December

5 Shut Up and Write! is an informal writing group where you turn up, write for an hour then chat, leave or get back to it. State Cinema, 6:30-8pm. ‘The boats of humanity’ by Gemma Black, until 7 Jan, Lady Franklin Gallery.

6 Auslan Story­time is on the first Wednesday of the month. Hobart Library, 10am-10:30am. Later, the latest Island of Ideas free talk is on ‘Parenting in an Unsteady World’. 6-7:30pm, Sir Stanley Burbury Theatre.

7 The 10th Anniver­sary Fundraising Celebration for the Tasmania Refugee Legal Service is on with performances, food and a silent auction. 6pm-8pm, Hobart Town Hall.

8 Glen Albyn Estate’s Christmas Yacht Rock Party will feature 70s and 80s live music, dancing, dinner and a drinks package for tables of 8-12 (or join a table). 7pm-11pm.

9 Grab some pressies at the Moonah Makers Market, Moonah arts Centre, 10-2pm. Then sing your little heart out at Carols by the Beach, Bellerive Beach Park, 4-7pm, or Carols at John Turnbull Park in Lenah Valley, 3-8:30pm.

10 Harry Connick Jr. plays at the MyState Arena tonight with his Back Live tour. Check out Devotion – An Ode to Oceans, by Esther Touber at Rosny Farm until the 17th.

11 A Room of One’s Own – Women in Still Life is the current exhibition celebrating women artists at Bett Gallery. Finishes on the 16th.

12 There’s a monthly Battery Point Distillery Whisky tasting evening at Evolve Spirits Bar tonight from 6pm. Tickets include charcuterie and Tassie cheeses.

13 Multicultural Christmas Car­ols will see groups singing carols from their country of origin, mixed with some sung in English. Santa’s coming, plus there are food stalls. Theresa’s Catholic School, Moonah. 6pm-9pm.

14 The Club­house presents Jacqueline Mifsud: The Full Mifsud. She’s sold all her stuff to tell jokes around Australia. Her mission is 40 shows be­fore 40. 7:30pm, Hobart Brewing Co.

15 Richard Glover talks about his new book, Best Wishes, at Hobart Library from 5:30pm. Images of Tasmania 26 opens at The Long Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, today until 3 Jan.

16 History talk ‘Convicts of South Arm: A Walk Through Time is on at the South Arm Commu­nity Centre, 11am – 1 pm

17 Enjoy a Ukrainian Christmas celebration with traditional singing and costumes, 11am-2pm, Ukrainian Hall, Moonah. Community carols at Your Church in Moonah. Carols 10am and 3pm, festival from 11:30am-2:30pm.

19 TMAG’s current exhibition, Hobart Current: Epoch, features new works created by 10 artists in response to the theme of ‘epoch’. TMAG is open daily from 10am-4pm, until 11 Feb, 2024.

20 St David’s Cathedral hosts A Ceremony of Carols from 7:30pm. Proceeds go to the St David’s Cathedral community fund.

21 Need a table centrepiece? Decorate a cute gin­gerbread house at the Margate Train today. $40. Book ahead.

22 Little faeries four and older can decorate a gingerbread house at the Faerie Shop in the Bank Arcade,10:30am or 12:30pm. Tonight, electronic/pop duo Peking Duk play the Uni Bar, tix via OzTix.

24 Ben Salter finishes his Sublimation Tour of Australia, New Zealand and Japan with a finale at Simple Cider, 7pm. With special guests aplenty.

25 Merry Christmas! What happened to the man who stole an Advent Calendar? He got 25 days!

26 Happy Boxing Day! – Sydney to Hobart kicks off in Sydney today so keep an eye out for boats coming up the river over the next few days.

27 Haydays Music Festival takes over Cornelian Bay for the next two days with Pnau, Foals, Gen­esis Owusu and a tonne of locals. Tix via www.haydays.com.au.

28 The Battery Point Village Fair brings vintage, antique and decorator items to the Battery Point Community Hall from today from 4-9pm, then open various hours during the day until the 1st.

29 Why cook for yourself when the Hobart Twilight Market exists. On tonight at the Brooke Street Pier, 4:30-9pm.

30 The Transport Museum is offering steam train rides today – book online or in person on the day. Trains run from 11:15am to 3:05pm.

31 Jon Stevens will play hits from INXS and Noiseworks to ring in the new year on Hobart’s waterfront. There’ll be fireworks, too, of course!

1 Hobart Hur­ricanes take on Sydney Thunder at Blundstone Arena while the Tasmania JackJump­ers play New Zealand Breakers at the MyState Bank Arena, both games are from 4pm and televised.

2 This year’s annu­al Big Monkey Theatre family show in the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens is Pinocchio. Starts today and runs til the 21st.

3 The Tassie Summer Dance Festival workshops are on from today till the 5th at The Hutchins School.

4 She Shreds school holiday skateboarding day camps for girls run every Thursday through Jan and early Feb for 5 weeks, book for one week or multiple weeks.

FURTHER AFIELD

7-9 December

Last year the Forth Pub celebrated turning 150 with a camping and music festival. It went absolutely off, so they’re back for more with Forth Pub 151. The festival lineup features popular Mallrat, Vera Blue, Spiderbait, Ziggy Alberts, Thelma Plum and Hockey Dad plus a bunch more. www.forthpubtas.com.

8-11 December

Richmond is celebrating its bicentenary with a program of five themed long ‘Weekends in the Valley’ to frame the Bicentenary. This weekend is the launch and features a community town parade (on the 10th), with recognition of traditional owners and commemoration of the laying of the foundation stone of Richmond Bridge.

26-31 December

The 77th Australian Jazz Convention comes to Longford. The annual convention has been hosted by different cities and towns across Australia since 1946, gathering musicians and jazz lovers to celebrate the music. While the focus is on traditional or “Dixieland” jazz, the convention is also open to groups playing swing, mainstream, bebop, modern, funk, and other jazz genres.

31 December

One way to ring in the new year in the north is to head to Launceston’s Beerfest NYE celebration. Held on the waterfront site of Royal Park, Beerfest will have..erm.. beers…plus fun stuff for the kids, beer matching sessions, masterclasses, Beer Olympics, comedy, dancing, live music, the Bad Dad Orchestra, the Midnight Juggernauts DJ set and more. From 4pm.

31 December

Celebrate New Years in Scottish style with the Tassie Hogmanay Hootenanny. The Nessies headline the gig at the Max Fry Hall in Trevallyn from 7:30pm ‘til late’.

AROUND THE ISLAND

5 Come together with others at Burnie Library to knit for a variety of charities. Beginners are welcome as the more advanced will help. 10am-12pm.

7 The monthly Geeveston Feast is on the first Thursday of the month at Geeveston Town Hall Visitor Cen­tre. From 5pm until the food is sold out, first in best dressed!

8 The Burnie Christmas Parade returns to the streets of down­town Burnie from 6pm.

9 Support local businesses this Christ­mas at the Change Makers Markets at the Ulverstone Rowing Club, 10am-2pm. The Christmas Parade brings cheer in New Norfolk, 9am-2pm.

10 For some great local produce – and a visit from Santa – head to the Judbury Markets, 10-2pm, Calvert Park, Judbury.

11 The Hobart Hurricanes take on the Sydney Sixers at UTAS Stadium, Laun­ceston, from 7:15pm.

12 Learn songwrit­ing hacks and how to apply music theory from master guitarist Aaron Hopper at this week’s music and songwriting session at Watershed in Wynyard. 12-3pm.

13 Pete Hay and Bert Spinks – poets, storytellers and widely-travelled Tasmanians – perform in the beautiful RANT Arts space in Devon­port, 6pm tonight.

14 The monthly free trivia night is on at Bridport Hotel, 6:30pm for a 7pm start, with buzzers so there’s no need to read or write.

15 Catch some music, food, drink and a movie at sunset at the monthly Alive After 5, Civic Square, Launceston, 4:30-8pm. It’s free!

16 Grab a Christmas tree at the Killiecrankie Christmas Tree Farm open day in Glengarry. Enjoy live music from Anousha Victoire and Rebecca Barnard at the gorgeous Franklin Palais, 6pm.

17 Get all the yummies at World Street Eats in Civic Sq, Launceston, from 4pm then Carols By Candle­light at the Silverdome from 6-9pm. The Cyg­net Christmas Market is on from 10am-2pm.

18 Mission Australia‘s Communi­ty Kinship Program is holding a monthly get together and morning tea for all Kinship carers from 10-11am at Burnie Community House.

20 Join morn­ing tea at Queenstown Library from 10am. Youngsters can enjoy Young Story Seekers, a fun book club, at the Wynyard Library, 3:30pm.

21 Legal Aid’s clinics at COTA Tas­mania are offering free legal advice for older Tasmanians from 10am. Bookings essential via 6231 3265 or admin@cotatas.org.au.

22 Visual Arts students form TasTAFE in Devonport exhibit their range of works about ‘Place’, RANT Arts, from 4pm.

24 The Penguin Undercov­er Market – northern Tasmania’s largest market – is on today from 9am-3pm.

25 Merry Christmas! What do you call an elf that can sing and dance? Elfis.

26 The 77th Austra­lian Jazz Convention comes to Longford from today til the 31st (it’s been held in different cities and towns since 1946).

27 The Hive Plane­tarium at Ulverstone has a show on today – grab tickets at their website www. hivetasmania.com.au.

29 Market by the Beach is back for summer at Port Sorell Surf Life Saving Club with music, food, and more from 5-8pm.

30 The Great Escape camping and music festival – headlines by The Middle Kids – is on a property in Nugent from today.

31 Burnie Athletics Club hosts the New Year’s Eve Carnival at West Park Oval from 11:30am, then ring in midnight with the Burnie Bon­fire on the Beach.