Top 5 Winter Events in Northern Tasmania

Winter is a great time to visit Northern Tasmania with plenty of events and festivals to warm your soul. So grab your beanie, mittens and Tassie Tuxedo and start planning with our top 5 winter events.

1. Australian Musical Theatre Festival

With autumn sunlight as a spotlight and Launceston as the stage, the Australian Musical Theatre Festival is a must see in May each year. Specially curated experiences are held over 5-days in stunning and historic venues such as the Princess Theatre and Earl Arts Centre, and in unusual places like Old Brisbane Arcade, Midnight Rambler and The Gorge Restaurant at Cataract Gorge. Venues, performing artists and performances change each year so you can expect something different every time you visit.

The festival is the only one of it's kind in Australia, attracting local and international musical theatre professionals. And it's not all sitting back to watch a performance, there are workshops, panel discussions, masterclasses and more.

2. agriCULTURED

Discover a world where innovation meets tradition, and sustainability mingles with heritage. Immerse yourself in the fertile soils of Northern Tasmania at the freshest, coolest event of the season. In a world that often feels disconnected, agriCULTURED seeks to bridge the gap between consumers and producers, helping to demystify our food systems and showing the intricate path your food takes from the paddockk to the plate. Throuogh hands-on experiences and interactive dialogues you are encouraged to form a deeper understanding and appreciation of what you eat, how it is grown and who is behind it.

At the heart of agriCULTURED lies a celebration of the agri-food sector – a cornerstone of Tasmania’s culture, community, and economy. Here, we revel in the joy of food, fresh from the fields and into the hands of passionate cooks. Be ready to savour a sensory extravaganza that showcases the best of Tasmanian produce. This is where we applaud the dedication and passion of local producers, an edible homage to their tireless efforts.

3. The Tassie Scallop Fiesta

Get ready to come out of your shell!

Tassie Scallop Fiesta celebrates the maritime and fishing heritage of North East Tasmania - and it is a great excuse to indulge in scallops, local produce, wine and music, all set in the stunning seaside location of Bridport. Tassie Scallop Fiesta is a much anticipated annual event where locals and visitors converge on North East Tasmania to get their lips around the freshest scallops and local produce you can find. At the event you are treated to cooking demonstrations, scallop pie competitions, music and more!

Come for the Fiesta and stay on to explore and discover all the hidden gems of the North East.

4. Tasmanian Open DanceSport Championship

Experience the highest standard of DanceSport in Australia.  

The Tasmanian Open DanceSport Championship is held every year in August at the Silverdome. The event attracts competitors from across Australia, and Silverdome is the perfect venue to watch them weave their magic on the dance floor as they compete for the richest prize purse in Australia.  

So, what is DanceSport?

DanceSport is what used to be referred to as competitive Ballroom Dancing, renamed to suit its modern image as a demanding sport. Characteristics consist of physical strength, agility, co-ordination, stamina, high level of fitness, discipline, teamwork, grace, style and musical interpretation. DanceSport is now recognised by the International Olympic Committee as a sport for eventual inclusion in the Olympic program. 

DanceSport provides opportunity for developing athletic discipline of body and mind as well as artistic creativity through musical interpretation, costume design and choreographic programming.

If you love Dancing with the Stars, you will love this event held across the day and with the finals forming the glitz and glamour of the night time spectacular!

5. Wilderfeast Flinders Island (biennial)

Wilderfeast invites you to a feast of art, music and gastronomy. A feast for your senses, Wilderfeast is held every second year on Flinders Island.

The event coincides with a time when the seasons are at a crossroads, moving out of winter into spring. Soon the locals will be peeling off their Tassie Tuxedos, shedding the layers of warm woolies and pulling on their short sleeves, throwing sprouts on everything and generally feeling a spring in their step, but for now there's still a heavy chill in the air.

Wilderfeast brings their young folk and local crew to honour their Island produce and to celebrate the last week of winter. You will experience local fare that's not just delicious but an entirely plausible replacement for the sun exposure so sorely missed over the past few months. Creations by talented local artists are showcased and auctioned on the night to help raise money for the Furneaux Community Arts. Be sure to bring your dancing shoes and your imagination, there will be music and celebration and costumes are encouraged - think pagan traditions, the earth and all it's elements, or the changing seasons.

This is an event deeply rooted in the local community, celebrating this special and unique place, and the nuances of island life - it's one to put on your wishlist. A visit to Flinders Island combined with a community celebration of place is a life-changing experience that gives you an appreciation of how incredibly fragile this environment can be, and how the value of place and resilience of a close knit community shapes the future.