June

3 It’s National Reconciliation Day, with a breakfast event featuring speaker Jim Everett – puralia meenamatta, 7am-9am. Later enjoy Hobart Shanty Sessions, 7pm-8:30pm, Hobart Brewing Co.

4 Happy World Oceans Day. Fullers is celebrating the joys of special seashore finds with an event for new kids book Searching for Treasure. 5:30pm.

5 Paint the town red: Dark Mofo is back. The Winter Feast is on, as are lots of other events, find the details at www.darkmofo.net.au.

6 Proof south: the nowhere print collective has an interesting printmaker’s exhibition at Rosny’s Schoolhouse Gallery. Wed-Sun, 11am- 5pm until the 22nd.

7 Grab some super fresh local produce at the Tasmanian Produce Market, on weekly at Kangaroo Bay Park from 9am-1pm.

8 Derwent Valley Players are performing the spoof comedy mystery play, Agatha Crispie, tonight and other dates at New Norfolk Memorial Hall. Book via Eventbrite.

10 Try dodgeball for fun and fitness at a weekly drop in session, every Tuesday at PCYC Hobart from 7:30pm-8:30pm for ages 16+. $10 a pop.

11 Environment Tasmania is hosting a screening of a new documentary about the Maugean Skate. State Cinema, tonight and tomorrow, 6pm.

12 See the work of artists from refugee backgrounds who now call Tassie home (including Afghan, Eritrean, Ethiopian, Myanmar and Bhutanese artists) in Finding Freedom, a Refugee Week art exhibition at Moonah Arts Centre.

13 Killara Distillery in Richmond hosts after work drinks on the second Friday of the month, with live music, food van and local drinks. It’s family-friendly and you can BYO picnic.

14 Create a Turkish mosaic lamp – drawing on techniques from the 500 year old ancient craft – at a workshop this weekend at Rosny Bowls Club, run by Art Masterclass.

15 Here’s an excuse for a Bruny Island trip: it’s market day, with the Lunawanna Makers and Produce Market on from 9am-2pm at the Lunawanna Memorial Hall.

16 MyState Bank Arena has transformed into SHIVER, a real ice rink. Open 9am-9pm from today until 27 July. Check out the themed After Dark sessions on selected nights.

18 Australia and the Trump Effect will be discussed by experts Professor Nicole Asquith, Dr Matt Killingsworth and Saul Eslake at the Sir Stanley Burbury Theatre and online. Starts at 6pm.

19 The TSO presents Australia: One Land, Many Stories, storytelling with an orchestra from First Nations voices to bush ballads. Recommended for ages 9-14, doors open 5:30pm, Federation Concert Hall.

20 Waiting Room – Katatsumori is a threenight art and cocktail pop-up here. Inspired by the 1994 Japanese film Katatsumori, it explores the idea of “home away from home”. 5pm-late, somewhere coffee bar.

21 Happy Winter Solstice, the shortest day and longest night. Flickerfest brings a series of short films to the screen from 8pm tonight (and the 20th) at the Peacock Theatre, Salamanca Arts Centre.

22 The Tasmanian Made Markets Winter Market is on today from 10am-4pm, also on 21 June. Create a natural Eucalyptus wreath at a workshop at Willie Smith’s Apple Shed this morning, 10:30am.

23 Learn how to make vintage art prints using archival images at Bridgewater Library today from 9:30am-10:30am.

25 Head up the stairs to The Alabama Hotel for a night of honest expression, soulful sound, and community connection with Poetica Collective: Beneath The Surface. 6pm-8pm, details on eventbrite.

26 Best selling youth author Jessica Townsend launches her next Nevermoor book, The Mystery of Morrigan Crow, in conversation with Lian Tanner at St Michael’s Collegiate’s Linmor Hall, 5:30pm.

27 Festival of Voices turns 20 this year! Celebrate at The Big Sing, a huge community singalong. All ages, all welcome, from 5pm at Castray Esplanade. Tonight Luca Brasi play their last UniBar gig, part of bar’s ongoing farewell, 7:30pm.

28 Bush Gothic bring their version of bold folk songs of convict resistance and survival to the Cascades Female Factory today from 2pm-3:30pm.

29 Sing along to your heart’s content with the Country Pub Chorus led by Beccy Cole at the Longley International Hotel today from 2pm-4pm.

July

1 Rosny Library is offering an all ages virtual reality experience designed especially to make older adults and younger people feel at ease. 3:30pm at Rosny Library. Register online.

2 Handmark Gallery is hosting a joint exhibition by Emily Blom and Katina Gavalas called to hold what fades + in her threads. Open every day.

3 It’s the first Thursday of the month, so it’s a Geeveston Twilight Feast night. This family friendly event will have an array of local food and drinks. 5pm-8pm, Geeveston Visitor Centre.

4 TMAG’s World of Beetles exhibition showcases the work of pioneering entomologist George Bornemissza (1924–2014). Who knew beetles were so gorgeous!

5 Peek inside Franklin’s Hemp House (as seen on Grand Designs) and hear a Q&A with owners Chloe and Dan at an event run by the Tas Hemp Association. Book via their website.

6 See what’s in season, or grab some delicious premade meals, bread, condiments and drinks at the Farm Gate Market, 8:30am-1pm.

FURTHER AFIELD

June 2 The Tasmanian Wool Centre in Ross invites knitters to take part in a community knitting project to ensure their door ram, Jim (yes, a sheep statue) gets a nice, long, cosy scarf. Sign up for time slots at www.taswoolcentre. com.au and help make Jim colourful and warm!

Til 15 June Bruny NORTH presents Slip & Slurry, a group exhibition celebrating the elemental poetics of clay and the diverse practices of contemporary ceramics. Featuring six artists: Tim Burns, Jamie Edward, Nicole Adams, Emma Targett, Kate Morton, and Mahdi Chandler with everything from wheel-thrown vessels to sculptural works and experimental firings. Open Fridays and Saturdays 11am-7pm and Sundays 11am-3pm.

21-22 June Dust off the kilts and tune the bagpipes: the Tasmanian Highlands Gathering is a festival celebrating Tasmanian Gaelic, Celtic, and Scottish heritage held in Miena and surrounds.

27-28 June Beyond The Forest is a free, immersive audio-visual projection transforming the side of Queenstown’s iconic Paragon Theatre into a living canvas of light, sound, and story this winter. It covers Queenstown’s wartime and mining history, rugged wilderness and unique resilience. Rug up, and book via www.cradletickets.com.

29 June See the sights of Freycinet – albeit as they rush past you while you run – in the Freycinet Circuits Trail Run, part of the annual Tasmanian Trail Running Series. Choose from two options – a shorter 11 kilometre circuit via Wineglass Bay and Hazards Beach, and the full 29 kilometre circuit taking in Mt Graham and Cooks Beach.

All Month The Tassie Tea Party is a playful showcase celebrating the warmth, whimsy and creative spirit of tea parties with a Tassie twist, presented by the Handweavers, Spinners and Dyers Guild of Tasmania at Launceston’s Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery until early August. Much like the Mad Hatter’s table, this is a joyful celebration of creativity, conversation, and the many ways we come together over a cuppa.

OFF SEASON

June

5 Dark Mofo returns for 2025 with an ambitious art and music program alongside Dark Mofo rituals Winter Feast, the Ogoh-Ogoh, Night Mass and the Nude Solstice Swim, 5-15+ 21 June.

5 Enjoy Geeveston Twilight Feast, a free family friendly event with an array of local food trucks and stalls in the historic Geeveston Town Hall. 5pm start.

6 Over the June long weekend the Bay of Fires Winter Arts Festival sees 30 finalists vying for a $20,000 prize. The public exhibition is open until 15 June.

15 Hive Tasmania presents Sound in Space, a unique concert series on the third Sunday of each month in winter, transforming the Planetarium into a space of music, storytelling and art.

16 From today until 27 July, MyState Bank Arena becomes SHIVER, an ice rink with themed nights and weekend sessions featuring live DJ beats.

19 Light Up the West celebrates the magic of Tasmania’s West Coast. Long Table dinners, live music, twilight markets, winter solstice swims and more. Ends 29 June.

20 Experience Tasmania’s finest at Hobart Twilight Market with local food, small-batch drinks, and design stalls. Held tonight and selected Fridays at Brooke Street Pier.

21 Join the Tasmanian Highlands Gathering, a celebration of Gaelic, Celtic, and Scottish heritage at Great Lake. Enjoy music, dance, storytelling, fishing, whisky, and warm hospitality.

21 Have a winter solstice to remember at the Westella Winter Solstice Candlelit Feast, featuring local produce and wintry flavours, paired with Westella wines.

26 Step into a world of magic with Cinderella: Youth Edition, a family- friendly show full of humour, heart, and classic songs at The Playhouse Theatre, on today until 28 June.

27 Live local music, food vendors, cultural arts and a bonfire hits East Wynyard Beach for the Gather & Glow Winter Bonfire and Night Market. All day.

27 Queenstown Lights is a free event that involves a projected visual and auditory light show on iconic Queenstown buildings, until 30 June.

28 Bicheno plays host to the free family-friendly event, Bicheno Beams, today until 19 July. A spectacular light and music show every night at 6pm, for 15 minutes.

July

1 Unlock the secrets of the north west coast with Permission to Trespass, which grants access to private properties in the stunning Wynyard and Table Cape areas throughout July.

10 As seen on ABC Kids, comedy duo The Listies bring their hilarious show 110% Ready to Theatre Royal today and tomorrow. 55 minutes of puns, slapstick, and comedic chaos.

11 Until 13 July, the Lightwave Festival celebrates people and place across the Tasman Peninsula with music, art, food, drink, and community.

12 Don’t miss the Christmas in July Extravaganza which transforms Ben Lomond Base into a winter wonderland complete with merry festivities and feasting.

12 Tonight’s the first of four themed, immersive Saturday night events aimed at capturing the spirit of Willie Smith’s Mid-Winter Festival. Some family-friendly, others adults-only. Bookings essential.

31 Embrace sustainability at agriCULTURED, a four day Launceston event showcasing the best of Tasmania’s winter produce through art, performance, dinners, and conversation.

August

2 Tasmanian Whisky Week runs from today to 10 August, celebrating local distilleries with over 20 events statewide.

3 Enjoy all things maritime, fishing, and seafood at Tassie Scallop Fiesta in Bridport today, 10am-4pm.

9 The Heritage & Bullock Festival is a two-day celebration of Oatlands’ history, featuring a street parade with music, dance, vintage vehicles, steam engines, and a bullock display.

12 Beaker Street Festival returns until 19 August with science, ideas, and entertainment across Tassie. Enjoy late-night talks, hands-on fun, and bold conversations.

FESTIVALS FOR THE FAMILY THIS OFF SEASON

Winter in Tasmania is the perfect time to shake up your routine and connect with the people around you. From lively local gatherings to unique cultural celebrations, festivals offer a great excuse to get out, rug up, and embrace the season together. For the full range of offers and events visit discovertasmania.com.au/off-season

FESTIVAL OF VOICES Get the family singing their hearts out at Festival of Voices (festivalofvoices.com), Hobart’s winter celebration of song that is perfect for music lovers of all ages. Held between 27 June and 6 July, the festival features a mix of renowned performers, workshops, and interactive events. Whether you’re keen to sit back and enjoy the show or jump in and join the fun, there’s something to inspire every voice. A great way for the family to connect through music and make lasting winter memories together by the fire.

CHRISTMAS IN JULY EXTRAVAGANZA As much as we love an Aussie summer Christmas, there’s something special about celebrating it in winter. In the northern hemisphere, Christmas marks the midpoint of winter. A time for light, warmth, and festive cheer, a reminder that we’re halfway through the dark. Embrace this spirit with the Christmas in July Extravaganza (benlomondalpineresort.com.au/winter/christmas-in-july) at Ben Lomond. Held on 12 July, this family-friendly event brings the magic of a white Christmas to the foot of the mountain. Ben Lomond Base transforms into a winter wonderland where you can eat, drink, and be merry. Enjoy live music, workshops, Christmas Carols, and a hearty feast cooked over flames.

BICHENO BEAMS Head to Tassie’s east coast this Off Season for Bicheno Beams (bichenobeams.com). Each night from 28 June to 19 July, the skies above Bicheno come alive with a free laser light show set to music. The 15-minute show starts at 6:30pm and is a spectacular way to light up the winter night. Hot tip: stay in Bicheno for two nights and you’ll catch two different, alternating shows.

STRAHAN SOLSTICE MARKET On 21 June, Strahan brings light and warmth to the depths of winter with the Strahan Solstice Market (strahanvillage.com.au/whatson/strahan-solstice-market). This cosy celebration of the winter solstice is held along the Strahan Esplanade, with the market showcasing the talents of locals. The stalls will be brimming with handcrafted goods, unique artwork, delicious homemade treats, fresh local produce, and beautifully made gifts. It’s great for the whole family to wander, explore, and maybe even pick out something special for themselves or each other. The market is part of the Light up the West festival which celebrates the magic of the west from 19 to 29 June.