Touriffic party in Prospect

A whopping 17,000-strong crowd is expected at tonights' Tourrific Prospect street party, a huge celebration of the Tour Down Under.

A 17,000-strong crowd is expected at tonight's Tourrific Prospect.

MORE than 17,000 people are expected to flock to Prospect Rd tonight for the Tourrific Prospect street party, Prospect's annual celebration of the Santos Tour Down Under.

The festivities kicks off today (Tuesday, January 21) at 5pm with local food, boutique wine and beer stalls, live music and free entertainment.

Highlights include the final stage of the Santos Women's Cup Final, performances from bands Gemini Downs, 50 in the City and Lucky Seven and tandem cycling demonstrations from sight-impaired Paralympians Kieran Modra and Felicity Johnson.

The party is held in the lead-up to Stage Two of the Tour Down Under, which sweeps through Prospect on Wednesday, January 22, 11am.

It is the third year Prospect has hosted a Stage and Prospect mayor David O'Loughlin said it was well worth the $168,000 price tag.

"The cost is terrific value when you take into account the growth in civic pride, marketing exposure and the cost per head being nearly half that of our old street parties," Mr O'Loughlin said.

"What is amazing is three quarters of the people who come are from other councils, other parts of SA, interstate and overseas.

"It's the biggest community gathering in the history of the city."

There will be 100 businesses involved in this year's street party compared with last year's 70 - this includes Prospect Rd businesses opening late for the street party, as well as businesses from outside the area setting up stalls.

Geoffrey Stapleton Gallery owner Geoffrey Stapleton said the event had helped put Prospect Rd on the map and the strip had "established itself" in the past three years.

Mr Stapleton's gallery - which is running an exhibition titled Celebration to coincide with the Tour - always attracted more visitors during this time, he said.

"Because there's a lot more people out on the street it's been really great for us ... there's just many more people getting to see the gallery and hopefully purchase," he said.

"It has been marginally better each time."

Road closures for the street party include:

Prospect Road between Labrina Ave and Gloucester Street, Tuesday, January 21, 10am-11pm

Prospect Road between Wilcox Ave and Labrina Ave (Tuesday, January 21, 10am to Wednesday, January 22, 1pm.

A community bus will be available from Northpark Shopping Centre to Prospect Rd today from 3.30pm-11pm.