Tasmania’s Off Season crackles to life every May–August. The season's festivals and events turn winter into something worth getting out of bed for.
Snap up an exclusive Off Season offer: a whisky tour warming you from the inside out, a luxury spa stay package, truffles on truffles, or a nature experience that’ll remind you cold air isn't all bad.
Friday 1 May 2026 - Sunday 3 May 2026 (Annual) Queenstown
DIVERGE Skyruns is a brand-new sky and trail running festival in one of Tasmania's most remote corners: Queenstown, West Coast Tasmania. It's for runners and hikers, ready to step just outside their comfort zone.
Over 3 days, this event has something for almost everyone: Australia's most serious skyruns on jaw-dropping alpine ridgelines to trail runs that weave through moonscape landscapes, rainforests and past soaring waterfalls.
There are also incredibly iconic trail runs and hikes that traverse the local airfield, running towards Mt Owen, and a 5km 'Lynchford Express Run" which includes a memorable ride on the heritage steam trains of the West Coast Wilderness Railway.
The west is wild. And it offers runners another way.
Thursday 11 June 2026 - Monday 22 June 2026 (Annual) Hobart
Dark Mofo returns in full for 2026 with an ambitious art and music program, alongside Dark Mofo rituals Winter Feast, the Ogoh-Ogoh, Night Mass and the Nude Solstice Swim. Full program out now Tickets on sale 1 April. Subscribe for priority access.
Thursday 14 May 2026 - Sunday 17 May 2026 (Annual) Stanley
The Stanley and Tarkine Forage Festival celebrates the beauty and abundance of the north west, inviting culinary adventurers to experience the best of Tassie's most delicious region.
Join the community buzz of the Stanley Street Feast, indulge in a fancy degustation menu with celebrated chefs and feed your curiosity with Meet the Producers events.
This and so much more awaits in a region known for having the cleanest air in the world!
Wednesday 20 May 2026 - Sunday 24 May 2026 (Annual) Launceston
With the autumn sunshine as a spotlight, and Launceston as the stage, Australian Musical Theatre Festival is back for 2026!
Featuring an array of emerging and established artists from around the country, we invite you to experience the magic of musical theatre over five days this May.
"It is a true joy to present the 2026 Australian Musical Theatre Festival program, which continues to celebrate, cultivate and educate around one of the world's most thrilling (and most popular!) art forms.
"Launceston again provides a truly unique stage, allowing us to align the magic of Tasmanian culture with both traditional and contemporary musical theatre, through a variety of offerings that are unexpected, thrilling and inspiring. This is musical theatre unlike you've ever seen it..." – Tyran Parke, Artistic Director.
Whether it's a brand-new presentation of your favourite musical, a chance to get to know Australia's greatest stars, or simply a reason to explore a city full of stories, we invite you to join us and share the stage.
Monday 11 May 2026 - Sunday 24 May 2026 (Annual) Cambridge
The Tasmanian Mushroom Festival is a celebration of fungi, bringing together experts, enthusiasts, and the curious alike.
Emerging from its incubator year, the festival has grown and now offers a wide range of activities and events. It's a great chance to learn about the role of mushrooms in Tasmania's food, science, and local businesses.
This year's festival features a Mushroom Field Day - held at BrewLab, Goodwood. Celebrating fungi at this community focused venue, with workshops, good food, science talks, kids activities, music, stallholders and photography.
Through collaboration with local producers, researchers, and businesses, the festival continues to foster connections, encourage innovation, and champion sustainability.
Whether you are a seasoned mycophile or just beginning your journey into the world of fungi, the festival offers an opportunity to connect, learn, and savour the wonders of mushrooms.
Friday 3 April 2026 - Sunday 10 May 2026 (Daily) Battery Point
For the first time in Hobart, the high-flying, five-star hit La Ronde lights up the stage of The Spiegeltent!
Step into the round and surrender to the intoxicating world of La Ronde—a lavish and brave seduction of dizzying spectacle, from the creators of Blanc de Blanc and LIMBO.
This isn't just a show; it's an invitation to lose yourself in the extraordinary.
At the centre of this heady cocktail of circus, live music, and comedy are groundbreaking headliners, world-class provocateurs, and raw, electric energy pulled straight from the European underground.
Direct from a critically acclaimed Adelaide Fringe season. Don't miss it!
Content Rating: Ages 15+
Nudity Level : Occasional, mild
Other Warnings: Smoke Effects, Strobe Lighting
Fighting Spirit: The Art of Boxing tells the story of boxing in Australia through art and screen, from the 1900s to today. It reflects the influence boxing has had on Australian society and culture and spotlights the strength and determination the sport demands.
From world champions to brothers negotiating family dynamics in the ring, this exhibition reveals the community bonds and deep familial lineages that run through boxing's history, and provides glimpses into heartfelt moments of endurance, vulnerability and courage.
Travelling to Lutruwita/Tasmania from the collections of the National Film and Sound Archive and the National Portrait Gallery, Fighting Spirit: The Art of Boxing will be co-presented by Moonah Arts Centre and Rosny Farm.
In a first for Moonah Arts Centre and Rosny Barn, the two venues are partnering to co-present this exhibition across both sites. Fighting Spirit: The Art of Boxing will be presented in two parts, with each gallery hosting a distinct selection of work.
Together, the two presentations showcase films, paintings, photographs and mixed-media works that traverse themes of glory, bravado, identity, resilience and social change.
This exhibition is supported by the National Collecting Institutions Touring and Outreach Program, an Australian Government program aiming to improve access to the national collections for all Australians.
Co-presented by Moonah Arts Centre and Rosny Farm.
Get ready Launceston, the Urban Wine Walk is back! Grab your crew for the ultimate afternoon of wine and good times! Join 300+ vino lovers as we wander the coolest venues, taste local wines and meet the winemakers on this self-guided adventure!
How does it work? Start your afternoon at your chosen venue with a delicious bite, then let the day unfold. Wander at your own pace, glass in hand, discovering hidden gems, tasting exceptional wines and soaking up the atmosphere along the way.
With a stellar roster of winemakers, buzzing vibes at every stop and a guaranteed sell-out crowd, the Urban Wine Walk is the ultimate self-guided tasting experience for you and your crew.
Saturday 14 February 2026 - Sunday 17 May 2026 Launceston
RISE recognises and platforms the considerable talents, ideas, and diversity of practice of 11 selected emerging Tasmanian artists.
Tasmania has always been an island of innovation and craftsmanship with new makers and thinkers rising to provoke and inspire audiences with their skills and creativity.
In today's world of every-increasing complexity, this need for evolutionary arts practitioners to question, challenge, and provide a unique voice to our cultural landscape is more important than ever.
With the 2026 iteration of RISE, QVMAG and City of Launceston continues its biennial commitment to introduce audiences to new generations of significant Tasmanian artists and provide visibility and support to all phases of artists' creative practice and career progression.
Join in at Devil's Corner Cellar Door for a unique one-of-a-kind Tower to Terroir Tour.
Your journey begins in the Devils Corner Lookout Tower, where you'll meet your host who will set the stage with captivating tales of the land. As you take in panoramic views of the vineyards, rugged Hazards mountains, and the tranquil expanse of Moulting Lagoon, you'll learn about Devil's Corner—from its humble origins to its dynamic evolution.
Discover insights into the vineyard's sustainable practices, the distinctive local geography, and the vibrant birdlife that calls this place home. (Duration: 15–20 minutes)
From the Tower, follow your guide down to the Cellar Door, pausing along the way to admire architectural details that echo the rugged beauty of the East Coast. Inside the tasting room, indulge in a guided premium tasting of the Hazards Range wines. Their expert guide will walk you through each exceptional pour, detailing the unique terroir, craft, and subtle complexities that define these exclusive wines. (Duration: 15–20 minutes)
To complete this journey, relax and savor a beautifully presented Tasmanian charcuterie board, featuring a selection of local artisan cheeses, cured meats, and seasonal accompaniments. Enjoy these delectable bites as you soak in the sweeping views of the landscape—a perfect conclusion to an experience that celebrates the essence of place, history, and the art of fine wine.
Learn to sculpt with professional bronze sculptor Jody Pawley at Tasmanian Sculpture School. You will learn how to create a sculpture in modelling clay over an aluminium armature and learn a method of sculpting that is designed to give you practical skills and confidence.
This class is ideal for complete beginners through to those with intermediate experience wishing to hone their skills. You have the added benefit of being in a working sculpture studio surrounded by a myriad of sculptures in various stages and mediums.
Don your woolly socks and subscribe to the Off Season newsletter to be the first to know about Tasmania’s winter festivals, experiences and special deals.
It’s an Off Season flight sale. Grab return Qantas flights to Tasmania this May–September then plan your dream winter holiday (as dreamy as this mountain scene). Get in quick; sale ends 7 April 2026.*
*Offer ends 11.59pm (AEST) 7 April 2026, unless sold out prior. Offer limited to the first 1,000 eligible passengers. Select routes, travel dates and conditions apply.
Got a burning Off Season question? Quench your curiosity and put your mind at ease with the FAQs below.
Tasmania’s Off Season runs from May–August every year, during the cooler winter months. The Off Season is a wake-up call from hibernation for visitors and locals alike. Winter stirs up one-of-a-kind events like Dark Mofo, and winter-only offers – expect bespoke picnics by the fire and hot-tub indulgence at your accommodation, limited-edition feasts and curated drink tours, starry night experiences and wellness workshops.
Off Season offers are special winter experiences created by Tasmanian tourism operators to showcase what makes travel during Tasmania's colder months so rewarding. Offers aren’t just standard discounts – think winter-exclusive packages, accommodation with thoughtful extras like late check-out for those cold-weather sleep ins, seasonal menu items, hands-on experiences and creative collaborations between businesses.
Browse this year’s Off Season offers where you can filter by interest, region and travel dates to find your ideal Tasmanian winter experience.
Getting to Tasmania is easy in any season. Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia fly direct to Hobart and Launceston from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, with some airlines also flying from other Australian states and territories. Flights into Devonport and Burnie (Wynyard) also operate, and from Melbourne you can fly to King Island and Flinders Island.
If you want to bring your own vehicle, take the Spirit of Tasmania ferry between Geelong and Devonport. The twin ships depart both ports nightly and arrive at their destination the following morning (day sailings only available September–April).
Travelling to Tasmania during the Off Season (May–August) benefits both you and the communities you visit. Winter travel supports local Tasmanian businesses to operate all year-round, helping sustain jobs and strengthen the local economy during quieter months. It's also a more sustainable way to travel in Tasmania – with fewer visitors, there's less pressure on infrastructure, natural attractions and local communities, making it a naturally ecofriendly approach to travel in Tasmania.
For you, the Off Season means a more relaxed experience with fewer crowds at popular attractions, better availability at accommodation and restaurants, and the chance to connect more meaningfully with locals.
By continuing to use this website, you agree to the storage of necessary, statistical and marketing cookies. By accepting cookies, we can provide you with content recommendations based on your interests. By declining, only necessary cookies for the website to function will be enabled. Learn more here.
