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Full Program Announcement: March 2026 (subscribe for updates at darkmofo.net.au)
Dark Mofo returns with its full programming after creative director Chris Twite’s successful 2025 festival, which brought back the signature red glow to Hobart’s streets and welcomed 119,196 people. The festival delivered an estimated $67 million economic boost to Tasmania and proved once again why it’s become one of Australia’s most distinctive winter celebrations.
These aren’t just events – they’re the heart and soul of Dark Mofo, the moments that make this festival utterly unforgettable.
The ultimate midwinter banquet returns to Princes Wharf 1 (PW1) and Salamanca Lawns, showcasing the absolute best of Tasmanian food, wine, and spirits. Picture this: over 70 stallholders dishing up everything from smoky skewers to wild desserts, all gathered around warm winter fires under the deserted Tasmanian sky.
In 2025, the feast featured a one-off collaboration between Mumbai’s Ekaa restaurant and Launceston’s Stillwater crew, serving up wallaby wings glazed in gochujang, sea urchin broth, and a whisky pandan pudding that sent people into happy hibernation. Highlights included Vietnamese banh khot with a Tassie twist, abalone and shiitake skewers cooked over open fire, and yes, possum bao from South wine bar.
The 2025 feast ran across two weeks with 100+ music acts performing nightly. It’s cash-free (just tap and go), uses compostable cutlery and crockery, and even offers a sensory-friendly session for those who need it. Free entry on one Sunday is typically made possible by City of Hobart support – perfect if you’re watching the budget.
Dark Mofo’s most infamous ritual returns at sunrise on Monday 22 June at Long Beach, Sandy Bay, welcoming back the light after the longest night of the year. With increased capacity (around 3,000 brave souls participated in 2025), this free event requires registration via darkmofo.net.au.
What started in 2013 as a banned event – with police threatening arrests for public indecency – has become a beloved tradition. University of Queensland research found that participants aren’t just chasing pain; they’re seeking pleasure, connection, and that indescribable feeling of being fully alive. Sure, it’s freezing, but there’s something magical about stripping off with a few thousand kindred spirits and plunging into the Derwent at dawn.
Welcome to the holy mess. Night Mass is Dark Mofo’s infamous after-dark playground – an immersive, sensory-charged party that transforms Hobart’s CBD backstreets and buildings into a fever dream of art, music, and pure chaos.
In 2025, over 100 artists and musicians sprawled across multiple city blocks stitched together into one pulsating labyrinth. Think rooftops, alleyways, warehouses, all drenched in crimson light and shadow. There are no maps, no rules – just beats, fire, flashing lights, surreal encounters, and the odd ritual or two.
First release tickets for Night Mass 2026 went on sale 10am Wednesday 5 November 2025 (strictly limited, pre-registration required). Don’t sleep on this one – it sells out fast.
Dark Mofo’s most spellbinding ritual sees a giant effigy paraded from Parliament Lawns to Dark Park before being consumed by flames in a massive, cathartic burn. In 2025, the effigy took the form of a Maugean skate – an ancient, endangered fish found only in Tasmania’s wild west waters.
In the lead-up to the burning, festival-goers write down their fears – personal, political, existential, whatever – and feed them to the effigy. When the sun sets, a slow, solemn procession snakes through the city with firelight flickering and bass rumbling low. Then it all goes up in flames – fears, timber, the whole bloody thing. It’s eerie, emotional, and weirdly beautiful watching your worries go up in smoke under the cold Hobart sky with thousands of others.
While the 2026 program won’t be announced until March, previous years give us a taste of what’s to come:
Art Installations: From blazing sculptures and surreal light storms to deeply moving installations, Dark Mofo’s art program rattles bones in the best way. Past works have included live car crashes, basement exhibitions with taxidermy and raw confrontation of colonial history, hypnotic light installations, and performance pieces exploring everything from queer mythology to ritual and resistance.
Music Program: Wild, weird, and wonderfully exclusive. Past festivals have brought Australian-exclusive acts you literally can’t see anywhere else – from haunting trip-hop icons and experimental electronic artists to face-melting metal and doom-laden drone. Past headliners have included Mogwai, St. Vincent, The Kid LAROI, FKA Twigs, Dirty Three, Kim Gordon, Boris, and Thundercat.
Film Program: The State Cinema hosts a curated selection of cult classics, eerie indies, and cinematic oddities. Past screenings have included everything from David Lynch’s nightmare masterpieces to gothic mind-benders and Australian psych-classics.
Dark Park: The family-friendly sprawling outdoor space at Macquarie Point (though this location may change for future festivals) features large-scale art installations, fire, Dark Bar with warm tipples and nightly music, and that signature Dark Mofo atmosphere.
Beyond Hobart: Dark Mofo has been known to slip past city limits, with past events in Launceston’s Princess Theatre and Ulverstone’s Hive Planetarium bringing the strange fun to northern Tasmania.
What to Wear: It’s cold – Hobart’s winter averages maximum temps of 12°C with minimums around 5°C. Rug up, then rug up again. Boots are your best friend (make them rain and mud-proof for Dark Park). Pack beanies, scarves, and layers. Smaller bags make life easier (cloaking can have long lines or not be provided at all).
Getting Around: Walking is the best way to experience festival nights – Hobart’s city centre is compact, flat, and beautifully lit during Dark Mofo. The MONA ferry runs regularly from Brooke Street Pier if you’re heading to the museum (about 25 minutes). Uber and taxis can be scarce on busy festival nights, especially after Winter Feast – expect wait times and surge pricing.
Free parking at the Regatta Grounds during Winter Feast has been provided in past years. Public transport via Metro buses works well with a Greencard for discounted fares.
Tickets & Planning: Some events sell out fast, so get onto darkmofo.net.au early when the full program drops in March. This is a 12-day festival – pace yourself. It’s impossible to see everything, so prioritise your must-dos and leave room for spontaneous discoveries. Night Mass deliberately has no maps; it’s designed for wandering and getting lost.
Budget-Friendly Options: Not everything at Dark Mofo requires a ticket. Large-scale public art installations are free to view across the city. Dark Park offers family-friendly outdoor art and atmosphere. The Ogoh-Ogoh procession and burning is a free community event. In past years, Winter Feast has offered free entry on one Sunday thanks to City of Hobart support.
Book early, Dark Mofo is peak winter tourism season and accommodation fills up fast. Central options include The Henry Jones Art Hotel right on the waterfront, Salamanca Wharf Hotel (metres from Winter Feast), Crowne Plaza Hobart, and Old Woolstore Apartment Hotel, to name a few. View our full accommodation guide.
For something special, MONA Pavilions offers exclusive Dark Mofo packages (10-23 June 2026) with VIP Winter Feast entry, Night Mass tickets, exclusive Dark Mofo art tours, and the full MONA experience.
If you prefer a quieter base, consider staying outside the city and driving in – places like The Woodbridge (15 minutes to MONA, 25 to Hobart CBD) offer riverfront peace between festival adventures.
Dark Mofo has become something of a family affair, with Dark Park specifically designed for all ages and Winter Feast welcoming families to feast by firelight. Past festivals have offered sensory-friendly sessions at Winter Feast.
That said, many artworks and performances contain explicit content, nudity, adult themes, graphic imagery, taxidermy, references to violence and racism, flashing lights, loud noise, and open fires. Not all encounters are suitable for small children, so check individual event descriptions carefully. The beauty of Dark Mofo is its variety – there’s plenty for curious minds of all ages alongside the more confronting adult-oriented work.
Dark Mofo launched in 2013, conceived by MONA owner David Walsh, creative director Leigh Carmichael, and musician Brian Ritchie as a “marketing exercise” to boost winter tourism. What started as a bold experiment has grown into one of Australia’s most anticipated arts festivals.
The inaugural festival introduced Ryoji Ikeda’s 15-kilometre-high light installation Spectra, now a permanent fixture at MONA. The now-iconic Nude Solstice Swim, initially banned by police, became a defining moment of Tasmanian winter.
After a COVID-related pause in 2020 and a hiatus in 2024 for artistic director transition, Dark Mofo returned in 2025 under Chris Twite’s creative leadership, welcoming 119,196 attendees and attracting over 50,000 interstate and overseas visitors. The festival proved its enduring appeal and economic importance to Tasmania, generating more than $67 million in economic benefit.
If you plan to attend Dark Mofo this year, you’ll want to find the perfect place to stay that will let you make the most of this incredible event.
Here are a few of our top picks for where to stay in Hobart for Dark Mofo.
The Hobart and Beyond Editorial Team is dedicated to bringing you the best insider tips, local stories, and up-to-date guides to exploring southern Tasmania.
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