Dark Mofo has thrown open its doors today, with more than 100,000 people expected to descend on Tasmania for a fortnight of art, music, fire and feasting.
The Hobart mid-winter festival runs until June 22, closing with the annual Nude Solstice Swim at Long Beach.
More than 55,000 tickets have already been sold, with some still available.
The festival kicks off tonight with The Gathering, a First Nations-led night of music and storytelling at the Winter Feast, alongside the opening of Dark Park on the freight decks of the new Spirit of Tasmania V.
Artistic director Chris Twite said the launch marked the moment the festival came alive.
“Over the next two weeks we’ll see artworks spreading across land and sea, live music ringing out in Hobart and Launceston, late night revelry and feasting by firelight,” Twite said.
“I can’t wait to get into it.”
Twite said the festival cost far more to stage than it earned at the box office.
“Everything we do is a gift to the state and to the people of Tasmania,” he said.
A centrepiece of Dark Park is Soundspace, a new commission by Dutch artist Boris Acket, built from 135 light and speaker winches that form a shifting cloud of sound and light.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff put the festival’s economic value at about $67 million, with around 120,000 unique visitors expected.
The event is backed by a $21 million state commitment over three years.
The Winter Feast remains a major drawcard, running for eight days on the Hobart waterfront with 75 stalls and 40% of stallholders new this year.
Curator Amanda Vallis said vendors had come from across the state, from the north-west to Bruny Island.
She flagged some unusual offerings, including possum bao buns and a course by Italian guest chef Floriano Pellegrino.
Executive director Melissa Edwards said the feast was the accessible heart of the festival.
“We love seeing people just hang out and have a drink and eat and kinda regroup before they go out into the wild of Dark Mofo,” Edwards said.
She said other states had begun copying the idea.
“It’s a real shout-out to Tassie and I think it’s a credit to the state,” Edwards said.
