1/95Preview to the Huon Valley Mid Winter Festival- Big Willie creator Marcus Gibbon. Picture: Richard Jupe
Bumper gallery: Willie Smith’s Mid-Winter Festival flashback
MEGA GALLERY: Check out pictures from Willie Smith’s Mid-Winter Festival over the years ahead of the final burn in 2024.
2/95SOCIALS: Mid-Winter Fest, Willie Smith's Apple Shed, Grove: Andrew Hathly, North Hobart. Roxana Cariaga, North Hobart and Jacinta Hill, Mount Nelson.
3/95SOCIALS: Mid-Winter Fest, Willie Smith's Apple Shed, Grove: Kate Erpillar of Glebe and Toman Bradley of Lindisfarne.
4/95SOCIALS: Mid-Winter Fest, Willie Smith's Apple Shed, Grove: Suzanne Polouktsis, North Hobart.
5/95Huon Valley Mid Winter Fest organiser Sam Reid with morris dancers Di Davies and Tasha Erker in the apple orchard getting ready for wassailing (wasselling) the apple trees
6/95SOCIALS: Mid-Winter Fest, Willie Smith's Apple Shed, Grove: Louis Balcombe of Taroona and Madeleine Delany, Mount Stuart
7/95Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival at Willie Smiths. festival director Sam Reid with the Burning Man. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE
8/952016 Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival. fire dancers entertain the crowd. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE
9/95Children trying their hand at circus activities at the midwinter festival Picture: LUKE BOWDEN
10/95Performers act out the story Cycle of the Sun and the inner World at the Huon Valley Mid-Winter Fest. Picture: PATRICK GEE
11/95Mid Winter Festival from the Ranelagh Recreation Grounds. The burning of wicker man, Big Willie. Picture Zak Simmonds
12/95Mid Winter Festival from the Ranelagh Recreation Grounds. Marcus Gibbon sets the wicker man, Big Willie on fire. Picture Zak Simmonds
13/95Mid Winter Festival from the Ranelagh Recreation Grounds. Marcus Gibbon sets the wicker man, Big Willie on fire. Picture Zak Simmonds
14/95The final day of this year's Huon Valley Mid Winter Festival. The Morris Dancers play a big part in the festival. Picture: MATT THOMPSON
15/95The final day of this year's Huon Valley Mid Winter Festival. (L-R) Ben Underwood and Steph Check with their children, Freya and Raferty. Picture: MATT THOMPSON
16/95Huon Valley Mid-Winter festival co-founder and director Sam Reid and (rear) burning man creator, Marcus Gibbon and member of The Dead Maggies and the Stragglers, Teresa Dixon as the festival is going digital this year. Picture: Zak Simmonds
17/95Teresa Dixon and Marcus Gibbon. Willie Smiths Mid-Winter Festival. Picture: Caroline Tan
18/95Kai, Wyatt, and Xander. Willie Smiths Mid-Winter Festival. Picture: Caroline Tan
19/95Kirby Westland and Leo Westland. Willie Smiths Mid-Winter Festival. Picture: Caroline Tan
20/95Chloe Miller, Evie Miller and Edward Doyle. Willie Smiths Mid-Winter Festival. Picture: Caroline Tan
21/95Charli Thomas and Angela Thomas. Willie Smiths Mid-Winter Festival. Picture: Caroline Tan
22/95Ashlee and Jason. Willie Smiths Mid-Winter Festival. Picture: Caroline Tan
23/95Adrielle Smith and Miles Salani. Willie Smiths Mid-Winter Festival. Picture: Caroline Tan
24/95Musician Teresa Dixon and Marcus Gibbon the Creator of Big Willie the Burning Man at Willie Smiths, Huon Valley. Picture: Linda Higginson
25/95SOCIALS: Mid-Winter Fest, Willie Smith's Apple Shed, Grove: Jane Overeem and Katy Took, both of Blackmans Bay
26/95Ally Horswill, Acton. Bonnie and Andrew Tuttle of Howrah and Kerryn Lodo, South Hobart
27/95Morris dancer, Fred Cheney performing at the Midwinter Festival Picture: LUKE BOWDEN
28/95Samta Agrawal plays Aya, the protagonist of the mystical story Cycle of the Sun and the Inner World at the Huon Valley Mid-Winter Fest. Picture: PATRICK GEE
29/95Performers act out the story Cycle of the Sun and the inner World at the Huon Valley Mid-Winter Fest. Picture: PATRICK GEE
30/95Archer Dan Hennessey sets the Mid-Winter Man alight at the Huon Valley Mid-Winter fest. Picture: PATRICK GEE
31/95Archer Dan Hennessey sets the Mid-Winter Man alight at the Huon Valley Mid-Winter fest. Picture: PATRICK GEE
32/95The crowd watches the Mid-Winter Man burn at the Huon Valley Mid-Winter Fest. Picture: PATRICK GEE
33/95Huon Valley Mid Winter Fest organiser Sam Reid with morris dancers Di Davies and Tasha Erker in the apple orchard getting ready for wassailing (wasselling) the apple trees
34/95The Mid-Winter Man burns bright at the Huon Valley Mid-Winter fest. Picture: PATRICK GEE
35/95From left, Tony Gamble from Grove, Shelley Pope from Kingston Beach, Ngaire Hunt from Napier, NZ and Mike pope from Kingston Beach at the Huon Valley Mid-Winter Fest. Picture: PATRICK GEE
36/95Hannah Preece from Hobart and Hugh Maguire from New Town at the Huon Valley Mid-Winter Fest. Picture: PATRICK GEE
37/95John Rennie and Liz Watson from Melbourne at the Huon Valley Mid-Winter Fest. Picture: PATRICK GEE
38/952016 Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival. The Burning Man archer Dan Hennesy of Port Huon. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE
39/95Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival at Willie Smiths. festival director Sam Reid. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE
40/952016 Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival. archer Dan Hennesy of Port Huon fires a flaming arrow into the Burning Man. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE
41/95From left, Dale, Shelly and Isaac Freeman from Margate and Ashton Freeman and Ryan Best from Melbourne at the Huon Valley Mid-Winter Fest. Picture: PATRICK GEE
42/95Willie Smiths owner Andrew Smith from Grove, left, and Richard Whiteway from Ranelagh at the Huon Valley Mid-Winter Fest. Picture: PATRICK GEE
43/952016 Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival. The Burning Man goes up in flames. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE
44/95L-R Cameron Crawford, Baxter Crawford, Matilda Forrest, 8 and Linda Crawford. Huon Valley Mid Winter Festival. Picture: RICHARD JUPE
45/95Niall Maurici, Broad Ambassador for Charles Oates Distillery. Huon Valley Mid Winter Festival. Picture: RICHARD JUPE
46/952016 Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival. the procession makes it way through the crowd. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE
47/952016 Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival. Craicpot entertains the crowd. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE
48/95Black Joak Morris dancers from Sydney. Huon Valley Mid Winter Festival. Picture: RICHARD JUPE
49/95Willie Smiths' Andrew Smith and Burning Man creator Marcus Gibbon put some finishing touches on the ill fated effigy ahead of the Mid-Winter Feast. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL
50/952016 Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival. fire dancers entertain the crowd. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE
51/95Amanda and Michael Boon with children, Elsie, 5 and Harry 7 all dressed up at the Midwinter festival at Willie Smiths Apple Shed. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN
52/95Preview to the Huon Valley Mid-Winter festival. Dylan Wech of Sydney, left, Jules Smith of Grove, Kathleen Moore of Old Beach and Rod Butler of Lenah Valley. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE.
53/95Huon Valley Mid Winter Feast - final day. (L-R) Morris dancers and the traditional maypole dance. PICTURE: MATT THOMPSON
54/95Morris Dancers and musicians performing at the Mid Winter Festival, Stephanie Swanson, David Purdue, Veronica Wagner, Tom MacDonald, Catherine Vant'-Hof and Alison O'Brien. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN
55/95Huon Valley Mid Winter Feast - final day. (L-R) Graeme Hamilton (M.C.) of Melbourne, Coco Whelan (8), Greta Blain-Lawry. PICTURE: MATT THOMPSON
56/95Huon Valley Mid-Winter festival co-founder and director Sam Reid as the festival is going digital this year. Picture: Zak Simmonds
57/95Creator of "Big Willie" Marcus Gibbon ahead of the Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival which will be held online this year. Picture: Zak Simmonds
58/95Creator of "Big Willie" Marcus Gibbon ahead of the Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival which will be held online this year. Picture: Zak Simmonds
59/95The final day of this year's Huon Valley Mid Winter Festival. (L-R) Graeme Hamilton of Melbourne performs the kid's Wassil with (Front L-R) Indiana Stephenson, Olivia Hooper, Fin Stephenson. Picture: MATT THOMPSON
60/95Mid Winter Festival from the Ranelagh Recreation Grounds. Isaac and Rebecca Freeman. Picture Zak Simmonds
61/95Mid Winter Festival from the Ranelagh Recreation Grounds. Rob Wilkinson. Picture Zak Simmonds
62/95Mid Winter Festival from the Ranelagh Recreation Grounds. Dale and Shelley Freeman. Picture Zak Simmonds
63/95Mid Winter Festival from the Ranelagh Recreation Grounds. Jenny Casey and Jamie Adams. Picture Zak Simmonds
64/95Mid Winter Festival from the Ranelagh Recreation Grounds. Sherilea and daughter Fleur Collins, 8. Picture Zak Simmonds
65/95Mid Winter Festival from the Ranelagh Recreation Grounds. Carolyn and Ryan Petkovich. Picture Zak Simmonds
66/95Mid Winter Festival from the Ranelagh Recreation Grounds. Marcus Gibbon sets the wicker man, Big Willie on fire. Picture Zak Simmonds
67/95Mid Winter Festival from the Ranelagh Recreation Grounds. Sisters Isabella, 25 and Naomi Klug, 15 of Howden. Picture Zak Simmonds
68/95Huon Valley Mid Winter Feast - final day. The best dressed competition in the main tent was won by the Whelan / Thomson family (L-R) Spike Whelan, Rebecca Thomson, Sunny Whelan, Paul Whelan, Coco Whelan all of Hobart. PICTURE: MATT THOMPSON
69/95Huon Valley Mid Winter Feast - final day. The best dressed competition in the main tent. PICTURE: MATT THOMPSON
70/95Huon Valley Mid Winter Feast - final day. (L-R) Bruce Trappes of Melbourne who made the flaming piano, with piano player Warren Marshall of Ulverstone. PICTURE: MATT THOMPSON
71/95Huon Valley Mid Winter Feast - final day. (L-R) Morris dancers entertain the crowd. PICTURE: MATT THOMPSON
72/95Marcus Gibbon sets the Big Willie alight at the Willie Smith mid-winter festival hosted online due to COVID-19. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN
73/95Siblings Rachel, 4 and Julian Tack, 6 of Geeveston were some of the small amount of lucky guests that got to attend the Willie Smith Mid-Winter Festival. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN
74/95(L-R) Therese James, Christina Cabrera and Kate Marsden all dressed up for the Willie Smith mid-winter festival. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN
75/95Marcus Gibbon sets the Big Willie alight at the Willie Smith mid-winter festival hosted online due to COVID-19. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN
76/95Preview to the Huon Valley Mid Winter Festival- Big Willie creator Marcus Gibbon. Picture: Richard Jupe
77/95Preview to the Huon Valley Mid Winter Festival- Big Willie creator Marcus Gibbon. Picture: Richard Jupe
78/95Miss Jessy G and Tahlia Morris. Willie Smiths Mid-Winter Festival. Picture: Caroline Tan
79/95Sinna Ethereal, Brados Ethereal and LouLou Ethereal. Willie Smiths Mid-Winter Festival. Picture: Caroline Tan
80/95Willie Smith's Mid- Winter Festival, Marketing Manager Pat Garnham and Big Willie creator Marcus Gibbon at Grove. Picture: Chris Kidd
81/95Willie Smith's Mid- Winter Festival, Big Willie creator Marcus Gibbon at Grove. Picture: Chris Kidd
82/95Ivie Mays and Alice Toner. Willie Smiths Mid-Winter Festival. Picture: Caroline Tan
83/95Dean Walker and Kater Walker. Willie Smiths Mid-Winter Festival. Picture: Caroline Tan
84/95Steph Mills, Otis Freeborn, Flynn Freeborn and Arthur Watts. Willie Smiths Mid-Winter Festival. Picture: Caroline Tan
85/95Ira Beck and Ariel Adeline. Willie Smiths Mid-Winter Festival. Picture: Caroline Tan
86/95Ben de Reus, AJ Penrose, Marnie O'Bryan and Graeme Hamilton. Willie Smiths Mid-Winter Festival. Picture: Caroline Tan
87/95Denae Cotter and Ash Williams. Willie Smiths Mid-Winter Festival. Picture: Caroline Tan
88/95Hallie Willington, Kala Wagner, Scott Willington and Paddy Willington. Willie Smiths Mid-Winter Festival. Picture: Caroline Tan
89/95Ashley Quilliam, Eddie Beresford, Olivia Beresford and Bea Rutherford. Willie Smiths Mid-Winter Festival. Picture: Caroline Tan
90/95Heidi Kern and Skye North. Willie Smiths Mid-Winter Festival. Picture: Caroline Tan
91/95Bianca Miller, Chloe Miller, Evie Miller and Tom Miller. Willie Smiths Mid-Winter Festival. Picture: Caroline Tan
92/95Willie Smith's Huon Valley Mid-Winter Fest. Picture: Ryan Morrison
93/95Willie Smith's Mid-Winter Festival launch 2023. Picture: Natalie Mendham/Willie Smith's
94/95Daphne Mceldowney, Eva Mceldowney-North, Sylvia Begbie and Heidi Kern. Willie Smiths Mid-Winter Festival. Picture: Caroline Tan
95/95Leun de Main Bartholomew and Chelsea de Main. Willie Smiths Mid-Winter Festival. Picture: Caroline Tan