Tasmania Wine Events 2026: Festivals and What's On
Tasmania's wine and food calendar runs hardest over summer, when the Tasmanian Wine Festival and Launceston's Festivale draw thousands, but there is something on across the year, from harvest season in autumn to whisky and food festivals in the cooler months. If you are timing a visit around an event, here is what is on across Tasmania in 2026 and how to build a wine tour around it.
This guide is part of our ultimate guide to Tasmania wine tours.
Tasmanian Wine Festival (Summer, Hobart)
The state's flagship wine event, the Tasmanian Wine Festival, runs in summer at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens in Hobart, with the 2026 edition held across 7 and 8 February. It brings together more than 45 vineyards pouring over 250 wines, paired with Tasmanian food and live music across the sessions, with names like House of Arras, Jansz Tasmania and Pressing Matters among the producers. It is the single best place to taste the breadth of Tasmanian wine in one weekend, and it returns each summer, so it is worth pencilling in for next year if you have missed the 2026 dates. The official Tasmanian Wine Festival site has the program and tickets.
Festivale (Late January, Launceston)
Launceston's Festivale is one of Tasmania's most loved summer events, a three-day celebration of the state's food, wine and drink held in City Park, drawing tens of thousands each year. It leans broader than wine alone, taking in the north's producers across food and beverage, and it is the anchor event for a Launceston and Tamar Valley visit. It runs annually in late January.
Autumn Harvest (March to May)
Autumn is harvest across Tasmania, and the cellar doors of the Coal River Valley, Tamar Valley, Huon Valley and Derwent Valley are at their most active. While there is no single statewide harvest festival, food and wine are front and centre at regional events through these months, including A Taste of the Huon in the south. It is a rewarding, less crowded time to tour, with the vines in full colour and the wineries busy.
Cooler Months (Winter to Spring)
Tasmania keeps things going through the cooler half of the year. Tasmanian Whisky Week runs 1 to 9 August 2026, a statewide celebration that, while whisky-led, sits alongside the island's drinks scene and often features wine and food crossovers. On the east coast, the Bicheno Food and Wine Festival is held in November, pairing regional wine with local seafood and produce. As summer returns, Hobart's waterfront hosts a major week-long food and wine festival around the New Year period. The state tourism body Discover Tasmania keeps the full events calendar, and Wine Tasmania is the official voice of the state's wine industry.
Planning a Tour Around an Event
Because festival weekends fill accommodation and tours quickly, the order of booking matters: secure your stay first, then your event tickets, then a wine tour for a separate day so you experience the cellar doors as well as the festival. Summer is the busiest window, so book several weeks ahead. For help choosing your dates more broadly, see our guide to the best time to visit Tasmania's wine regions.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Tasmanian Wine Festival 2026? The 2026 Tasmanian Wine Festival was held on 7 and 8 February at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens in Hobart, with more than 45 vineyards and over 250 wines. It runs each summer, so the next edition follows in early 2027.
What wine festivals are on in Tasmania? The headline events are the Tasmanian Wine Festival in Hobart and Festivale in Launceston, both in summer. Through the year there is also autumn harvest activity across the wine valleys, Tasmanian Whisky Week in August, and the Bicheno Food and Wine Festival in November.
When is Festivale in Launceston? Festivale is held annually in late January in Launceston's City Park, a three-day celebration of Tasmanian food, wine and drink. Check the official program for the exact 2026 dates as they are confirmed each year.
Is autumn a good time to visit Tasmania for wine? Yes. March to May is harvest season, when the cellar doors of the Coal River, Tamar, Huon and Derwent valleys are busiest and the vines are in full colour. It is a rewarding, less crowded time to tour.
Should I book a wine tour during a festival weekend? Yes, but plan around the event. Festival weekends fill accommodation and tours quickly, so secure your stay first, then tickets, then a wine tour for a separate day so you see the cellar doors as well as the festival.
Browse Tasmania wine tour operators on The Cork Chronicles and build a cellar-door day around your festival weekend.