It’s just one of the many summer delights in store for Tasmanians between now and the end of February – so make sure you get out and enjoy the long days, the warmer weather and the many activities and events on offer.

Whether you like to laze at the beach, get sweaty on a mountain bike, cool off with refreshing summer beers and cocktails, hang out in the moshpit at a music festival, get close to the action at major sporting events, eat and drink your way around summer food festivals or try your hand at something you’ve never done before, we have your entertainment needs covered, with a mega list of events and activities guaranteed to enliven your Tassie summer.

TASTE OF SUMMER

Tasmania’s Taste of Summer returns to Princes Wharf 1 – presenting more than 80 food and drink stalls and live performances from more than 40 Tasmanian artists – in what is being hailed as “the biggest and best Taste yet”. Opening days have been extended – the event will run from December 27 to January 1 and from January 4 to 6. Single-day tickets (including online booking fees) are $14.05 for adults (children under 16 are free) or $24.25 for a family (two adults and up to three children).

A Taste pass covering the full nine days (except the New Year’s Eve evening session) is $37 per adult. Open daily from noon (except December 27, when festivities kick off at 4pm). Jon Stevens will perform at the New Year’s Eve event from 6pm-1.30am, tickets are $88 adults, $30.85 children (age six and under are free). tasteofsummer.com.au

NEW YEAR’S EVE

Fireworks displays are at 9.30pm and midnight. Watch from afar (Mt Nelson Lookout, Rosny Hill Lookout, Hobart Regatta Grounds or Princes Park are good vantage points) or get to the heart of the action with dinner/drinks on Hobart’s Waterfront.

Book a table at pubs and restaurants like Post St Social, T42 or Billy’s Burgers or splash out on an all-inclusive event. Hobart Function and Conference Centre will host a seven-course degustation dinner with drinks, plus live music and fireworks views for $195. At AURA Lounge Bar, on the rooftop of Hobart’s Crowne Plaza Hotel, diners can toast the new year with a seven-course degustation menu paired with Tassie wines, from $225. You could welcome 2024 at Franklin Wharf Function Centre at a cocktail event from 8pm, which includes drinks, canapes, grazing stations and live entertainment for $210.

There’s a similar all-inclusive event atThe Lounge by Frogmore Creek from $225. Or consider a New Year’s Eve cruise with Peppermint Bay Cruises from Brooke St Pier, to Peppermint Bay for dinner and dancing, then back to Hobart in time for fireworks. $350 per person. For something less formal, enjoy dinner and music at the Telegraph Hotel. Have a cocktail at the rooftop bar or dine from the a la carte menu, available on all floors. There’s a New Year’s Eve special – a bottle of Arras sparkling wine and a dozen Tassie oysters for $120. Live music from 5pm – 8pm and a DJ from 8pm until late.

At Mures Upper Deck dine on a specially-curated New Year’s Eve five-course degustation menu and beverage package for $260 per head, while Mures Lower Deck trading hours are being extended until midnight, serving meals and ice cream.

EVE – A New Year’s Romp encourages In The Hanging Gardenpatrons to “don your dreamiest garments, and assemble beneath our open Cathedral as we beckon 2024 under the stars”.

All while channelling the whimsy of a “Shakespearean soiree” with mythical creatures, performance artists, midnight pyro, food and drink specials, lots of dancing and “an essence of magic in the air”. Pre-sale tickets are $45. Entry from 8pm. inthehanginggarden.com.au

ON TAP

In the state’s north, beer lovers can welcome 2024 at Launceston BeerFest at Royal Park. Gates open from 4pm, with beer, cider, cocktails, wine and food on offer, along with live music (The Bad Dad Orchestra and Midnight Juggernauts), comedy (headlined by Bob Franklin), masterclasses, and fireworks shows at 9.30pm and midnight. beerfestivals.com.au

In addition to BeerFest, beer lovers might like to check out Moo Brew’s bar and taphouse – Manky Sally’s – one of the newest offerings in Salamanca Place. Beers from Moo Brew’s core and seasonal ranges are served here but there are also five tanks in constant rotation, of beers brewed – and served – only at the bar. Staff promise that patrons will see plenty of unique summer offerings.

SUMMER SPIRITS

An ice cold gin and tonic is the perfect tipple on a hot summer’s day. Try a summer gin from Tassie producers Hellfire Bluff Distillery, Darby-Norris, Impression Bay Distillery or Brocken Spectre, while 7K Distillery’s Raspberry Gin is also a festive favourite.

Or, create your own summer gin, at a Forty Spotted Gin Bar gin blending experience. Every Saturday at 2pm. $99 per person.

More than 100 Tasmanian gins will be showcased at Ginuary at Princes Wharf 1 with three sessions across January 27 and 28. Tickets from $65 (ginuaryhobart.com.au). If you can’t wait until January for your cocktail fix visit Society Salamanca this month where an imaginative assortment of Christmas cocktails are being served. societysalamanca.com

McHenry Distillery at Port Arthur will run Sunday Sessions from 11am-5pm during summer with live music, food trucks, cocktail jugs, beer on tap and discounts for locals. Dogs on a lead are welcome. facebook.com/mchenrydistillery

ON STAGE

Mona Foma, Mona’s summer festival of “art, music and other stuff” comes to Hobart (February 15-25) and Launceston (February 29-March 3), and artistic director Brian Ritchie reckons if you can’t find something interesting in this summer’s jam-packed line-up, you might actually be dead. More than 500 artists will perform including American rockers Queens of the Stone Age, Aussie music legend Paul Kelly, internationally-acclaimed Tasmanian singer/songwriter Courtney Barnett, alternative rockers TISM and Japanese three-piece Shonen Knife.Free and ticketed events. mofo.net.au

A school holiday trip to the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens is fun and summer brings the added option of alfresco theatre with Big Monkey’s new show, Pinocchio, from January 2-21 (no performances on Mondays). $30 adults, $22 concession, $15 children. bigmonkey.com.au

Shakespeare’s As You Like It will be performed in the gardens in the evenings (Wed-Sat) from January 5-27, at 7.30pm. $50 adults, $40 child/concession. theatreroyal.com.au

You can also enjoy wine from more than 25 Tasmanian vinyards, plus plenty of food and live music, in the leafy surrounds of the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens as part of Tas Wine Fest on February 10 and 11. Earlybird tickets from $19. taswinefest.com.au

The Clarence Jazz Festival is a celebration of live music at waterfront locations from February 28 – March 3. Full program to be announced soon at clarenceartsandevents.net

Cygnet Folk Festival returns to the Huon Valley from January 12-14 with a huge line-up of international, interstate and local acts – headliners include Riley Lee (Australia), Northern Resonance (Sweden) and Clare Sands (Ireland). Day and weekend tickets available from cygnetfolkfestival.org

Kate Miller-Heidke will perform at Hobart’s Odeon Theatre on Saturday January 27 (tickets $79.90) and Launceston’s Civic Square on Sunday January 28 (tickets $69) as part of her Catching Diamonds national tour. katemillerheidke.com/shows

Tasmanian Play School presenter Zindzi Okenyo brings her show Zindzi & the Zillionaires to Hobart’s Odeon Theatre for two performances on Friday January 12. Tickets are $25. odeonhob.art

The Great Moscow Circus will call Hobart’s Regatta Ground home from January 5-28, presenting the all-new international show Extreme. Tickets from $35 adults, $25 children. thegreatmoscowcircus.com.au

MORE FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Festivale is a three-day alfresco celebration showcasing Tasmanian food, beverages and entertainment in Launceston’s City Park. Friday February 2 to Sunday February 4. The program includes masterclasses (guest chef is Matt Moran) and headline performances by Bachelor Girl, Icehouse, Rogue Traders, Vanessa Amorosi, The Beautiful Girls and Diesel, plus comedians Joel Creasey, Anthony “Lehmo” Lehmann and Christian Hull. Tickets from $23. festivale.com.au

Celebrate Tasmania’s garlic harvest at Koonya Garlic Festival on the Tasman Peninsula on Saturday February 24 – there will be food and beverage stalls, garlic bulb competitions and talks by chefs and gardening gurus. koonyagarlicfestival.org

Take a step back in time and visit the historic village of Evandale for The Evandale Village Fair & National Penny Farthing Championships on Saturday February 17, 10am-4pm. evandalevillagefair.com

King Island’s great cheese, beef, seafood, scenery and live music will be the focus of the Festival of King Island (foki.com.au) from February 2-3. Highlights include a raft race full of unseaworthy vessels and a pie-eating competition that is not for the faint-hearted.

Kickstart summer with a taste of winter at a free family fun day to celebrate the Mawson’s Huts Replica Museum 10th anniversary on Hobart’s Waterfront on Sunday December 3. There will be face painting, real huskies to meet, art activities, science demonstrations, a snow tent and free museum entry from 10am-3pm.

MARKETS

Tassie may be famous for Saturday’s Salamanca Market (salamancamarket.com.au – 8.30am-3pm), but don’t forget Hobart Twilight Market at Sandy Bay’s Long Beach on December 8 and 15, January 5 and 12 and February 2 and 9 from 4.30pm-9pm (hobarttwilightmarket.com.au).

The market is at Brooke St Pier on December 22 and 29, January 19 and 26 and February 23. Regular markets are held in Tassie towns like Richmond, Judbury, Collinsvale, New Norfolk, South Arm, Cygnet and Sorell. Visit Markets Tasmania on Facebook for details.

For seasonal produce check out Hobart’s Farm Gate Market (Sunday 8.30am-1pm, farmgatemarket.com.au), Launceston’s Harvest Market (Saturday 8.30am-12.30pm, harvestmarket.org.au) or The Tasmanian Produce Market at Kangaroo Bay (Saturdays, 9am-1pm, tasmanianproducemarket.com.au).

Street Eats @ Franko night market returns this summer, with food, music and fun at Franklin Square every Friday night until the end of April, 4.30pm-9pm. Entry is free.

SPORTING ACTION

The Hobart International brings world class tennis action to Tasmania from January 6-13, kicking off with a family fun weekend featuring 18 free matches and plenty of activities for kids. Ticketed matches start on January 8, with tickets from $25 for adults (children are free). hobartinternational.com.au

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is one of the world’s toughest ocean races and 113 boats will tackle the 628 nautical mile course this year. The race begins at 1pm on Boxing Day and Constitution Dock is a popular spot to watch boats cross the finish line a couple of days later.

For a less-crowded vantage point consider watching the flotilla from Blinking BillyPoint at Sandy Bay, Rosny Hill Lookout or Kangaroo Bluff. rolexsydneyhobart.com

Some of the world’s best endurance athletes will converge on Hobart on February 4 as the Ironman 70.3 Oceania Series returns to Tasmania. The 70.3, which stands for miles covered by competitors and converts to a 1.9km swim, 90km ride and 21km run, attracted 1100 competitors last year, on a course that incorporates a swim in the River Derwent and run and ride stages across Hobart.

The 186th Royal Hobart Regatta (February 10-12) will provide three days of activity on the River Derwent, Queens Domain and the skies above (royalhobartregatta.com).

There will be more action on the water at the Sandy Bay Regatta on Australia Day (January 26) at Long Beach. sandybayregatta.com.au

Cricket fans can enjoy plenty of Big Bash matches – the Hobart Hurricanes play one game at Launceston’s UTAS Stadium (against Sydney Sixers on December 11) and four games at Blundstone Arena.

The Hurricans take on Melbourne Renegades on December 23, Melbourne Stars on December 28, Sydney Thunder on January 1 and Adelaide Strikers on January 11. Tickets from $23 adults, $8 juniors, $50 per family. hobarthurricanes.com.au

They’re the hottest tickets in town, and most games are sold out, but it is possible to score tickets to see the Tasmania JackJumpersplay at MyState Bank Arenaif you know where to look.

Every NBL club is required to withhold a small percentage of tickets for the away team (players, staff and supporters), as well as for the NBL itself. Any tickets from this pool that go unused are released to Ticketek, about 72 hours before tip-off. The next home games are Saturday December 2 (Adelaide 36ers), Sunday December 17 (Sydney Kings), a Christmas Day clash against South East Melbourne Phoenix and a New Year’s Day match against New Zealand Breakers. tasmaniajackjumpers.com.au

Horseracing enthusiasts can enjoy a packed summer carnival featuring the Devonport Cup (January 10), Hobart Cup (February 11) and Launceston Cup (February 28). goracingtasmania.com.au

ON SCREEN

A wealth of blockbusters will hit cinemas over summer. Superhero fans should see Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and Madame Web, while Roald Dahl fans are impatiently waiting for the release of the newest Wonka instalment.

Other releases include The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Mean Girls: The Musical, Two Tickets to Greece, Ryan Gosling action thriller The Fall Guy and a musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s famous novel The Color Purple. Motorsport fans can watch a film about Ferrari founder Enzo Ferrari – while music lovers might enjoy Bob Marley: One Love, a tale of how the Jamaican singer/songwriter overcame adversity to become the most famous reggae musician in the world. Options for kids include Trolls Band Together, Wish, Kung Fu Panda 4, The Jungle Bunch World Tour and Migration.

ICE CREAM

Nothing says summer (or holidays) like ice cream. Check out Berties, a new ice creamery serving Valhalla scoops and take-home tubs from a shopfront next to the Valhalla factory in Moonah – it’s the perfect stopover if you’re riding along the Intercity Cycleway with kids.

Visit the Van Diemens Land Creamery punt at Constitution Dock (they also have a shop at Elizabeth Town in the North West) for fruity flavours – there’s a two-scoops-for-the-price-of-one Happy Hour special on Tuesdays and Fridays, 4pm-6pm. And keep an eye out for the new Ice Cream Planet van, which may be coming to a park or suburb near you.

Owners Lissy and Dylan Brown, a Glebe Hill couple in their late 20s who have two young children, purchased the van from interstate and gave it a major makeover, and they say it’s not just for children to enjoy. “Honestly, we have adults chasing us, they are more excited than the kids,’’ Lissy says. “We love it, we absolutely love it.’’

FISH AND CHIPS

Celebrate summer with fish and chips. Enjoy crispy fillets of battered flathead, flake or blue-eye served in cardboard cones with perfectly cooked chips at Fish Frenzy on Hobart’s Waterfront. The nearby fish punts and Mures are popular, as is Krakenin North Hobart.

If you’re planning a day trip consider Doo-lishus, at Eaglehawk Neck Blowhole, Triabunna’s The Fish Van, and Bicheno’s Lobster Shack.

PICK BERRIES

One of the best things about summer in Tasmania is the wealth of juicy berries ripe for picking. Visit Littlewood Berry Farm at Richmond to pick strawberries, meet resident sheep, relax on the grass with a picnic and indulge in fruity ice cream (opening hours are subject to change, check Facebook before visiting. The Littlewood sunflower field is worth visiting and usually opens in February). The Westerway Raspberry Farm shop is open seven days a week, 9am-5pm until at least the end of January. Check Facebook for picking updates.

Old Beach Berries offers pick-your-own blueberries from January to March while Iron Creek Bay (just past Sorell) will have cherries mid-December to mid-January. Statewide options include Hillwood Berry Farm, The Berry Patch at Turners Beach and Crestview Blueberries at Lilydale.

MAKE SOME FURRY FRIENDS

Summer is the perfect time to take a day – or night – tour ofBonorong Wildlife Sanctuary.

Or book a small-group animal encounter to get up close to a tawny frogmouth, wombat, ringtail possum or echidna. bonorong.com.au

GO GLAMPING

Summer is a great time for camping in Tasmania, but if you like luxury, consider the many glamping options around the state.

Like Aquila Glampingat Richmond, where you can enjoy a luxury, off-grid adults-only stay in a glamping tent or eco pod, complete with an Instagrammable outdoor bath.

SEE TASSIE FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE

ON A BIKE

AtJosef Chromy Wines, near Launceston, take a Ride the Vines tour. The unique two-hour experience takes you beyond the cellar door and through the scenic vineyard that produces award-winning wine, and you finish with a memorable wine tasting.

Saturday and Sunday, 1pm-3pm, $60 per person. For something more fast-paced, check out St Helens Mountain Bike Trails – you will find a series of stacked loops just south of the St Helens township and an epic 42km wilderness trail that starts at the top of Blue Tier and winds down to Swimcart Beach. Or George Town Mountain Bike Trails, with 80km of trails over two networks.

ON HORSEBACK

Cradle Country Adventures offer a three-hour horseriding experience on Bakers Beach, in Narawntapu National Park for $349 per person. cradleadventures.com.au

ON THE WATER

Heritage Sailing Tasmania offers regular sailings on Rhona H, a traditional tall ship (rhonah.com.au), tickets for a two-hour sail are $60 adults, $25 kids (aged 5-16), $5 for kids aged four and under. Meanwhile Roaring 40s Kayaking runs a 2.5 hour Hobart City Tour over summer, which departs from Sandy Bay’s Marieville Esplanade daily at 10am (and also at 4pm daily in December and January).

$120 adults, $70 children (ages 7-16) which includes gear, a guided tour and fish and chips. roaring40skayaking.com.au For the more adventurous, Southern Sea Ventures specialise in guided multi-day sea kayaking tours – there’s a Three Capes Paddle, a Freycinet Peninsula Paddle, and a Bruny Island Paddle, among other offerings. southernseaventures.com

ON FOOT

Summer is a great time to get out and enjoy the trails around Hobart – visit a cascading waterfall likeSilver Falls at Fern Tree, stroll along a pristine section of white sandy beach on Tasmania’s East Coast.

Tackle scenic walks like Cape Hauy (in Tasman National Park) or Hartz Peak (in the Huon Valley) or walk on kunanyi/Mt Wellington and get an up-close look at the famous Organ Pipes. Find inspiration at parks.tas.gov.au/things-to-do/60-great-short-walks, greaterhobarttrails.com.au, tastrails.com or Waterfalls Tasmania on Facebook. •

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