DARK MOFO

Intro

Bring your body and soul back to life in the dark depths of winter with this fiery festival.

Welcome to Dark Mofo – a provocative playground of sensorily stimulating art and revived pagan ritual. This is Tasmania’s biggest winter festival – coinciding each year with the winter solstice in June. Locals and travellers alike shake off the cold and rally against the primal urge to hibernate away from the brutal Tassie weather with the antidote of late-night parties, immersive arts and cultural events, and – for the ultra-daring – a stark-naked dash into the icy River Derwent as dawn breaks on the shortest day of the year.

When Dark Mofo comes around, almost every building in Hobart is awash with moody red lighting. Vibrant glowing crosses scatter the waterfront in a provocative subversion of religious symbolism, and the air is filled with the scent of smoke and toasty winter fare like roast meats, hearty root vegetables and spiced mulled wine.

Come with an open mind ready for controversial art, an empty belly primed for satisfaction at the Winter Feast, a thirst for music and entertainment at the all-night rager Night Shift and – perhaps most importantly – a very cosy wardrobe.

In 2024, Dark Mofo is taking a well-earned break, but you’ll still be able to catch its signature events: there’s the Winter Feast, the Nude Solstice Swim, Night Shift, and Mona’s wintertime exhibition, Namedropping, opening with a glitzy museum gala. Expect the festival’s beloved prolific programming of envelope-pushing art, music and performance to resume in 2025.

Winter Feast

Hearty and decadent local fare is served up in a cosy atmosphere at this family-friendly Winter Feast.

A staple of the Dark Mofo program, the Feast fills the Hobart waterfront with glowing red lights and firepits, and the aroma of smoked meats and tasty cuisine.

Head to the spacious Princes Wharf I, stretching along the pier beside Salamanca Place. Feel and hear the warm blasts as mighty spheres of fire shoot up from various tall, pyramid-like structures around the feast site.

There are two distinct areas to explore – outside, and inside.

The outdoor space is lit with crisscrossing red lights and large “x”-shaped firepits. Two long rows of food and drink stalls fill this space: staples like Heavy Metal Kitchen bring the heat with juicy, smoky meats, while artisanal gin and vodka offerings deliver nuance and warmth. Get around Indonesian street food, tender skewers of marinated barbecue squid (known as Squiddlypops), and plate-loads of steamy buns. Grab your grub and take a seat among the happy crowd – some seats are undercover, while others are exposed to the elements.

The inside space has distinctive décor – it’s a mishmash of pagan, gothic, regal and relaxed. Long tables are laden with hundreds of candles – plonk down on a seat and become mesmerised by the glinting flames. The hall is flooded in red lighting, with floating crosses, plus signs and other recognisable shapes suspended above you. Explore even more food stalls here – rich, gooey cheeses from Bruny Island, Ethiopian curries to warm the soul, and more kinds of seafood than you can poke a fishing rod at. Seek out mulled drinks – warm spiced gins, whiskies, ciders and wines of both the red and white variety.

Munch to your heart’s content among a sea of merrymakers, and toast to the bounty of the island.

Accessibility

To get to the Winter Feast, Hobart’s waterfront is an easy five-minute walk from the city centre. Just follow roads like Campbell, Argyle, Elizabeth and Murray Streets in a south-easterly direction until you arrive at the seaside, then wander towards Salamanca until you reach Princes Wharf I.

The waterfront is particularly pedestrian-friendly, with wide foot and bike paths, slow traffic and right of way given to pedestrians on a network of zebra crossings. Traffic lights in this area have audio-tactile controls. A number of roads surrounding the Winter Feast will be closed to vehicles to assist foot traffic, while accessible parking will be available in Salamanca Place’s Abel Tasman Car Park. More free parking will be offered at the Hobart Regatta Grounds.

You can also access the waterfront with a range of public and private transport options. The main metro bus mall in Hobart is a few blocks up Elizabeth Street, near Franklin Square. Macquarie, Davey and Campbell Streets have bus stops close to the harbour.

The indoor portion of the Winter Feast can be packed with people during peak times, so be prepared for crowds.

Check each Dark Mofo event page online at darkmofo.net.au closer to the festival period for specific accessibility information and more detail on what to expect from the program.