night we headed to Omada Bar and Grill, the slick new modern Greek restaurant part-owned by Adelaide Crows great Taylor Walker.
Tucked in the heart of the city, it set the tone early — equal parts relaxed and refined, with a menu built for long, indulgent dinners.
We were treated to a five-course spread that didn’t miss, each dish outdoing the last without ever feeling over the top.
Between the food, the wine and the easy buzz of the room, it was the kind of night that reminds you Gather Round isn’t just about what happens on the field.
And there are already enough people about the city to make a Wednesday night feel more like a Friday, so surrounding bars were already pumping.
But we had a big day the next day, so we saved ourselves.
Thursday – The Lane Vineyard, Beerenberg Farm and the footy
The next morning started with a short drive out to Hahndorf, where our first stop set a pretty wholesome tone for the day. Beerenberg Farm has become a giant of Australian produce, but it still feels refreshingly grounded in its roots — a family-run operation that’s been doing its thing since 1839.
Wandering through the farm, it’s easy to see why it’s built such a reputation. The shelves are lined with jams, sauces and spreads that have become staples in households across the country, and naturally, none of us left empty-handed.
From there, things took a slightly more adventurous turn as we headed deeper into the hills for an e-bike ride through the Adelaide Hills. The weather had other ideas, with a steady drizzle turning into proper rain, but that didn’t stop us.
Eventually, we traded helmets for a long lunch at The Lane Vineyard, and it didn’t take long to dry off and settle in. Perched among the vines, it’s one of those places that just has a touch of magic about it.
Lunch was exactly what you’d hope for in that setting: thoughtful, seasonal and perfectly matched with a tasting wine that showcased why the region is so highly regarded.
The experts at The Lane like to craft their menus in reverse — instead of making the wine to fit the food, they make the food to fit the wine, because it’s the wine that is their core business. And you can tell.
The standout was their signature drop, ‘Lois’ — a sparkling blanc de blancs NV that’s earned the reputation it very much deserves. It’s not every day you’re sipping on a wine that’s poured in Qantas flights and lounges around the world, but it lived up to the billing.
The drive back into Adelaide gave us just enough time to reset before shifting gears back into footy mode. Gather Round has a way of doing that; one minute you’re in wine country, the next you’re heading for a packed stadium.
Adelaide Oval was abuzz as Carlton took it right up to the Crows for most of the night, but faded away late.
Unlike the Blues though, the night was just getting started for a good portion of the crowd.
You probably saw half of Adelaide if you headed to down Shotgun Willie’s… I just hope you can remember it.
Friday – Elder Park and the players’ perspective
Friday morning eased us back into footy mode with a trip to the Gather Round festival at Elder Park.
Set along the banks of the River Torrens, it’s the heartbeat of the weekend; fans everywhere, colours on full display and something happening in every direction.
We wandered through the precinct soaking it all in, before opting for a slightly more adventurous way to take in the view. The zip line stretching across the river isn’t for the faint-hearted, but it delivers a pretty unique perspective of the action below.
It’s that kind of mix — part-footy carnival, part-playground — that makes Gather Round feel bigger than just the games themselves.
Adelaide power forward Riley Thilthorpe is born and bred from Adelaide, so has loved seeing the concept grow in the past four years.
“Being an Adelaide boy, I really love it, I think it works really well here,” he told 7NEWS.com.au.
“Even driving in today, seeing all the different footy colours and all the different teams around, it’s pretty cool.
“And getting to kick it off on Thursday night against the Blues was pretty special. Hopefully we can keep it for a few more years.”
At the opposite end of the footy field to Thilthorpe is defender Nick Murray, who grew up nowhere near Adelaide, so has a unique perspective of the evolution of Gather Round.
“It’s a very cool concept,” he said.
“The ability to get out to the Barossa and Norwood and these types of places, and it’s only a 40-50 minute drive, is really special.
“I think where we’re situated in Australia, close to Melbourne, you’re able to favour a lot of other states so they can come over and watch us.
“Obviously New South Wales isn’t a massively footy-dense state, so to come over here and see how footy-mad Adelaide is, and then for a lot of other people to come and join in, has been really special.
“The buzz around town is different to anything you see around the country, it’s amazing.”
Asked how they’d spend their time — outside of the footy, of course — on a two or three-day trip to Adelaide for Gather Round, Thilthorpe and Murray didn’t disappoint.
“The Barossa is really nice, so I’d get up there and have a few wines,” Thilthorpe said.
“I live near the beach, I love Grange Beach, so I’d get down to the beach when it’s a bit nicer weather.
“Port Adelaide as well, it’s a great beach down there, about an hour away from the city, so I love getting down there and going for a surf or a bit of a swim.”
Murray added: “Pretty similar for me. McLaren Vale, I’d head down to the wineries there.
“I’m a bit of a country boy so I like to get out to the farms, so anywhere north — Clare region’s really nice, lots of farming country there, which is pretty cool.
“I’m not much of a beach man, but if you do have a bit of time, get over to the Eyre Peninsula, it’s beautiful over there. Port Lincoln-way.”
