Adelaide Cup Day 2026, 2027 and onwards

Adelaide Cup Day : Second Monday in March

Adelaide Cup Day is a public holiday in South Australia on the second Monday in March: Monday 9 March 2026, Monday 8 March 2027 and Monday 13 March 2028. It is an important day on the South Australian calendar because of the Adelaide Cup horse race that takes place on this day.

The Adelaide Cup is a thoroughbred horse race held annually at Morphettville Racecourse in Adelaide. The race was run for the first time in 1864, just 3 years after the first Melbourne Cup. It began as a sports event but has become one of the most important social events in South Australia. For many years the race was held in May; it moved to March in 2006.

Adelaide Cup Day is not the only public holiday in Australia on the second Monday in March. It falls on the same day as Canberra Day in the Australian Capital Territory, Eight Hours Day in Tasmania and Labour Day in Victoria.