Ballarat Winter Festival

It's an extravaganza of ice skating, light spectacles, circus acts, medieval magic and one mighty hot chocolate showdown.
Jasmine Crittenden
Published on June 25, 2025

Overview

Winter means weekends filled with cosy nights in winter cabins, husky sled rides through the Alps, hot springs in Daylesford and more winter adventures.. Another experience to add to your cold-weather calendar is the Ballarat Winter Festival.

Between Saturday, July 5–Sunday, July 27, Ballarat will be filled with light spectacles, circus acts, medieval magic and roaring fires. You can also expect a pop-up ice skating rink, a spiegeltent and a light trail.

Get started at the rink, which is open from 9am–10pm daily, and turns into a disco on Friday and Saturday nights. Next, head to Sovereign Hill to see it transformed into a spectacular, winter-lit wonderland.

Meanwhile, the Ukiyo Spiegeltent is hosting six, 40-minute shows every day — from circus and comedy to family-friendly fun. At Kryal Castle, catch Knights of Fire, a medieval festival-within-the-festival featuring flaming sword fights, magical potions, and wizards and snow queens.

In between all the goings-on, follow the hot chocolate trail to try more than 25 warming, melty drinks, from traditional-style mugs to unexpected creations. And if you're around on Saturday, July 5 or Sunday, July 6, wander through the design market at the Ballarat Mining Exchange.

Information

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