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Dark Mofo’s Dionysian solstice banquet is back, bringing crackling fires, live music, warming comfort food and delectable drinks to the Salamanca waterfront for five nights (Wednesday 16–Sunday 20 June) this month.

Returning for its eighth year, the Winter Feast is a contemporary take on pagan solstice celebrations and is the hedonistic hub of the Dark Mofo festival, where the community gathers to indulge together as the longest night of the year approaches in Australia’s southernmost city.

Continuing the event’s long-running ‘cooking with fire’ theme, the 2021 Winter Feast will host more than 80 stalls offering a diverse array of top quality, ethically-sourced Tasmanian produce.

Winter Feast food curator Jo Cook said this year’s event would feature a range of returning favourites alongside 30 first-time stallholders – including several exciting new collaborations which emerged during the pandemic.

“We have many stallholders who are thrilled to return with new and delicious menus, and a whole lot of stallholders who will be showcasing their products for the first time,” she said.

“There’s rare-breed beef from regenerative farms, free range pork from small producers, filter-feeding bi-valves such as fresh oysters and mussels, bycatch gloomy octopus from the crayfishing industry, fast-growing pallidus octopus from Bass Strait, some Maria Island arrow squid, scallops from the east coast, and a variety of Tasmanian-grown mushrooms and other delicious vegetables.

“Mona’s Heavy Metal Kitchen has gone vegetarian, and teamed up with other local businesses Annapurna, Urban Bounty and Tunnel Hill Mushrooms. There’s also plenty of plant-based foods including desserts like ice creams, apple pies and marshmallows; and a massive range of exciting new release spirits, craft beers, wines, ciders and low-sugar soft drinks.”

All Winter Feast stallholders are going completely cashless this year, meaning all transactions will be digital for the first time. New measures have also been introduced to ensure the event complies with Covid protocols, including capacity restrictions. Patrons are advised to arrive early, and allow extra time to buy tickets and enter the site – there may be a queue. Patrons will also need to check in with the Tasmanian Government’s ‘Check in TAS’ app, individually or as a group. Pass outs are unavailable at this year’s Winter Feast.

Visitors will need to be seated while at the venue, except when browsing stalls and buying food and drink. Additional seating will be available both indoors and outdoors. Limited standing drinking and dancing will be permitted, but patrons may be asked to take a seat if things get too crowded. A number of stages across the Winter Feast precinct will host tasty live musical performances, with the program to feature King Stingray, Boil Up, Baba Bruja, Claire Anne Taylor, Son Del Sur, Arauco Libre and many more.

See below for a full list of stallholders and live performers.

+ Dark Mofo Winter Feast

Princes Wharf No.1, Castray Esplanade, Hobart waterfront

+ 4–10pm, Wednesday 16 June, $10

+ 4–11pm, Thursday 17 June, $20

+ 4pm–12am, Friday 18 June, $20

+  4pm–12am, Saturday 19 June, $20

+ 4–11pm, Sunday 20 June, free

Entry is free after 9pm nightly, and for under 16s accompanied by a parent or guardian. Tickets available at the door only.

Venue accessibility:

All areas of this venue are accessible, with the exception of a small section of the Salamanca Lawns. Supervised accessible parking is available nearby in the Abel Tasman Car Park off Salamanca Place during event hours.

www.darkmofo.net.au