Reflection on ten years of Mid-Winter Festival

It is the ‘last hurrah’ for the iconic Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival. Look back at over 10 years of fire, cider and feasts at Willie Smiths >>

Willie Smith's marketing manager Adam Bayliss, musician Zac Herderson and Willie Smith's marketing co-ordinator Joseph Howlett at the launch of the Mid- Winter Festival at Grove. Picture: Chris Kidd

• BUMPER GALLERY: Festival flashback

It is a bittersweet time for the Willie Smith’s team as they begin preparations for the final Mid-Winter Festival in July.

The beloved pagan festival has been run by cider makers Willie Smiths for 10 years at its Ranelagh Apple Shed restaurant until organisers announced last year that the festival would no longer be running.

Willie Smiths owner Andrew Smith said the final festival days on July 12 and 13 would still be a bright and bold mix of new and familiar attractions and performers.

Willie Smith's director Andrew Smith at the launch of the Mid- Winter Festival at Grove. Picture: Chris Kidd

Huon Valley Council Mayor Sally Doyle at the launch of the Willie Smith's Mid- Winter Festival at Grove. Picture: Chris Kidd

“The final festival will deliver an unforgettable celebration of winter magic and pagan tradition,” he said

“The core elements of the festival will return including the burning of the effigy Big Willie, Morris Dancers leading the pagan Wassail ritual, the return of fan-favourite folk-punk artists, storytelling, dancing around fires, feasting and of course hot spiced cider.”

The festival will adopt a theme of ‘reflection’ for its celebrations as an ode to the past decade of “memories, experiences, and contributions to the community”.

Bumper gallery: Willie Smith’s Mid-Winter Festival flashback

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Huon Valley mayor Sally Doyle said that while the event was a huge drawcard for tourism in the area, she was not worried about its loss.

“We know that this event has given the Valley and the places around it anywhere from 50 per cent extra income when it’s [festival] on,” she said.

“We know that Transformer has received the last of its approvals it needed so we hope that will come through in 2025.”

Musician Zac Herderson at the launch of the Willie Smith's Mid- Winter Festival at Grove. Picture: Chris Kidd

Ms Doyle said the love for the vibrant event would be celebrated by locals as well as tourists in its “last hurrah”.

“We realise that things come to an end and there are so many great memories that people have from coming here,” she said.

“We don’t know what will happen next year, we could be back to Willie Smiths to launch something else.”

Tickets for the final Mid-Winter Festival are on sale now at www.williesmiths.com.au/mid-winter