These holidays you can be transported to a tropical island, take a prehistoric journey, visit Lego land and experience a world of magic – all without leaving SA.

Lego expo

Bricks on Wheels is the title of the National Motor Museum’s Lego expo, which will ignite the imaginations of both kids and those who want to re-live the building blocks of their childhood. The display will include hand-sculpted Lego cars, trucks, bikes and more, and visitors can watch sculptors in action. There will also be children’s activities, plus a Lego competition for budding builders. Bricks and Wheels is open from 10am-5pm on Saturday and Sunday (January 4-5) at the museum in Shannon Street, Birdwood.

South Pacific

With a 26-piece orchestra and a stellar cast led by Lisa McCune and Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s sweeping World War II musical South Pacific is at Adelaide’s Festival Theatre until January 26. The show also stars Christine Anu and Mitchell Butel, with a score including musical faves such as “Some Enchanted Evening”, “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair” and “Bali Ha’I”. Read InDaily’s review here.

Dinosaurs Alive

Want to come face-to-face with a T-Rex or a Triceratops? Just head down to Adelaide Zoo’s Dinosaur’s Alive exhibition, where you can enter the “Jurassic realm” to walk alongside nine life-like, moving dinosaurs and learn more about them from the “dino keepers”. Visitors can also dig for dinosaur remains in fossil pits and join in other prehistoric activities. Dinosaurs Alive continues until February 2, with special Dino Nites on January 10 and 17.

Life Before Dinosaurs

Before dinosaurs, there were Permian Monsters – strange sharks, giant insects and reptiles that inhabited the earth some 290 million years ago. These bizarre creatures are the stars of the SA Museum exhibition Life Before Dinosaurs – the Permian Monsters, which features fossilised skeletons and full life-size models; visitors can also dig for fossils.

The Illusionists 2.0

The Illusionists 2.0 are bigger and bolder than their predecessors, according to InDaily’s reviewer. The seven new magic artists, dubbed “the greatest superheroes of stage illusion”, are performing at Her Majesty’s Theatre until January 5. You can expect exhilarating stunts, tricks and mind control from a team comprising The Master Magician, The Deceptionist, The Unusualist, The Hypnotist and The Manipulator.

Moonlight Cinema

Illusionists also star in Now You See Me, a crime thriller about a battle between the FBI and a gang of daring magicians which is screening tonight (Friday) at Maltesers Moonlight Cinema in Botanic Park. Saturday night’s movie is Saving Mr Banks, about Mary Poppins author PL Travers, with the Tom Hanks pirate drama Captain Phillips screening on Sunday. Gates open at 7pm and screenings start at sundown.

Outdoor Cinema at Mt Barker

Film fans can enjoy more al fresco screenings at the Wallis Cinema’s cinema on the lawns of Auchendarroch House in Mt Barker throughout the summer. Fridays are designated for family movies (and are alcohol-free), with tonight featuring the animated adventure Frozen. The licensed bar will be back in business on Saturday for the screening of madcap comedy Anchorman 2.

Sessions

American singer Lee Fields’ soul career spans more than 40 years, with a catalogue that is described as ranging from “James Brown-style funk to lo-fi blues to contemporary Southern soul”. These days he plays with a band called The Expressions, and you can catch them tonight (Friday) as part of the Sessions live music series at Adelaide Festival Centre’s Space Theatre. Saturday night’s Sessions gig is British dance music duo The Correspondents, with a mix of jazz, electro, dubstep, drum’n’bass and more.

On the Steps

This public art project, opening at 5pm on Saturday on the steps of Adelaide Festival Centre’s Amphitheatre, seeks to encourage audiences to “discover, reflect and dream”. A collaboration between GreenRoom, Grid Projects and The Mill, it will showcase the work of five emerging Adelaide artists, with other features including music ensemble Monkey Puzzle Tree, DJs, a bar and food trucks. On the Steps will run until January 23, with more details online.

Blue Hive

Also on the Riverbank Promenade this weekend is the second series of free workshops in the Blue Hive initiative, which seeks to encourage teens from around 13 to 17 to “Get Active, Get Creative and Get Connected”.  The Saturday program comprises a tribal fusion belly-dance workshop (11am-noon), henna art (noon-2pm) and a conversation about creative arts (3pm-5pm).

Realms of Wonder

Dedicated exclusively to the art of India, Art Gallery of SA exhibition Realms of Wonder: Jain, Hindu and Islamic Art of India features more than 200 works spanning 1300 years including paintings, sculptures, decorative arts objects and textiles. Running until January 27, 2014, it is accompanied by a program of talks, tours and hands-on art activities.

On screen

See InDaily’s reviews of the latest films screening in Adelaide:

Philomena
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
American Hustle
The Railway Man
The Gilded Cage
Night Train to Lisbon
The Spectacular Now
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2
Kill Your Darlings
How I Live Now
Carrie
Filth
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Gravity