Superb owl: Dark Mofo 2022 reaches fiery climax with ‘The Burning’ of Ogoh-Ogoh

Giant Tasmanian masked owl Ogoh-Ogoh was set alight as thousands hit the streets of Hobart to celebrate regeneration and the cleansing of fears. THE FINAL DAYS >>

THE Dark Mofo festival reached its fiery climax on Sunday night as Ogoh-Ogoh was lit up in a stunning pyrotechnic display.

Thousands lined the streets as this year’s Ogoh-Ogoh, a giant Tasmanian masked owl, was marched along the Hobart waterfront and up to the Regatta Grounds for “The Burning”.

A marching band played and an owl danced wildly on stilts as the procession crept along, occasionally coming to a halt so Ogoh-Ogoh could wow onlookers with a full 360-degree turn.

The crowd makes its way up to the Regatta Grounds in The Procession. Picture: Linda Higginson

Owls on poles and marchers dressed in either owl or owl-adjacent costumes brought up the rear as the Ogoh-Ogoh, named Olivia, reached her pyre and went up in flames.

Visitors had earlier this week been encouraged to put their fears on paper to be added to the fire, with the community to be “symbolically cleansed of fear”.

The Ogoh-Ogoh, Olivia the Tasmanian masked owl, is set alight. Picture: Linda Higginson

The Burning came after thousands packed into Winter Feast for the last night of the huge market attraction on Princes Wharf, gates opening at 4pm with free entry for all.

Jenna Carmichael and Isabelle Sharman, who was visiting from the state’s north, said the atmosphere had been terrific.

“To see so many people outside queuing in the cold, you can tell how excited people are and it’s such a great vibe,” Ms Carmichael said.

The Night Mass at In The Hanging Garden had been the festival highlight for the pair, they said.

Gold Coast visitor Chris Sammim said the food and drink at Winter Feast had been faultless.

“I came to Dark Mofo before Covid but haven’t been here since 2019,” Ms Sammim said.

“My children are DJs and they always keep up with all the trendy stuff going on down here.

“I loved the atmosphere, everyone wearing nice clothes, and the whole town lighting up with all the crosses.

Susan Gannon, Sharyn Midgley and Chris Samim enjoying a fireside wine at Winter Feast. Picture: Linda Higginson

“The fires, the smell, the food and the wine … it’s all been sensational.”

Charcoal Roasted Chestnuts stallholder David Schnitzer said he had been “very pleased with the results” from his first foray into Dark Mofo.

“It’s always a great thing to have a festival in winter,” he said.

”There are a lot of cultures around the world that love chestnuts in winter, because they only have a very short season.

“I’ve had people come up today from Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia who have loved it.”

Mr Schnitzer said his delicacies were an acquired taste but were adored by many different groups of travellers.

David Schnitzer roasting chestnuts at his popular stall. Picture: Linda Higginson

“Chestnuts are something that local people don’t recognise, but a lot of overseas travellers and mainlanders remember them,” he said.

Across the walkway, Sardinian celebrity chef Giovanni Pilu was doing a roaring trade selling honey roasted suckling pig buns.

Visiting from Sydney as a guest of the festival, Mr Pilu said the work had been “long hours, but great hours”.

“We were so glad to be invited, we’re absolutely stoked and we’re loving this visit,” he said.

“They told us really good things about it but this has exceeded expectations, it’s been amazing.

Sydney-based Pilu at Freshwater chef Giovanni Pilu was thrilled with his first Winter Feast. Picture: Linda Higginson

“The energy, the atmosphere, the people – when you come and you are a guest, you don’t know what to expect and you’ve got to just start from scratch, it was very busy but everyone helped and we’re loving it.”

Mr Pilu said his staff were going to crack 4000 buns sold for the festival, in an astonishing feat of market catering.

Visiting from Forth in the North West, Caleb Robertson and Rosie Marshall immediately had the same answer when asked what they had enjoyed most at Dark Mofo.

“The food has been amazing … the clear highlight!” Mr Robertson said.

Full list of Dark Mofo events for Monday June 20

• Nils Frahm: Music for Hobart, MAC2, 5pm-8pm
• Chelsea Wolfe and Emma Ruth Rundle, Odeon Theatre, 7pm-10pm
• BioGym: Mary Maggic and Grace Game, CAT Courtyard 12pm-5pm
• Futures (Group Show), Good Grief 3pm-10pm
• Mermaids in the Basement, Railway Roundabout, 3pm-10pm
• Five Angels for the Millennium and Inverted Birth: Bill Viola, 2-6 Collins St, 3pm-10.30pm
• Rainbow Dream: Moon Rainbow (Hiromi Tango), Melville St Carpark, 3pm-10.30pm
• New Era: Doug Aitken, Sea Roads Shed 16 Evans St, 3pm-10.30pm
• Celestial Bed, Detached: Argyle St, 3pm-10.30pm
• Cryptic Female Choice: Loren Kronemyer, Detached: Macquarie St, 3pm-10.30pm
• For the Term of his Natural Life: Sidney Nolan, Detached: Macquarie St, 3pm-10.30pm
• The Angels of Testimony: Meiro Koizumi, Black Temple Gallery, 3pm-10.30pm
• Blood in my Milk: Marianna Simnett, 130 Murray St, 3pm-10.30pm
• Anthropoid: Joel Crosswell, 31-33 Bathurst St, 3pm-10.30pm
• Glossolalia (Group Show), Plimsoll Gallery, 3pm-9pm
• Swell: Hannah Bronte, 79 Melville St, 5pm-10.30pm
• Turandot 2070: AES+F, Harrington Lane, 5pm-10.30pm