Over the Easter long weekend, hundreds of junior teams from around Australia head to Adelaide for the Adelaide Easter Classic. We’d like to know whether Elite Development families would be keen to send a girls’ team in 2027. Nothing is booked. We’re simply asking who’s interested before the club looks into it any further.
What it is
The Adelaide Easter Classic has run since 1981, and 2027 is its 46th year. It is South Australia’s main Easter tournament, endorsed by Basketball SA and run by the Norwood Basketball Club and the Adelaide Community Basketball Association. Clubs come from South Australia, interstate and overseas.
Because it has grown so popular, the 2027 tournament is capped at 630 teams across all age groups, so entries may close early once it’s full.
- At least five games per team, then semi-finals and grand finals.
- Age groups for girls: Under 12, 14, 16, 18 and 21 (Under 12 is born 2016 or later, Under 14 born 2014 or later, and so on). There is no Under 10.
- Grades from Championship (top state level) through A, B and C down to D grade for domestic teams. The tournament places each team in the grade that suits it.
When and where
Friday 26 to Monday 29 March 2027, the Easter long weekend, in Adelaide, South Australia. Games begin on Good Friday after 2pm, and finals are finished by 2pm on Easter Monday.Games are played at about 15 stadiums around Adelaide, including the State Basketball Centre at Wayville, ARC Campbelltown, Marden, Port Adelaide, Mitchell Park and Ingle Farm. The organisers say every venue is within a 25 to 30 minute drive of the city, so you’ll need a car. The tournament lists accommodation partners with discounts on its website.
How registration works
The club nominates the team, with its player list, through GameDay. Team entry is $690 (about $718 with GameDay’s fee), or $640 early bird (about $666) if the team is entered by 31 December 2026. Nominations close on 19 February 2027, or earlier if the 630 places fill first. The fee is lost if a team pulls out after the draw is published. Each team also provides its own score-table helpers at every game, usually parents, and up to 12 players.
What it would involve
It’s interstate, so it’s a real commitment of time and money. Here is an honest picture.
School. Easter falls in the middle of Term 1, which for ACT public schools runs from early February to Friday 9 April 2027. But Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday (26 to 29 March) are all ACT public holidays. If you fly to Adelaide on the Friday morning and home on Monday evening, no school is missed. Tuesday 30 March is a school day, so expect some tired players.
Getting there. Adelaide is about 1,160 km from Canberra, roughly 12 to 13 hours’ drive each way. That would mean leaving on the Thursday and missing school, so flying is the realistic choice. Flights take about two hours direct, or longer with a connection. Easter is a busy time to fly, so booking early matters. You’d also need a hire car to get between stadiums.
Nights away. Three nights (Friday, Saturday and Sunday), or four if you arrive on the Thursday.
Rough costs for one parent and one player. These are estimates only, as of October 2026, to help you decide whether it’s worth looking into. Real prices depend on when you book.
Estimate
Return flights for two (Easter is peak time) $800–$1,400
Car hire, 4 days $300–$500
Accommodation, 3 nights $600–$1,050
Share of the team entry (early bird, 8 to 12 players) $55–$85
Food and extras $250–$400
Roughly $2,000–$3,400
Sharing a hire car or an apartment with another family brings this down. A team would also need a coach and a team manager to travel, and we’d work out how their costs are shared before anyone commits.
Are you interested?
If you’re interested, let the club know and we’ll add you to the list. We need at least eight interested players in the same age group (ten is better) before we look into it further. Saying you’re interested is not a commitment.
Send us an enquiry: choose “Juniors – Girls” and write “Interested in the Adelaide Easter Classic 2027”. Please include your player’s name and age group. Let us know by Friday 11 December 2026, so we can enter a team before the early bird price ends on 31 December.
Want to read more first? The tournament’s own website is easterclassic.com.au.
Illustrations: Elite Development.
