Dark Mofo 2021: Your guide to Hobart’s biggest winter festival
Dark Mofo’s flagship Winter Feast may be extended past Sunday to allow stranded Victorians the chance to take part in Tasmania’s biggest winter festival. LATEST >>
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DARK MOFO’s flagship Winter Feast may be extended to allow stranded Victorians the chance to take part in Tasmania’s biggest winter festival.
After two years out in the cold, Dark Mofo returns today along with a stacked program of free and ticketed events.
One of the most popular drawcards of the event is the return of the Winter Feast, which in its eighth year is hoping to light up Hobart’s waterfront yet again.
It is understood organiser DarkLab is weighing up options on extending the five-day feast event beyond Sunday night to allow Victorians the chance to attend.
The Winter Feast transforms Princes Wharf No. 1 into the hedonistic hub of the festival, where thousands are expected to gather.
Continuing the event’s long running “cooking with fire” theme, the 2021 Winter Feast will host more than 80 stalls offering a diverse range of food to go along with a large range of exciting new release spirits, craft beers, wine and ciders.
One of the 30 new stallholders at this year’s event is the recently opened Vietnamese eatery Banh Mi n’ Grill, and co-owner Linh Nguyen said she was excited to be part of the beloved event.
“We’ve been a huge fan of Dark Mofo and so we wanted to challenge ourselves and be a part of the event this year,” Ms Nguyen said.
“It’s a really good opportunity for small businesses like us to be a part of a big event and put our name out there and let everyone know what we are doing and help present more of our Vietnamese food to the community,” she said.
The Winter Feast’s project manager Katharine Dean said the current climate had presented some challenges for the returning event but was excited about the new stallholders and watching the event come together.
“Organising the event has been a challenge but it’s all doable and we just had to be creative and think outside the box and it’s all coming together and we think it’ll all work,” Ms Dean said.
While the capacity for the popular banquet event is down on previous years due to Covid-19 restrictions, Ms Dean said there was still a huge demand from locals and interstate visitors for Dark Mofo and the Winter Feast.
“The capacity for the Winter Feast is 5000 people at a time and we are hoping to have 8000 to 12,000 people per night,” she said.
The event will run from 4pm – 11pm Wednesday to Sunday and tickets can be bought at the door until 9pm.
Entry is free after 9pm from Thursday to Saturday and all day Sunday.
Meanwhile the famous red crosses went up across the city – this year on their side.
DarkLab said the public can make up their own mind about what the crosses on their side mean.
Businesses getting into the Dark Mofo spirit:
Bar Wa Izakaya
Bar Wa Izakaya are getting into the Dark Mofo spirit again in 2021 with their ‘Midnight Ramen’ special being held this Thursday through until Saturday night.
The popular Japanese eatery will be serving different varieties of its ‘Paint the Town Red Ramen’ daily from 12 noon with their special ‘Midnight Ramen’ being served between 11pm-1am and the bar staying open til 2am.
Bar Wa Iazakaya will also be offering a number of drink specials each night and have transformed into a vibrant red space that along with upbeat music will be sure to get patrons into the Dark Mofo spirit.
A new offering for the eatery this year’s Dark Mofo theme is Gyoza Roulette- where groups of friends can order a bunch of Gyoza and one of them will have a surprise of super-hot chilli.
Dāna Eating House’s Dāna after Dark
Dāna Eating House were desperate to participate in last year’s Dark Mofo but with the cancellation of the event they’ve had to wait 12 months to transform into ‘Dāna After Dark.’
The popular South-East Asian restaurant and cocktail bar will continue their lunch (12-3pm) and dinner (5-11pm) services as usual but from 11pm they’ll be turning the lights down low and the music up to transform into Dāna after Dark.
The festivities will include their usual lunch (12-3pm) and dinner (5-11pm) offerings but will add their late night eats and late night sips options where between 11pm-2am diners can enjoy a bite to eat or a range of tasty drinks.
On Thursday and Friday night they’ll be running a small bites menu for those looking for a late-night feed and on Saturday night they’ll have late night sips alongside a DJ set (DJ Ben Hay & DJ Pressed).
On Sunday their regular lunch menu is out for one day only while they bring in ‘Banh Mi Sunday’ – a very small and casual Banh Mi menu and special drinks menu (Bloody Marys, Charcoal Cherry Bellinis, Mimosas, Vietspresso Martinis).
Winter warmer drinks and cocktail specials will be available throughout until late (2am).
Dāna After Dark will run from Thursday June 17 til Tuesday June 22 (Closed on Monday June 21.)
La Sardina Loca’s Late Night Lasagna
To feed the appetites of those out and about enjoying the Dark Mofo festivities, La Sardina Loca will be serving up ‘gooey infernos of lasagne’ over the weekend.
Between 10pm-2am on Friday and Saturday night pop into the Spanish inspired outdoor courtyard just off Elizabeth St and feed your lasagne desires.
Hobart Brewing Co‘s Escape the Dark
From 4pm Thursday til Sunday night HBC’s “Red Square” will have live music and limited release beers on tap. The beloved brewery will be showcasing a line-up of independent talent and DJs including Sexy Lucy DJ, John E, Tai Harlii, Lazer Baby, Rowdy Boy DJ and more. In between hitting the dancefloor, punters can quench their thirst on limited edition pints including HBC X Cascade Brewery’s ‘Jam on Toast’ Dark Raspberry Lager and Cate is Greater’s Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout. See here for the full line-up.
Whats On – Dark Mofo
When tickets for Dark Mofo went on sale last week, patrons pounced.
Most were snapped up within an hour and with few tickets dwindling, organisers announced two more shows.
For those of us who missed out or those who simply aren’t that organised, there are still plenty of options to get in on the action over the seven day event.
From day one of the winter festival there’s a lot to choose from and many of the shows and installations are free to attend.
Paradise Lost
Where: Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
When: 16-22 June – starts at 10am each day (FREE)
The first free event to open will be Paradise Lost at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, the exhibition of convict artist and suspect serial poisoner, Thomas Wainewright.
The exhibition opens at 10 and runs until October 3.
X Cathedra
Where: The Hanging Garden
When: 16-20 June – 11AMuntil late (FREE)
Next, you can head over to The Hanging Garden for X Cathedra, where several DJs play from midday til late. X Cathedra runs from June 16 til the 20th.
Spectra
Where: Mona
When: 16-22 June – sunset to sunrise (FREE)
When the sun sets, an old favourite will beam into the sky, and spectators can head to MONA to get a closer look.
Spectra can be seen from across Hobart and surrounding suburbs.
It will run every night of the festival.
Dark Downtown
Where: Liverpool, Bathurst and Melville Steet, between Murrary and Harrington Street
When: 16-20 June (FREE)
This year’s answer to Dark Park is called Dark Downtown, and organisers have promised there’ll be plenty of installations on display.
It’s free to enter and will be located on Liverpool, Bathurst and Melville Street, between Murray and Harrington Street.
It’s at Dark Downtown where a Dark Mofo staple will be found, the Ogah Ogah.
Those taking part in The Purging can write their fears on a piece of paper, where it will be added to a stag beetle sculpture, which will go up in flames at The Burning.
There’s one installation you might be able to catch from the comfort of your home if you have a view in the direction of the Hobart Waterfront.
Memorial
Where: Hobart waterfront
When: 16-20 June (FREE)
Alex Podgers Memorial is not an ordinary fireworks display.
A handful of people have been selected to place the ashes of their loved ones inside Mr Podger’s fireworks, which will explode into the night sky Wednesday through to Sunday.
The full list of free events including details of Dark Downtown can be found on the Dark Mofo website.
Winter Feast
Where: Princes Wharf 1, Castray Esplanade
When: 16-20 June – times vary (TICKETS ON DOOR)
From 4pm on June 16, the table will be set and Winter Feast will be back on the menu.
Tickets will need to be purchased at the door for all nights except Sunday June 20 and the website warns there may be a queue.
“We are excited to bring the Winter Feast back for 2021, after the disappointment of having to cancel Dark Mofo last year because of COVID-19,” Winter Feast Project Manager Katharine Dean said.
“With nearly 80 stalls, including 30 new, first-time stallholders, offering a range of quality, ethically-sourced Tasmanian food and drinks, we’re sure that there’ll be something to suit all tastes.”
Due to Covid restrictions, most patrons will need to be seated when they are not browsing stalls, but there is limited vertical drinking and dancing space available.
Night Shift (18+)
Where: 112 Murray Street
When: 17-20 June – 10pm until late (TICKETS ON DOOR $20)
Another festivity you won’t have book is Night Shift, but the website warns it could be another one with a long wait to get in, with tickets sold at the door.
The event promises a dance party late into the night featuring plenty of DJs.
The 18+ event kicks off on the 17th from 10pm at Altar on Murray St.
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