Tasmania’s largest food and drink festival is on the countdown to its summer return with tickets going on sale next week, organisers have announced.
The Taste of Summer will return to Hobart’s waterfront from December 27 to January 3, celebrating the island state’s produce, entertainment and summer atmosphere.
Early bird tickets will be available to subscribers from Tuesday September 23, with general early bird sales opening on Thursday September 25.
This year introduces a Locals Taste Pass offering discounted access for the entire festival duration, excluding the New Year’s Eve Party.
General Manager Katharine Dean said tickets were expected to sell quickly following last year’s record attendance.
“The Taste is about celebrating Tasmania at its best,” Dean said.
“We can’t wait to welcome everyone back this summer to enjoy the colour and energy of the waterfront.”
Last year’s festival saw nearly 90,000 attendees flood through the gates, with sold-out New Year’s Eve sessions and performances from almost 300 Tasmanian artists.
The New Year’s Eve Party is again expected to be a highlight, offering prime viewing for Hobart’s fireworks display alongside food, drinks and entertainment across three stages.
“Festival-goers will be able to toast to 2026 on the waterfront with the city’s best view of the fireworks, alongside a full night of cracking food, drinks, DJs and live music,” Dean said.
The event will begin with family-friendly celebrations for the early fireworks before transforming into an evening dance party featuring local and interstate performers.
Details of this year’s stallholders and entertainment program are now available on the festival website, with New Year’s Eve Party information and lineup announcements coming soon.
For more information or to access early bird tickets, visit www.tasteofsummer.com.au.
| Category | Stallholders |
|---|---|
| Wines | A Moment of Tea, Atom Wines, Aunt Alice Wines, Beautiful Isle Wines, Clover Hill Wines, Derwent Estate Wines, Domaine Dawnelle, Glaetzer-Dixon Family Winemakers, Haddow + Dineen, L’appel Wines, Meadowbank, Rivulet Wines, Sonnen Wine, Torch Bearer Wines |
| Breweries & Beer | Bicheno Brewing, Bruny Island Beer & BBQ, Communion Brewing Co., Hobart Brewing Co., Morrison Brewery, Spotty Dog Brewers, T-Bone Brewing Co., The Albert Brewery, Welcome Swallow Brewery |
| Cider & Distilleries | Frank’s Cider, Mr Bridges, Plenty Cider, Willie Smith’s Cider, Mountain River Distillery, Forty Spotted Gin, Tasmaniac Distillers, Tasmanian Juice Press + Endangered Distilling Co., 7K Distillery, Hobart Whisky |
| Seafood | Bass Strait Scallops, Blue Heron Oysters, Charcoal Octopus, Tasmanian Oyster Co., Tasmanian Gourmet Seafoods |
| Street Food & Restaurants | Brao, Chilean Empanadas, Crepe Haus, Dark Dogs, Diemen Grill, Donut 7, Elle’s Pantry, Formosa Bites, Gujju Food Hub, Halls Barbeque, Kiltro Street Food, Kung Fu Canteen, Lucky Sri Lankan Kitchen, Luna Chan, Madame Clarke’s, Ming Court Restaurant, Mum’s Bánh Xèo, Osare, Pink Buns, Pizzirani’s Cucina, Queen Sheba, RUDE BOY, Season and Fire Restaurant, Smokehouse by the Bay, Sömething Türkišh, Stábla, Strawbs and Cream, Taco Taco, Tantuni Turkish Cuisine, The Meatball Guy by Braised, Uncle Tony Espresso, Yummy Dumplings, Zero81 Napoli Pizzeria, Zimmah Coffee & Espresso Martini Bar, Katsu Burger by Lilly Trewartha, Rockwall, South, Spitfire Kitchen, Tasmanian Ethiopian Association |
| Sweets, Coffee & Specialty | Canopy Ice Cream, Silver Spoon Ice Cream, PavLovas, Punch & Ladle, Nectar Eater |
