In the heart of Hobart, as winter’s breath sharpens and the sun's light wanes, an ancient energy stirs. Dark Mofo—Australia’s beloved, boundary-pushing midwinter solstice festival—is poised to return in 2025, promising to plunge Tasmania into two weeks of primal revelry, art, and rituals that seem to rise straight from the underworld. Think of it as the city’s annual communion with the dark—a rite of passage for the brave, the curious, and the utterly bewitched.
From June 5 to June 15, the festival will weave Hobart into a labyrinth of performances, feasts, and haunting rituals. And on June 21, the grand finale beckons those with the courage to surrender to the elements at the legendary Nude Solstice Swim—a baptism of sorts, inviting revellers to cast off winter’s chill and reawaken under the solstice dawn.
Dark Mofo’s Artistic Director, Chris Twite, describes the centerpiece of the festival, Night Mass, as “a beast.” In 2025, this beast will roam freely, stretching its limbs and creeping into Hobart’s nooks and crannies.
Imagine a creature from the deep, curling around street corners, breathing fire and mystery into the city’s veins, its pulse synced with the primal beats of art and music. Twite’s vision is a space where the boundaries of reality dissolve, and festival-goers can “dance, explore, or crawl” through an underworld crafted for Hobart's streets.
This year, Night Mass promises to evolve even further, transforming the city into an ecosystem of shadow and light, where each step reveals a new, eerie surprise.
For those already feeling the lure of the darkness, Dark Mofo is offering a glimmer of the feast to come: a limited pre-release of Night Mass tickets will go live at 10 a.m. on November 5. Only those with the foresight to pre-register on Dark Mofo’s website will have the chance to slip their fingers into the first offerings of this strange, electric ritual.
Dark Mofo’s legacy isn’t just a series of events—it’s a descent into the subconscious, a call to face our hidden selves, and a reminder that even in winter, life burns with wild, incandescent energy. With its haunting art, visceral performances, and communal celebrations, this festival isn’t just for spectators; it’s for those who wish to transform.
The full program for Dark Mofo 2025 will be announced next year, and it promises to be nothing short of an odyssey into the darker, deeper layers of human experience. Supported generously by the Tasmanian Government through Events Tasmania, this eleventh chapter will dive even deeper, inviting each soul to become part of a grand, fiery tapestry woven through Hobart’s winter night. So, brave the cold, step into the unknown, and prepare for an unforgettable plunge into Tasmania’s darkest heart.
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Words by AW.
Image courtesy of Dark Mofo 2023.