Dark Mofo 2019: Hundreds hang out in Hobart’s new cultural garden ahead of festival kick off

Queues formed well ahead of the official opening hour of In The Hanging Garden, where the first 666 beers were given away to the cultural precinct’s punters.

HOBART’S iconic winter arts festival officially kicks into gear on Thursday, but hundreds gathered in the new cultural hub on Wednesday night restless to see what will be on offer at this year’s Dark Mofo.

In The Hanging Garden is the $5 million product of Mona subsidiary DarkLab and Melbourne-based developers Riverlee, who handed out the first 666 Asahi beers after 8pm free to customers in celebration of its opening.

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Jacob Perkins, hairdresser at Sfumato Hair, said he was loving the much-anticipated space, which will now be open seven days a week from noon.

He said Hobart had been needing a hub of live music, drink and food that In The Hanging Garden offered.

“The more people that come down here [to Hobart] just keep telling us how much we love Dark Mofo and what it has to offer,” Mr Perkins said.

The Cathedral bathed in green light at In the Hanging Garden. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

The precinct is contained within a 6834sqm block encompassing the Odeon Theatre in Liverpool St and the former Tattersalls Hotel in Murray St, with street frontage also in Watchorn St.

Its iconic feature is an 18m cathedral shade structure that opens up from a Babylonian-style planting grid with real greenery that houses the bar.

Costume performs at the opening of In the Hanging Garden. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Wednesday night’s party grooved on into Altar, the new live music den on the ground floor of the former Tattersalls Hotel until late, where performances will continue throughout the festival.

Kicking the festival officially into gear on Thursday will be the forum discussion of the Dark + Dangerous Thoughts series from 9.30am, and art exhibition ¢ompo$t at the Old Hobart Blood Bank and Merchant Store.

Paul Yore with his kaleidescopic rainbow-coloured sculptural temple constructed of found objects, toys, hand-made tapestry, sequins and more. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

Splashing more colour into the first week of the festival is the opening of Paul Yore’s It’s All Wrong But It’s Alright on Friday at the Black Temple Gallery.

The Australian artist has created a beautiful and chaotic cubbyhouse grotto, as a temple to icons of pop culture including Dolly Parton and Justin Bieber.

A kaleidoscopic rainbow-coloured sculptural temple within a church, the exhibition is constructed of found objects, toys, handmade tapestry, sequins and more.