Adelaide Easter Classic, Easter 2027: interested? Reply today

The 2027 Adelaide Easter Classic is on the Easter long weekend, Friday 26 to Monday 29 March 2027, at stadiums around Adelaide, South Australia. We'd like to know whether El!te families would be keen to send a girls' team, and we're asking who is interested. Nothing is booked or charged by saying you're interested, and it isn't a commitment. Please reply by Friday 11 December 2026.

The tournament is on the calendar here: Adelaide Easter Classic

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.

• At least five games per team, then semi-finals and grand finals.
• Girls' age groups: Under 12, 14, 16, 18 and 21. There is no Under 10.
• Grades run 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.
• Capped at 630 teams across all age groups, so entries may close early once it's full.

When and where

Friday 26 to Monday 29 March 2027 (Good Friday to Easter Monday), 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. The organisers say every venue is within a 25 to 30 minute drive of the city, so you'll need a car.

What it costs

• Team entry: $690 per team (about $718 with the booking fee).
• Early bird: $640 per team (about $666 with the booking fee), if the team is entered by 31 December 2026.
• Team nominations close on 19 February 2027, or earlier if the 630 places fill first.

We'd like to keep squads small, around 7 or 8 players, so team registration works out to roughly $80 to $95 per player at the early bird price, depending on numbers. The tournament also asks each team to provide its own score-table helpers at every game, usually parents. The fee is lost if a team pulls out after the draw is published.

Flights, travel, accommodation and food are your own costs, paid privately by each family. Adelaide is a long way from Canberra. It is about 1,160 km, roughly 12 to 13 hours' drive each way, so flying (about two hours direct) is the realistic choice, and each family would book their own flights, hire car and accommodation. Easter is a busy time to fly, so booking early matters. As a rough guide only, as of October 2026, one parent and one player flying should expect about $2,000 to $3,400 in total: flights, car hire, three nights' accommodation, food and their share of the team entry. Sharing a hire car or an apartment with another family brings that down. The tournament lists accommodation partners with discounts on its website.

School and the long weekend

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.

Key dates

• Reply by Friday 11 December 2026.
• El!te decides which teams to enter by Wednesday 23 December 2026, so there's time to enter before the early bird ends.
• Early bird entry ends 31 December 2026.
• Team nominations close on 19 February 2027.
• The tournament: Friday 26 to Monday 29 March 2027.

How to say you're interested

To tell us you're interested, you need a membership on the El!te website. Anyone can read about the tournament, but only members can reply. Your website membership is also what lets you make bookings, see upcoming events and read news articles.

If you haven't been contacted about a membership on the website yet, message Matthew or Anthony in the group chat with your name and email address and they'll send you an invite. It's the easiest invite you'll ever get: all we need is your name and an email address, and you then choose your own password.

El!te handles the nominations, payment and entry, so you don't need to contact the tournament or the venue. After we know who is keen, El!te will decide which teams it enters and let families know the next steps.

The tournament's own website is easterclassic.com.au.