An intriguing array of events awaits visitors to Tasmania this summer. The warm weather is a great time to head outdoors, with fairs and fetes popping up on the waterfront and in Tasmania's towns. The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race and Australian Wooden Boat Festival will provide some thrilling maritime action this summer, with the former best viewed from the lively atmosphere of The Taste Festival. MONA FOMA will once again get the party mood going with a five-day program of avant-garde arts and music acts in mid January, while also in Hobart are the Cadbury Marathon and Hobart Collectors Antique Fair. Further afield, local towns turn into bustling festival centres with Festivale (a food extravaganza in Launceston), the Cygnet Folk Festival and National Penny Farthing Championships providing some good fun.
ROLEX SYDNEY TO HOBART YACHT RACE - 26 DECEMBER TO 1 JANUARY 2013
The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, now in its 68th year is one of the most exciting events on the nautical calendar and also one of the most challenging - as crews cross Bass Strait through rough seas, strong winds and big waves to reach Hobart. A fleet of around 90 yachts are expected to head south to Tasmania this year, turning Hobart's idyllic waterfront into a thrilling racing ground as the teams bid to outsail each other and claim the 2012 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race title. Hundreds will gather on the foreshore of Hobart's Sullivans Cove to cheer on the yachts and crews as they cross the finish line.
What: The iconic Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
When: Late December 2012
Where: Hobart's waterfront
How: Free event. Spectators are invited to come down to Hobart's waterfront to take in the action. For more information on the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race visit www.rolexsydneyhobart.com.
THE TASTE FESTIVAL - 28 DECEMBER TO 3 JANUARY 2013
Running across seven days and nights, The Taste Festival is Hobart's largest gourmand event, celebrating some of the very best food, cool-climate wine and beer that Tasmania has to offer. The Festival takes over the historic Sullivans Cove precinct including the new and improved Princes Wharf Shed No 1, transforming the waterfront into a lively space with picturesque views of Hobart's harbour. Popular amongst locals and visitors, The Taste Festival showcases the uniqueness and diversity of Tasmania's acclaimed produce, bringing together boutique, artisan and established winemakers, brewers and producers at one venue. Roving performers, buskers, bands and children's activities lend to the atmosphere. The Taste Festival also coincides with the end date of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, and provides an excellent vantage point for patrons to cheer on their favourite teams while indulging in some of Tasmania's finest food.
What: Hobart's largest gourmand event, The Taste Festival
When: 28th December to 3rd January 2013
Where: Sullivans Cove, Hobart
How: Tickets for the New Year's Eve party are expected to go on sale beginning of November. For more information on the Taste Festival visit www.tastefestival.com.au.
HOBART COLLECTORS ANTIQUE FAIR - 28 DECEMBER TO 1 JANUARY 2013
The annual Hobart Collectors Antique Fair is in its 18th year and is a must for the avid collectors. Held in Hobart's City Hall, visitors can expect to see a huge range of antiques and collectables from more than 30 local and mainland dealers.
What: The annual Hobart Collectors Antique Fair
When: 28th December to 1st January 2013
Where: City Hall, 57 - 63 Macquarie Street, Hobart
How: Running on Friday 28th December from 6pm until 10pm and from 29th December - 1st January 2013 from 10am until 5pm. Entry costs $7 for adults and children under 16 years of age are admitted free. For more information phone 0437 126 679.
CYGNET FOLK FESTIVAL - 11 - 13 JANUARY 2013
In January each year, the historic village of Cygnet plays host to the annual Folk Festival. Drawing crowds from near and far (many camping at the Festival Camp Ground) the Festival features an impressive program of music, dance, poetry and artistic workshops along with children's concerts, street performers and unplanned jam sessions.
What: Annual Folk Festival in the streets of Cygnet
When: 11th - 13th January 2013
Where: Cygnet, Tasmania
How: Full program information will be released in the coming weeks. A range of ticket options are available and early bird prices are available until 21st December. On-site camping facilities available. To purchase tickets and for more information visit www.cygnetfolkfestival.org.
CADBURY MARATHON - 13 JANUARY 2013
With a picturesque course beginning at the Cadbury Factory in Hobart's northern suburbs and weaving its way past many of Hobart's scenic locations including Mt Wellington and the Derwent River, the Cadbury Marathon has been attracting thousands of entrants each year since it began in 1984. The only fun run in the world that starts and finishes at a Chocolate Factory, the 2013 marathon will celebrate its 30th year with a new addition to the course, which will see participants running over Hobart's Bowen Bridge for the very first time.
What: The 30th Cadbury Marathon
When: Sunday 13th January 2013
Where: Starting and finishing at the Cadbury Estate, Claremont
How: Entries are now open for the 2013 Cadbury Marathon. Participants can choose from the full marathon ($70), half marathon ($60), the five kilometre course ($20 for over 16 years and $10 for under 16 years) and the Caramello one kilometre run for children ($5). To enter visit www.cadburymarathon.com.au or for more information phone 03 6234 9551.
MONA FOMA - 16 JANUARY TO 20 JANUARY 2013
MONA FOMA (Museum of Old and New Art, Festival of Music and Art) returns in January 2013, and will thrill audiences with its avant-garde program of art installations, musical performances, special events and parties. MOFO's curator Brian Ritchie (ex Violent Femmes) together with art curators Nicole Durling & Olivier Varenne have once again gathered the noble troubadours of the weird, world famous and never-heard-before music, dance, theatre, visual art, and sound. This year's feature artists David Byrne (ex Talking Heads) and St Vincent (aka Annie Clark) will perform in a big, brassy concert at Princess Wharf 1, in a creative collaboration that beautifully fuses their individual sounds.
Some favourite artists will be back again including Amanda Palmer, Neil Gaiman, Robin Fox and Nick Tsiavos, along with an atonement performance from 'a crazy guy screaming gibberish' (aka Death Grips) and a whole new troupe of local and international MOFOs with a blurring of Indian bongos, melodic pop, spooky poetry, Ethiopian funk, under-water drumming, party-rocking beats, postmodern bush music, and a gigantic, interactive Theremin!
What: One of Tasmania's most outstanding music and arts festivals
When: 16th - 20th January 2013
Where: Various venues around Hobart
How: A lot of events are free with special events and feature artists ticketed. The full program and tickets are available at www.mofo.net.au.
FESTIVALE - 8 FEBRUARY TO 10 FEBRUARY 2013
Festivale is Launceston's annual celebration of Tasmanian food, beer and wine, with City Park transformed into a vibrant hub hosting some of the region's (and Tasmania's) best producers, winemakers, brewers and cafes. Set up al fresco style, the event is a great way for visitors to sample Tasmania's best beer, cool-climate wine and food, while getting amongst the music, street performers and celebratory festival atmosphere.
What: Launceston's main celebration of Tasmanian food, wine and beer
When: Friday 8th to Sunday 10th February 2013
Where: City Park, Tamar Street, Launceston
How: Running on Friday 8th February from 5:30pm until 10:45pm, Saturday 9th February from 11am until 10:45pm and Sunday 10th February from 10am until 4pm. Tickets on sale from 3rd December 2012. Children under 14 are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. For more information, visit www.festivale.com.au.
AUSTRALIAN WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL & TALL SHIPS - 8 FEBRUARY TO 11 FEBRUARY 2013
Staged on Hobart's historic Sullivans Cove waterfront docks, the Australian Wooden Boat Festival is a celebration of Australia's rich maritime culture, heritage and craftsmanship and has established a reputation as one of the best events of its kind in the world. Attracting visitors from all over the world, boats from far and wide are on display at the Hobart docks on the Derwent River. With live music and entertainment and a delicious array of Tasmania's fresh seafood, the four day festival brings together the biggest collection of wooden boats in the southern hemisphere.
What: The biggest collection of wooden boats in the southern hemisphere
When: 8th - 11th February 2013
Where: Sullivans Cove, Hobart
How: The Australian Wooden Boat Festival is a free event. For more information visit www.australianwoodenboatfestival.com.au
NATIONAL PENNY FARTHING CHAMPIONSHIPS - 16 FEBRUARY 2013
Visitors can take a step back in time as the historic town of Evandale in northern Tasmania plays host to the annual National Penny Farthing Championships, a race which since 1983 has attracted enthusiasts from across Australia and around the world. The Penny Farthing Championships forms part of the Evandale Village Fair, a quirky, family event showcasing local hospitality at its best with everything from pony rides and a live performance by country music singer, Tania Kernaghan to face painting, country produce and a Grand Parade.
What: The National Penny Farthing Championships
When: Saturday 16th February 2013, 10am - 4pm
Where: The streets of Evandale, Tasmania
How: Admission costs $12 per adult, children under 16 are free. For more information visit www.evandalevillagefair.com
For a full and up-to-date listing of Tasmanian events and information on travelling to Tasmania, visit the Discover Tasmania website www.discovertasmania.com.au.
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