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Descendants Day

   Events

Contact us via email about future group tours or events you would like to plan! Examples: photoshoots or a group tour before an evening meal at the Port.

Events support the restoration and bring visitors & vibrancy to our site.​ We are planning a variety of sessions and events for kids and adults.​​

Upcoming Events- watch here and on Facebook for future events.

Children are free for tours inside the ship every day including in school holidays!

DescendantsDay

 

Future Events

Children's educational event: Tinsel Towers. Tickets selling now!

An exciting collaboration with City of Charles Sturt and organisers Ngutungka West Lakes!

This event is a fundraiser for the Clipper Ship City of Adelaide.

Age range: We suggest at least 6 years of age, with adult assistance as required with scissors, glue, hammers, hollow punches and screwdrivers.

When:

Friday December 20th.

Times:

2 one hour sessions available-  1:30 PM & 3:00 PM

Where:

Ngutungka West Lakes

9 Charles Street West Lakes

Event:

Tinsel Towers (6+)

Create and decorate your very own LED-lit Tinsel Tower to brighten your bedside table this festive season!

Cost:

$11.90 includes fees

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/tinsel-towers-6-tickets-1082805302809?utm_experiment=test_share_listing&aff=ebdsshios

Save the Dates for these 3 ticketed events - tickets to be released during 2025. More information on Facebook and this page in the future!

Kids Down at Dock 2 event science /tech April school holidays:

Nimble Navigator. The project involves making a shape out of wire. The goal is to navigate nimbly around the shape with a wire loop (connected to a buzzer & LED) as quickly as possible without touching the wire. We will have stopwatches!

Monday 14th April 

Shed 13. Dock 2 Port Adelaide. 

History Festival 2025:

"Women of the ship by Women of the ship" Performance 

History Festival event 31st May 2025.

Stories of women who travelled on or were associated with CofA / Carrick.

Concert on ship: Sun 20th July 2025 3 -5pm

 

Neil Young's Acoustic Dreams.

 

Featuring Stuart Day and Renee Donaghey. We welcome you aboard for a music treat in the impressive ambience of the ship!

 

 

Past Events

2024

Down at Dock 2 Children's educational science /tech (STEM) sessions.

Enthusiastic participants joined us to build and test their own Clipper Cat - a battery-powered catamaran!

Our onboard concert was sold out on Sunday 8th Sept.

The ‘Welcome Aboard’ concert featured Al.Q.Bon. Our first concert off the barge on land!

Sultry Songs from Across the Seas! The audience was treated to superb acoustics and ambience in this unique space 

Children's educational science /tech (STEM) sessions Friday 19th  July. Succesesful sessions - making a lightstation using tools and assembling the electronics. Photos on facebook!

SA History Festival - sold out Tour behind the scenes on Wed 29th May.

We built a Bilge Rat Racer on Friday 19th April - another fun & educational event as part of our Down at Dock 2 sessions for children. Real tools /hands on science and technology!

 

Down at Dock 2 children's science /tech event: Navigate me!

On 19th Jan 2024 we made a compass and learned some basic navigation. 

2023

Our Down at Dock 2 event  on -6th October -  lantern making was very successful thanks to volunteers and visitors! 

School holiday fun science & technology. Check Facebook for photos!

 

Scotland in Australia by the Adelaide Scottish Fiddle Club using our ship as a venue. Sun 7th May. 

They performed a delightful program of contemporary and traditional music, showing

how contemporary Australian composers are building on the Scottish tradition.

 

Down at Dock 2 Educational session  - "fun"-raiser  for the clipper.

Children drilled, soldered, cable-tied and decorated their own solar-powered "Clipper Critter". 

Friday 21st April 2023.

Lots of fun was had with science and technology at these sold out sessions for kids!​
 
2022

Educational session -"Clipper Cat" - participants made a catamaran - using tools to make it and then race it!

School holidays Friday 7th October - 2 sessions were sold out!

We had many repeat visitors to our sessions who find our programs stimulating & learning skills they can use again & again!

The Clipper Ship Concert on Saturday 10th Sept  was held inside the historic ship.

Apocalyptic Breakdown - tender tunes, biting satire and a seriously silly style. 

A set of early jazz & blues to songs of our times was performed by John Murphy, Lainie Jamieson and Mike Haynes and friends.

There was an all-in set to close the event. Attendees loved the awesome acoustics in the historic ship!

Music lovers and supporters came along to be entertained & were amazed by the talent in our town! See Facebook photos.

Educational session -"Light your way"  participants made a lighthouse - using tools we made a functioning light!

Sunday 14th August. Awesome feedback from our participants!

This event was part of National Science Week. 

History Festival:

We presented 3 very different events at Dock 2 Port Adelaide, proudly associated with the South Australian History Festival

Sat 28th May  -a limited number of 25 tickets for an intimate experience.

A tantalising mix progressing from the ship to the port township! Including diaries of passengers on the City of Adelaide;  a summary of the restoration;  live music from Hugh Stuckey with sparkles or Bickfords & pre-dinner nibbles in the mysterious cargo hold. We then moved to dinner at the Port's British Hotel. A varied night!

 

Sat 14th May. The Carrick Concert. Special afternoon concert inside the ship celebrating the lives of those sailing on the Clipper Ship and more! Some heartwarming history and spine tingling music. 

Sat 7th May. Event began in shed 13 with a talk by Clipper Ship Director and the extraordinary film about how the 550 ton ship & cradle was moved from one hemisphere to another. Followed by tour inside ship.

2021

A vibrant event  Descendants Day  was Sun 7th November at Dock 2. 

An opportunity for the general public & descendants from voyages of the ship to explore the possibilities at Dock 2.

A superb Port Adelaide day of light winds and sunshine during the many activities contributing to the successful day. 

Photographs taken on the day are available here. A video of the day by Ed Liparts  can be viewed here.

Shiploads of beer

We launched the Clipper traditional porter beer called Clipper Shiploads brewed by Jade Flavell, legendary brewer and publican from The Wheaty - the Wheatsheaf hotel in Thebarton on Thursday 21st October.
The evening was a collaboration with the Maritime Museum & The Wheaty -  we explored the relocation of the Clipper Ship City of Adelaide to Adelaide, grog on ships from this era and had a tasting! Limited edition cans of the delicious porter were available to purchase.

October School holiday event!  Lanterns & Lightstations. Very successful event!
Lanterns based on the traditional brass clipper ship lanterns of old. 

Lightstations made a perfect beacon to guide you to bed at night!

Elephant in the Room Productions performed on board the historic ship.
Two sold out concerts! September 11th &12th.
Midnight Sun: an evening of Icelandic Myth and Music ignited a fire of passion within us
Included a banquet box of treats from Mayfair Bakery! ​

Down at Dock 2: Drainpipe Dragsters- Our Sunday 22nd August event was part of the National Science Week program  Our science / education team were so pleased to see you there at our sold out session!

We constructed solar or battery powered cars- lots of skills and learning here! See the photos on the Clipper Ship Facebook.

Our History Festival event was a buzz on Sunday 23rd May!
The theme this year was "change". We made a compass in shed 13 and navigated Dock 2. 
We displayed how navigation has changed from the era of the Clipper Ship City of Adelaide to the present day - great hands on learning activities for all ages! 

Adelaide Food Fringe event aboard the Clipper Ship City of Adelaide!

Sat 8th May - We enjoyed our ‘Pizzas & Popsicles beneath the Poop Deck’. 

This event saw many new people aboard- a great event!

Sun 28th March- The Best of the Beggars concert on board!  3-5pm. Ticket holders arrived from 2pm for a look at the restoration!

The concert was brilliant- thanks to the musicians for taking us on a magnificent lyrical journey!

On Sun 28th Feb, we held the first of our Down at Dock 2- Kids activities in shed 13.  What a great session- see the the photos of the successful day on Facebook!

We showcased our activities both planned & available this year!

2020

Our Onboard concert was sold out 8 weeks prior to the event on Sunday 25th Oct.

Local band The South Season played "Dylan: influence and inspiration".

Acoustics were fantastic on board the historic ship! Sensational!

Our free Educational event on Sat 26th September in shed 13 was a great success. "Meet the authors model makers inventors and maritime historians".  

Interactions and hands on science activities for kids. It was an event at Dock 2 getting people to the site for the first time.

The Beggars Sing The Seekers.  Sold Out  5 weeks prior!

We welcomed you aboard for this event on Sunday 9th August. Sensational concert - they took our breath away!

2019

Book launch! - On Sat 9th Nov, Scottish writer and true friend of the City of Adelaide, Rita Bradd launched her hard cover book. The book enthralls the reader with tales from her journey accompanying the City of Adelaide on her final voyage to Port Adelaide. Books for sale in the information booth.

A shipload of Laughs. Part 2- Bound for South Australia.

We were entertained on board with a concert by the Dingo's Breakfast Duo - they were back by popular demand on Sunday 3/11. A member of the audience  said-  "the concert was most enjoyable and greatly enhanced by both the ambience and the acoustics of the venue".

Casual evening get together and tour - inspired by Amicus & the arts community. On Tues 15th October - this event was on board the clipper ship amongst its displays and exploring its awe-inspiring past!
We shared ideas for future collaboration, mingled and simply absorbed the amazing space!
Dinner and drinks after the event at the beautiful Michonne Wine bar in St Vincent St with generous community- minded hosts.
Russell Starke  performed on board on Sunday 13/10 - he was The Passionate Poet /entertainer /actor extraordinaire!
We were enchanted by his maritime stories & his heartfelt words evoking the grand but challenging eras of sail.

Book Launch onboard!

On Sunday 8th Sept The Last Captain  by Paul Simpson was launched on board. This book is about Captain Edward Alston, the last of 5 masters on the City of Adelaide and the master of the Roman Empire until it was missing without trace off Cape Horn.  It is a wonderful & informative book - available from the Clipper Ship Information Booth.

Educational evening-  Dive into History!  

On Fri 23/8 - a stunning evening onboard the ship, we were enthralled by a presentation with Dr Rob Morrison from The Curiosity Show followed by a making science real activity!

Full Moon, Pizza & Wine Night -

A pizza and wine evening was held on board the ship on Wednesday 17th July from 6pm to 8.30pm. Pizzas were supplied and guests brought their own wine and plastic glasses. A very successful fundraiser and fun night.

Music & poetry concert

A sensational music & poetry concert by the Dingo's Breakfast Duo was held on board the ship Sunday 23 June at 3pm. Australian & Irish songs and sea shanties. Also, Pete Titchener & Reg Byrnes joined the duo.

Educational Sessions

 

Since the arrival of the clipper ship we have held educational sessions on board the ship and in community libraries. They were practical sessions with a scientific and maritime focus. We have taken school groups on tours of the ship, which teachers often combined with a trip to the Maritime Museum.

 

Talk & Tour of ship

Rita Bradd arrived from Scotland to mark the 3rd anniversary of her arrival on the Heavy Lift Ship Palanpur with the City of Adelaide in February 2014.

Rita gave presentations about her journey on the ship.  

In March 2016 Rita uploaded a new version of a video and poem "City of Adelaide Bleeds/Farewell To Scotland" to YouTube. It can be seen here

 

Heritage Tourism Workshop:

 On Wednesday 20th April 2016 at Heritage Tourism Workshop Peter Christopher gave a presentation
"City of Adelaide Clipper Ship - How does maritime promote itself using the City of Adelaide Clipper Ship story"

History Festival May 2016 -2019

The City of Adelaide is please to be part of the South Australian History Festival, which showcases a significant and diverse range of exhibitions and events.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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