If a seaside fun fair sounds like your – or your kid’s – cut of tea, be sure to put the Semaphore Summer Carnival on your ‘to do’ list during the summer school holidays.

Review by Lisa Bachmayer

Located on the Semaphore Foreshore next to the jetty, you’ll find a range of rides and sideshows to suit all ages – and the perfect day out for the family.

The Ferrari Swinging Chairs, the Tea Cups, Fun Factory, Bungee Trampoline and the sideshows are all suitable for young children, while older kids would enjoy the Twisting Coaster and Dodgem Cars, with the Hurricane and Ali Baba perfect for teens and thrill-seeking adults.

Free to enter the carnival, ride prices ranged from $8 for the Tea Cups and Swinging Chairs to $12 for the Hurricane, Ali Baba and Cyclone. The dodgem cars offered good value at $12 per car. (prices as at December 2024)

The Bungee Trampolines, which were the most expensive attraction at $15 and had an attendant monitoring each bungee when we were there, are suitable for all ages with a weight limit of 90kg.

All the ride operators and side show attendants we came across were helpful and friendly, which made our occasionally nervous, young children feel welcome.

Our six year old was immediately drawn to the Bungee Trampolines and had a great time bouncing exceptionally high with the safety of a harness. The attendant even explained it was the perfect opportunity to try out some tricks and helped my daughter do a somersault – something she’s constantly trying to do on our home trampoline.

The two year old took a spin on the tea cups, which are for all ages and can fit an adult and two children, if needed. Allen, the friendly ride operator in his late sixties, shared his passion for fun fairs with us, explaining how the rides pack up and are transported once the carnival is over.

Several children were making a beeline for the sideshows, which included a balloon burst with darts, a basketball hoop throw and – of course – the clowns.

Depending on when you attend – we visited on the slightly overcast, first day of the carnival at noon and had many rides to ourselves – it can be the perfect way to give kids the fun atmosphere of a fair, without the busy crowds and high-sensory, stimulating atmosphere.

Last year we went at night at the height of summer – along with many other families – and had a more high energy carnival experience.

Whenever you go, you’re sure to find something for everyone, with plenty of options to make a day or night of it.

If you time your visit accordingly, you’ll also have the option to ride other attractions that are not officially part of the Semaphore Summer Carnival but complement it perfectly, such the Semaphore Steam Train (running daily throughout the holidays) and the Semaphore Carousel (weekends, 12pm-5pm).

Bring a picnic from home to enjoy on the grass or buy food and drinks from the adjacent kiosk or supermarkets and eateries on Semaphore Road.

After all the excitement of the rides and sideshows, we bought some sushi rolls from a takeaway shop on Semaphore Road for a late lunch on the large grassed area before taking the kids to the nearby playground to let off some excess energy.

And just in case that’s not enough fun – which it was for us, by the way – you can always bring your beach gear for a dose of sand and water play.

For those wanting extension activity ideas(!), our six-year-old carnival goer continued the fun at home by creating replicas of all the rides using paper and split pins.

Whatever you choose to do and whenever you choose to go, the Semaphore Summer Carnival is the perfect recipe for a day of fun by the seaside these school holidays.

Rides with height limits:

• Hurricane: 110-120cm = must ride with adult; 120cm+ can ride alone
• Dodgem cars: 90-130cm = must ride with an adult/driver; 130cm+ can drive alone
• Ali Baba: 120cm+ able to ride
• Cyclone: 122cm+ able to ride
• Jungle Twist Spinning Coaster: 92-112cm = must ride with adult; 112cm+ can ride alone

Semaphore Summer Carnival | 14 Dec 2024 – 27 Jan 2025

At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.

All photos by Play & Go Adelaide 2024

As per all our Play & Go reviews, this is not a sponsored post and our review is done completely independently. 

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