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Adelaide is a great city to visit at any time of year but for four magical weeks from mid-February to mid-March it really comes to life. That’s when Adelaide Fringe takes over and the city pulses with creativity as more than 1,200 events are held in the CBD, suburbs and surrounding region.

Australia’s largest arts festival and the world’s second biggest Fringe Festival after Edinburgh, Adelaide Fringe is renowned for being one of the most diverse arts festivals in the world. Anyone who wants to perform, can – so long as it’s legal! That makes for a line-up of acts that is truly mind-blowing. Many of the events are free, others are ticketed, but there’s something to suit all tastes and budgets.

Locals call this time of year “Mad March” as other events also see the city bursting with energy, including the Adelaide Festival of Arts, Adelaide Writers’ Week, world music festival WOMADelaide, and the Adelaide 500 street circuit motor racing event with accompanying entertainment.

Many of the Fringe events are held in three temporary hubs, The Garden of Unearthly Delights, Gluttony and the Royal Croquet Club, all of which are within walking distance of the Adina Apartment Hotel Adelaide Treasury.

Housed in one of South Australia’s most historically significant buildings, Adina Treasury is the perfect base for anyone wanting to enjoy Adelaide’s cultural attractions, not only because of its prime CBD location but also because its well-equipped apartments are ideal for an extended stay. All studios have kitchenettes while one- and two-bedroom apartments have full kitchen, living/dining and laundry facilities.

The grand building on the corner of King William and Flinders Street was built in stages from 1839 to 1907 and retains many special features such as its courtyard garden, underground tunnels and historic Cabinet Room. In a city that thrives on the arts and culture, it couldn’t be more fitting than to stay in a hotel that speaks of its heritage while boasting all modern comforts.

This year marks the 60^th birthday of Adelaide Fringe, a festival that just keeps getting better by the year. Singing its praises are Festival ambassadors Marcia Hines, American entertainer Amanda Palmer, and Fez Fa’anana. Hines returns to Fringe in Velvet Rewired, a disco-fuelled cabaret spectacular in which she is joined by acrobats, aerialists and circus performers.

Fringe goers have been warned to be on high alert for Palmer’s guerrilla gigs that could happen around the city on short notice. Fez Fa’anana has been part of the Fringe family for more than a decade, advocating for the festival’s inclusive nature and bringing his own style of glamour and sass to the event.

Highlights this year include Choir of Man whose powerhouse vocals will smash your favourite pub classics, rock ballads and pop hits. Take to the mic yourself at Giant Sing Along, a free event billed as the “karaoke to end all karaoke”. Check out the murals that have been commissioned as part of the Street Art Explosion program and immerse yourself in the Aboriginal story of creation and country at Yabarra - Gathering of Light.

Step outside the door of your hotel and you’ll find excellent restaurants, a thriving café culture, pubs and funky laneway bars, museums and art galleries, and Australia’s finest food market. A short drive away, you’ll find glorious beaches and outstanding wine regions - an embarrassment of riches beyond the Fringe.