A brand new artist-led off-grid music festival is coming to Adelaide. It’s called the Lime Green Festival – a fun-loving experiment in what’s possible for live music with climate action at its heart!

Engage Change got behind this audacious idea and worked to bring the festival to South Australia. It is such a great way to ‘connect people with impact’. After all, the Lime Green Festival engages with so much of what defines South Australia. We lead on renewables, climate adaptation, arts and festivals, nature protection (reserves in and out of the water) and even circularity (we’ve been recycling and composting for decades)… what’s not to love about this?

Two brothers, one vision

Lime Green Festival is the vision of loveable brotherly duo Oli and Louis Leimbach of Lime Cordiale. They are passionate about two things – live music and the environment.

For the last five years, we’ve wrestled with a deep, personal dilemma as environmentalists: Is our touring contributing to the problem? Does it still make sense in a world that’s hurting? Should we continue to tour at all?

Oli and Louis decided that the answer wasn’t to stop, but to change. Live music is about the vital connection between people, and the belief that this feeling – collective effervescence – is exactly what we need to fuel a new way of doing things.

The festival is a partnership between Lime Cordiale and Chugg Music, together with triple j – who will be there on the day. This relationship between artists, a large independent music company and our national youth broadcaster represent cornerstones of music and festival culture in Australia.

Batteries and vegetable oil (and not just for fried food)

Lime Green is designed to be a 100% off-grid event – that’s right, big batteries for the stage and plenty of diesel generators fuelled with vegetable oil (thanks to Aggreko).

If we can make this work here, then a festival is possible anywhere in Australia, including in regions without mains power. We want to show environmental impact can be minimal while still delivering a vibrant, high-quality day of music, culture and connection.

We are excited about some of Adelaide’s best (and most ethical) food trucks and the chance to enjoy OzHarvest Venture’s rescued citrus Lemonaid from the bar (see our other post to learn more about this great social enterprise).

Activism is always a creative act

Last month, a new partner joined the line-up: the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF). The ACF prides itself on its bold advocacy for a future where both nature and people thrive. They do a lot, from climate solution campaigns and grassroots mobilisation to rigorous legal action, environmental investigations… and DJ sets.

Yes, that’s right, as well as bringing their core mission to the festival, ACF CEO Adam Bandt is part of the line-up, encouraging climate conversations before hitting the stage to DJ (with or without a shirt). He’s pumped: 

I can’t wait to warm up Lime Green Festival with a DJ set and meet lots of folks in the crowd to chat about meaningful ways to take climate action. This is the type of dedication we need from all industries to turn down the heat on the climate crisis.

Lime Cordiale are headlining with their catalogue of catchy, quirky hits. They don’t just have Adam’s support, they will be sharing the stage with The Dreggs and local stars aleksiah, PASH, Tonix and Sticky Beak.

Although only days remain before 18 April 2026 at the Cloisters, Adelaide University, new talent keeps coming. The triple j Unearthed winner will be stepping up to the big stage as part to the line-up!

Bringing community art to the algal bloom crisis

FEAT. Live, an innovative artist-led climate agency founded by Heidi Lenffer (also in the pic up top alongside impact manager, Beatrice Jeavons). FEAT is supporting Lime Green through their innovative Solar Slice.

This world-class ticketing initiative raises funds for climate and nature projects. In Adelaide in April it is supporting Toxic Surf to bring sea-life lanterns into the festival – lighting a way beyond climate despair and grief.

Lime Green is more than just a music festival. It is a forward-thinking platform that invites people to engage, learn and imagine new possibilities for how live events can operate in a more regenerative way. We would really love for you to come and be part of it!

Everyone involved is grateful to the SA Government for their support, especially the team at the South Australian Tourism Commission.

Tickets are still available (but the rush is on!)

Get across to the Lime Green website for all the details and tickets: limegreenfestival.com