Tassie Winter Is a Hot Ticket in 2026 — Catch These Must-See Off-Season Events, From Dark Mofo to Diverge Skyruns
Spanning the occult to the downright jaw-dropping, Tasmania's winter events schedule is so stacked the cold weather just becomes part of the experience.
Tasmanian tourism entered 2026 on the back of a record-breaking season, welcoming an all-time visitation high of 1.36 million travellers over the previous 12 months. Yet the island is looking to keep the good times flowing, especially over the cooler months, with Tourism Tasmania releasing its 2026 Off-Season Events Guide. Designed to inspire all Australians to become winter people, this stacked cultural calendar highlights what's happening in local arts and culture, cuisine, music, wellness, and more from May to August.
While Hobart's reputation continues to grow internationally, Agfest Field Days is a chance to get to know Tassie's rural landscape and community. Running from Thursday, May 7–Saturday, May 9, over 55,000 visitors head to Carrick in Northern Tasmania, where over 600 exhibitors present machinery, locally made clothing, artisan food and loads more. Meanwhile, the experiences on offer span woodchopping competitions to working dog trials. So, pack your wellies and make tracks to this whip-cracking festival.
Of course, Tassie is also a world-class adventure destination, home to bucket-list treks such as the Overland Track and the Three Capes Walks. Yet a new experience debuts in 2026 — Diverge Skyruns. Held from Friday, May 1–Sunday, May 3, the event introduces two of Australia's most daring skyruns: The Mt Lyell Skyrun 50km and the Mt Owen Skyrun 25km. Centred around Queenstown on Tasmania's wild west coast, this historic mining town will also feature community events for would-be fitness freaks, like a carb-loading pasta dinner at The Paragon Theatre.
On the culinary front, staying warm is made easy at Maltstock Down Under. Taking over the picturesque Ratho Farm Highlands Resort from Friday, May 15–Sunday, May 17, this not-for-profit, community-led whisky festival features visits to local distilleries, fireside tastings with distillers, a blind-tasting competition and a series of relaxed communal gatherings. All told, over 80 whiskies are ready to be sampled, while visitors are invited to bring and share their own bottles amid Tassie's alpine reaches, probably around a soothing open fire.
For something a little more occult, Dark Mofo returns in 2026 with another provocative midwinter solstice festival from Thursday, June 11–Monday, June 22. Since taking a break for a "period of renewal," the renowned festival has gone from strength to strength, with this year's star-studded music lineup featuring Princess Nokia's brash raps, Danny Brown's chaos-inducing energy, Dry Cleaning's sardonic wit and more. Plus, returning fire-lit rituals include the Winter Feast, Night Mass, the Ogoh-Ogoh burning and the Nude Solstice Swim, if you're brave enough.
Then, not too long before warmer weather returns, Permission to Trespass offers visitors from near and far rare access to private properties across Wynyard and Table Cape. Held over two weeks, from Wednesday, July 1–Wednesday, July 15, this event unlocks parts of Tasmania's North West, with places usually closed to the public brought to life by long-table dinners, twilight markets, art exhibitions, local pub choirs, and creative workshops. Throw on your hiking boots and scope out the sights, this time with the community's go-ahead.
Head to the website for more information.
Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
Images: Supplied.
- CP Picks: The Editor's Gift Guide —What the CP Team Is Giving (and Hoping to Receive)
- CP Picks: The Best Gifts for People Who Are Never Home — According to Travel Writers
- CP Picks: From Hot Sauce to Handblown Glasses — Small-Batch Gifts for Big Foodies
- Twenty-Five Exceptional Films by Indigenous Australian Filmmakers That You Can Stream Right Now
- A List of All of the Wes Anderson Films, Ranked
- It's Eurovision Time: Here's When You Can Watch 2025's Song Contest (with Tony Armstrong and Courtney Act Hosting Australia's Coverage)