One of the festival's seven stages was closed on Sunday due to the heat, while a handful of other events were postponed till late at night or cancelled.
In the crowd Saturday night was Violent Femmes bassist and the artistic director of Tasmania's MONA FOMA Brian Ritchie, who was enthusiastic despite the sweltering temperatures.
"It's one of the greatest festivals, I've been here many times, it's one of the best in Australia," he told AAP.
He acknowledged heat was a problem for music festivals, but said coping with the elements comes with the territory for anyone who loves outdoor performances.
"If you want to enjoy live music, that's the thing, it's got to be live," he said.
Adelaide's world music and arts festival has been affected by extreme temperatures. (HANDOUT/WOMADelaide)
It's 30 years since Adelaide's first World of music, arts and dance festival in 1993, and WOMAD has become a destination for artists and audiences from around the planet.
But the world is getting hotter: on Saturday it was 39C for much of the day and at midnight it was still 32C, with much the same expected for the festival's remaining two days.
Of 71 people who sought first aid from St John Ambulance, more than half had minor complaints related to the heat.
The ground under every tree in Adelaide's Botanic Park was covered with picnic rugs and deck chairs as people staked out areas of shade.
The park's grey-headed flying foxes were trying to keep cool too, hanging upside down in the trees and flapping their wings to keep cool, closely monitored for heat stress by researchers and volunteers.
People queued for drinking water and ice cream, and crowds congregated around clouds of mist being generated by hoses suspended metres in the air.
But everyone was here for the music, even if it meant enduring the heat.
Kate from Perth got into the spirit of the festival by dressing as a butterfly. (HANDOUT/SUPPLIED)
A solo set by singer-songwriter José González drew a large crowd with his classical guitar and heartfelt brand of folk.
Later on, New York's Budos Band defied both the heat and the notion of musical genres, with a virtuosic set that had the crowd dancing - but to what? One minute it was punk, the next Afrobeat, then ska and even metal.
Late into the night, Josh Lane's silky-smooth vocals with San Diego soul/RnB outfit Thee Sacred Souls had the crowd swaying.
San Diego soul/RnB outfit Thee Sacred Souls was a crowd favourite. (HANDOUT/WOMADELAIDE)
"It is such an honour to be here, with so many international talented bands," Lane said.
Festivalgoers Lima and Kate came from Perth to see all four days of WOMAD, bringing their own program of costumes, including a blue sparkly costume day and a rainbow disco themed day.
Lima dressed as a ladybug for insect artistry day, and Kate dressed as a butterfly with black antennae, multicoloured wings and butterfly-shaped glasses.
For the final day of the festival on Monday, Angélique Kidjo returns to the WOMAD stage for the first time in five years, while reggae icon Ziggy Marley will also put on a show.
AAP travelled with the assistance of the Adelaide Festival.
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