Anzac Day Events around Adelaide in 2023
Anzac Day is Australia’s most sacred day and is honoured with a national public holiday. It’s an important opportunity to reflect and commemorate the sacrifice made by Australian veterans.
ANZAC DAY – TUESDAY 25 APRIL 2023
Crowds will return to Adelaide streets in 2023 to honour military veterans in this year’s Anzac Day city march. The Adelaide Anzac Day Committee anticipates a return to standard format for the Dawn Service, the ANZAC March and Cross of Sacrifice service. Regional and metropolitan organisers also conduct Anzac commemorations right across South Australia.
Adelaide Dawn Service
The 2023 Adelaide Dawn Service at the SA National War Memorial commences at 6am, at the end of the Anzac Eve Youth Vigil.
Anzac Eve Youth Vigil
The Anzac Eve Youth Vigil Ceremony is a youth inspired activity that has become the first ceremony of remembrance of Anzac Day in Adelaide. With differing backgrounds and interests, young Australians representing a variety of service and community groups, conduct a formal ‘Holding Ground’ Ceremony, a night-long, guard of honour around the historic South Australian National War Memorial, corner of North Terrace and Kintore Avenue, Adelaide from 6pm to 6am between Anzac Eve and Anzac Morning. Just prior to dawn the youth guards step down and the Dawn Service follows.
Adelaide Anzac Day Commemorative March
The march commences at 9:30am from the corner of North Terrace and Gawler Place in the city.
The Adelaide Anzac Day March will feature veterans, ADF units, bands, Descendants Groups and spectators are welcome.
CLICK HERE to view the 2023 Adelaide Anzac March Guide – Route Map, Order of March, form up and dispersal information.
Service of Remembrance
Traditionally a Service of Remembrance is held at the Cross of Sacrifice in Pennington Gardens, North Adelaide, immediately after the Anzac Day March concludes.
This service provides a significant finale to the commemorations, with the Dawn Service representing a funeral, the March representing the walk to the grave site and the service at the Cross of Sacrifice representing the burial. This year marks the centenary of the dedication of the cross in 1922. This is a historic occasion and your attendance is welcomed and encouraged.
The Cross of Sacrifice Memorial stands in gardens opposite St Peters Cathedral and commemorates the men who died during the Great War WWI of 1914 – 1919. An Ataturk Tribute and Eternal Flame also feature in the garden.
Check with your local council or local RSL to find out where you can attend a dawn service in your area, such as the ones listed below.
GLENELG
- Plympton Glenelg RSL
- 6am – 7am
- Moseley Square, Glenelg
- MORE INFO HERE
HALLET COVE
- Lions Club of Hallett Cove
- 6am – 7am
- Heron Way Reserve, Hallett Cove Foreshore
- MORE INFO HERE
SEMAPHORE
- Semaphore and Port Adelaide RSL
- 6am – 7am
- Semaphore Angel War Memorial, Semaphore Foreshore
- MORE INFO HERE
TEA TREE GULLY
- Tea Tree Gully RSL
- 6am – 7am
- Tea Tree Gully Memorial Gardens – 1336 North East Road, Tea Tree Gully
- Entrances via foot are located on Memorial Drive and North East Road (corner of Elizabeth Street and east of Memorial Drive)
- MORE INFO HERE
GAWLER
- Gawler RSL Sub Branch
- 6.15am
- Pioneer Park – corner of Murray & Union Streets, Gawler
- MORE INFO HERE
Light Up The Dawn
Light Up The Dawn was launched in 2020 when COVID restrictions were in full force, encouraging people to remember and pay their respects from their driveways.
Because remembrance of service and sacrifice are important to our society, you can choose to pay respects in your own personal way, such as:
- Light Up the Dawn commemoration from your own driveway, with neighbours and the RSL. For a guide to format your own service at home see below.
- Remembering from within your home with Light Up the Dawn, media broadcasts and online coverage. ABC TV and Radio 891 will cover the Adelaide dawn service from 5:25am.
- Visiting a local war memorial at any time of the day, within exercise/recreation and social distancing conditions.
- Visit Virtual War Memorial Australia. Register and contribute pictures and information on your relatives who served Australia on active service.
CLICK HERE FOR LIGHT UP THE DAWN INFO
Guide for a Home Service
RSL SA offers the guide below to conducting your personal remembrance service.
Introduction: Use your own words of reflection, name people you remember today, give gratitude for those who served and sacrificed, and to those still serving our nation.
Recite the Ode:
- They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them. - Play The Last Post
- Minute of Silence
- Play Reveille/Rouse
- Recite: Lest We Forget
- Play New Zealand National Anthem
- Play Australian National Anthem
- Conclusion
You may add prayers, hymns, readings and personal content to reflect your beliefs. Consider reciting the ANZAC Requiem. Please use volume levels for your own use, that are respectful to neighbours.
For links to bugle calls and music to complement your words CLICK HERE
You can also use the virtual candle HERE
For some ANZAC Day baking see our easy recipe for Anzac Biscuits or Apple & Cinnamon ANZAC Muffins
For more information and all enquiries please visit the Veterans SA 0r the RSL SA Branch website.
What: Anzac Day 2023
When: Tuesday 25 April 2023
Where: South Australia
Who: Everyone
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.
Image source: Light Up The Dawn & photos by Play & Go
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