Onkaparinga beaches will be hotting up this summer with a range of special popup events and activities.

Residents and visitors can enjoy a range of special beachside ‘activations’, that have been approved by the City of Onkaparinga following a successful consultation period.

They include:

Aldinga Beach

• Pizzateca Beach: Pizzateca McLaren Vale will host an outdoor eatery and bar, serving wood oven pizza, gelato and local wine and beer. It will operate on the open space, south of Clarrie Eatts Reserve, Aldinga, from 1 November to 27 January, opening seven days.
• Onkaparinga Outdoor Cinema Summer Series (Aldinga Beach): A ticketed pop-up cinema with food and beverage options will be held from 6pm-10.30pm on Saturday, 25 January, at Aldinga Bay Surf Lifesaving Club. 

Port Noarlunga

• Cabana Beach Club: A licensed day bed area on the beach with food and beverage service will be hosted by Hortas restaurant every Saturday and Sunday from November 2019 - 1 March between noon and 9pm.
• Onkaparinga Outdoor Cinema Summer Series (Sauerbier House): A ticketed popup outdoor cinema with food and beverage offerings will be held from 6pm-10.30pm on Saturday, 18 January, at Sauerbier House.

A further activation, Sunset Yoga, was approved by council. Yuki Health and Happiness will run free yoga sessions for all ages on Friday and Sunday evenings from 7.30pm-8.30pm, either on the sand at Moana or Port Noarlunga or Christies Beach Rotary Park. There will be a maximum of 20 attendees.

One of the unsuccessful proposals was Summer at Port Willunga, which was pitched as a coastal-inspired outdoor eatery and bar incorporating live music at Towilla Yerta Reserve, Port Willunga (just north of the car park, north of the Star of Greece). The proponent, Australian Trade Alliance (ATA) wished to run it every day between Monday, 23 December, and Sunday, 9 January. According to the council, a total of 68 per cent of people who responded were opposed to the Summer at Port Willunga activation so it was decided this event would not proceed - it was ultimately withdrawn by ATA. However, ATA would like to work with council and community to provide better information with a view to submitting a new proposal for a summer 2020 activation. 

However, according to the council, many among the 751 people who completed the feedback surveys during the consultation period were strongly in favour of council approving the diverse range of activation proposals.

Mayor Erin Thompson says, “This is fantastic for Onkaparinga and we’re expecting thousands of locals and visitors to come along and soak up the atmosphere on our coastline this summer”.