Tasmania’s enigmatic midwinter festival, Dark Mofo, is set to make a triumphant comeback in 2025 after a year’s break.
From 5–15 June, with a special closing event on 21 June, the festival will once again transform Hobart into a captivating celebration of art, performance, music, and ritual. For cultural connoisseurs and the curious alike, this promises to be an unforgettable exploration of the peculiar, the provocative, and the profound.
A Winter Festival Like No Other
Dark Mofo has cemented its reputation as one of Tasmania’s most talked-about events, and its return is highly anticipated. Central to the festival are its hallmark rituals, including the atmospheric Winter Feast, the night-time intrigue of Night Mass, the traditional Ogoh-Ogoh procession, and, of course, the legendary Nude Solstice Swim. These beloved events reflect the festival’s unflinching commitment to celebrating light, dark, tradition, and community.
This year’s programme features Trawlwoolway artist Nathan Maynard’s thought-provoking new work, ‘We threw them down the rocks where they had thrown the sheep’, to be installed in a basement in the heart of Hobart. The piece confronts themes of cultural theft and erasure, promising to spark dialogue and reflection among festivalgoers. The full programme will be unveiled on 4 April, so keep an eye on the official Dark Mofo website for updates.
The Climactic Solstice Ritual
Dark Mofo’s closing moments are legendary, and the Nude Solstice Swim is the festival’s defining finale. On the shortest day of the year, brave souls gather at Long Beach, Sandy Bay, for a sunrise plunge into the icy waters of the River Derwent. More than just a swim, this event is a communal act of defiance against winter, marking the turning point towards longer days and lighter times ahead.
For visitors, this is your chance to throw off not just your clothes, but the burdens of the year gone by. Whether you choose to spectate or strip down yourself, it’s one of Tasmania’s most extraordinary winter moments.
Winter’s Warm Welcome
While Dark Mofo is undoubtedly the star of Tasmania’s winter calendar, it’s just the beginning of what the island offers during the cooler months. Tourism Tasmania invites you to explore an array of seasonal events designed to infuse warmth and wonder into your winter travels.
Burning of the Vines on 21 June at Eastford Creek Vineyard, for example, is a celebration that brings together wine, music, and flames under Tasmania’s midwinter skies. Pair this with a good glass of shiraz, and you have a quintessentially Tassie experience.
If a culinary adventure is more your pace, the Whole Hog Feasts at Fork it Farm in Lebrina (set for 3 May and 9 August) deliver a paddock-to-plate degustation of every cut of the pig, beautifully paired with Tasmania’s renowned produce and beverages.
Beyond Dark Mofo
For those seeking other cultural thrills, Hobart offers several winter festivals that continue long after Dark Mofo concludes:
- Festival of Voices (27 June–6 July) will fill the city with music from beloved local and international artists, celebrating 20 years of song. Visitors can join in participatory workshops or simply enjoy the entrancing vocal performances.
- Beaker Street (12–19 August) brings science and art into a shared creative space, celebrating discovery, experimentation, and culture.
Foodies can delight in the Tassie Scallop Fiesta (3 August) in Bridport, or indulge in the decadence of Chocolate Winterfest (10 August) in Latrobe.
Meanwhile, those who fancy something a little different might enjoy the Blue Lovers Festival, set against the stunning Birchs Bay backdrop for two weekends in August. Think blue cheese, craft brews, and a soothing soundtrack of the blues.
Finally, Tasmania’s growing reputation in the world of whisky is well-deserved, and the Tasmanian Whisky Week (2–10 August) invites you to sip your way across more than 40 distilleries during numerous tastings and masterclasses.
All This Under a Light-Filled Sky
For the visually inclined, Tasmania’s winter boasts mesmerising light-based events across the island. From the festive Bicheno Beams (28 June–19 July) on the east coast to Lightwave (11–13 July) on the Tasman Peninsula, these stunning installations are designed to inspire and awe. Not to mention Light up the West, which runs from 1 May to 31 August and transforms Tasmania’s northwest townships into glowing hubs of art and community.
Time to Be Curious
This winter, Tasmania’s Off Season invites you to spark curiosity, connecting with inspiring stories, tantalising tastes, and creative expression all across the island. Dark Mofo’s return is just the start of a season filled with light in the darkest days.
Make the leap this winter. Book a flight, grab your coat, and venture south to experience Tasmania at its weird and wonderful best. For more information, all details can be found on the Tourism Tasmania website.