Winter festivals
in Tasmania

In a Tasmanian winter, cooler temperatures only mean the wild festivities are hotting up.

It’s a time when culture, dining and the arts come to the fore, and festivals embrace the chance to reveal what’s cool about the cold: fire, feasting and folklore. There are warming moments, such as a sizzling winter feast in Hobart, and there are cooling moments – fancy a nude dawn swim with a couple of thousand close friends?

Whether you’re firing up with art, food, science, song or whisky, winter festivals in Tasmania have you well and truly covered.

Tasmanian Whisky Week

2–10 August

Tasmania’s whisky credentials are top shelf, with more than 70 distilleries dotted across the state, producing tipples acknowledged – with the awards to prove it – as among the world’s best. For one week in August, more than 40 of the state’s distillers come together to celebrate their craft at Tasmanian Whisky Week (2–10 August).

Events at this Tasmania winter festival are as varied as the state’s distilleries are numerous. There are tours to individual distilleries, and tours that combine several producers. In the evenings, pubs, bars and the distilleries themselves host special whisky-themed events. It might be a whisky quiz inside a taproom, a whisky cruise, a taste-off between Tasmanian and Scottish whiskies (go Tassie!) or perhaps a drag night with a dram of whisky in hand.

Wrapping things up is the Tasmanian Spirit Showcase, a one-day extended tasting session from all participating distilleries in Hobart’s dockside PW1 hub.

Beaker Street Festival

12–19 August

Who said artists get to have all the festivals and fun?

This science-minded winter fest in Hobart – the Australian city with the largest proportion of scientists in its population – rounds up all things scientific and artistic and mixes them, laboratory style, into an interactive fusion of entertainment and thought-provoking discussions. Held for one week in August, it spills across halls, pubs, outdoor spaces and everywhere between. It’s fun for all, regardless of your scientific bent.

Every year’s Beaker Street Festival program (12–19 August), which features some of Australia’s finest and most famous scientists, is new and unique. Popular past events have included Glow Show walks to discover the neon brilliance of nocturnal wildlife, polar plunges in ice baths along Hobart’s waterfront (coupled, Nordic-style, with a warming sauna) and Dark Sky Dinners featuring stargazing and Aboriginal sky stories while enjoying Tasmania’s celebrated food and drink.

From feel-good festivities to light shows and markets, see the full spread of Off Season events and pop your favourites into your winter itinerary with the Trip Planner.

Been and gone

These festivals came and went like a snow flurry this Off Season. You'll have to catch them next year:

• Dark Mofo – Celebrate the winter solstice in June with a fiery feast, a heady late-night rave, a Dark Park ramble amid weird and wonderful art, and a Nude Solstice Swim (21 June) in the River Derwent. 
• Bay of Fires Winter Arts Festival – This striking east-coast paradise with its sparkling blue sea, orange boulders and white sand paints quite the backdrop for this June festival celebrating local, Australian and international artists.
• Solstice in the Square – Regent Square in George Town bursts to life with colour and creativity in June. Try your hand at lantern-making, create your own pagan headdress and dance along to fire-twirling and live music.
• Festival of Voices – Discover the warming power of song at Australia’s top celebration of voice, held in late June and early July at venues across Hobart and beyond. It's a time when Tasmania raises its voice – be it choral, cabaret, orchestral, rock, jazz, a capella, experimental or myriad other vocal expressions.
• Christmas in July – Ben Lomond Base is transformed into a winter wonderland complete with merry festivities.  
• Bicheno Beams – Head along to this free, family-friendly laser light show that lights up the surfy east-coast town of Bicheno across three midwinter weeks.