Full calendar of events has city to embrace a red hot weekend

Whether you’re a music lover, sports nut or massive foodie, there will be something for just about everyone in Tasmania this weekend.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers will be rocking the DEC on Sunday. Picture: Kevin Winter/Getty

WHETHER you’re a music lover, sports nut or massive foodie, there will be something for just about everyone in Tasmania this weekend.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are coming to town, Run The Bridge is on, and there’s Symphony Under The Stars, the Clarence Jazz Festival, the Bushy Park Show, and Le Weekend at Cygnet, just to name a few.

Lola Gillard, 10, will run the 5km section of the Run the Bridge event with mum Jenny Gillard. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

Run The Bridge race director Richard Welsh said Sunday could potentially be the “biggest day that Hobart’s had in recent living memory”.

“There’s so many major events on — the state’s biggest fun run, potentially a Big Bash final, the Red Hot Chili Peppers will be the biggest band that’s played here in a long time, and a few other things as well,” Mr Welsh said.

“It’s a massive day for Hobart, it’s exciting, it’s a beautiful time of the year — and I just hope people get out and embrace it and attend one or more of the events on offer, because a lot of effort goes into organising them all by everybody.”

Suzi Quatro is in town for the Red Hot Summer Tour. Picture: BOB BARKER

Mr Welsh said 3500 people were entered in Run The Bridge, and it was shaping up to be the biggest year yet.

The Tasman Bridge will be closed from 7-9am for the event.

Jenny Gillard will be taking part in the 5km Run The Bridge with daughter Lola, 10.

“I love starting on the bridge,” Ms Gillard said.

“It’s all downhill so it’s quite a good run, there’s only one tiny little hill in it.”

“I enjoy coming around and finishing in Salamanca, it’s a great little run.”

Chill out at the Symphony Under The Stars on Saturday night. Picture: MATT THOMPSON.

Iconic US rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers will play at the Derwent Entertainment Centre on Sunday to kick off their first Australian tour in 12 years.

The band have sold more than 60 million albums and won six Grammy Awards.

Adam Vasos and Karly Braunholz from Ragazzi are looking forward to Festa Italia in North Hobart this weekend. Picture: MATTHEW THOMPSON

There will be more rocking at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Garden on Sunday, with the likes of Suzi Quatro, The Angels, Baby Animals and The Screaming Jets to perform on the Red Hot Summer Tour.

If rock music isn’t for you, the ever-popular Festa Italia, featuring pizza, pasta, Italian flag throwing and more will be held at Federal St, North Hobart on Sunday.

Other Sunday highlights include the Richmond Highland Gathering, which will celebrate everything Scottish on the Richmond Village Green on Sunday, and the start of the eight-day Clarence Jazz Festival.

Recipients of the Clarence Jazz Festival scholarship program, from left, Tristan Meffre, Jamie Willson and Annwen Roberts. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

Sunday will be a huge day around Hobart, but there is plenty happening on Saturday as well.

The booked-out Symphony Under the Stars will be held at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, more than 1000 people are expected to fill Red Square at the Hobart Brewing Co for Tasmania’s first Nepalese festival, and the 145th Bushy Park Show is sure to attract a crowd.

The Tasmania Chinese Lantern Festival will be held at the Tasman Room at Wrest Point from 2pm on Saturday, and Cygnets’s biannual Le Weekend festival, celebrating French history, culture, and romance, will be staged on Saturday and Sunday.