Huon Valley Mid Winter Fest, half hour south from Hobart, Tasmania

Dust off your tatters, top hats and pagan worshiping finery for a repeat performance of last year’s trail blazing Midwinter Winter Festival. If you haven’t sung to an apple tree whilst banging pots and pans by firelight lately, head to the Huon Valley to celebrate the regions apple picking history and join in the ages-old tradition of wassailing – basically scaring nasties out of the orchard’s cider trees to ensure a bumper autumn crop.

Winter Festival 2017 in the Huon Valley

The Apple Shed, Huon Highway, Grove 
Friday 14th to Sunday 16th July 2017
Willie Smiths Apple Shed is the hottest hut in the Huon Valley: craft ciders, artisan cheeses, and plenty of space to sit, chat, roll in the hay, etc. They’ve partnered up with other like-minded locals to throw a mini mid-winter festival to celebrate the region’s apple-pickin’ history. There is limited onsite parking, or stay at one of the several accommodations nearby and get a taxi.
Picture
Click for Huon Valley Winterfest Program

Winter-Fest Traditions

The purpose of wassailing is to awake the cider apple trees and to scare away evil spirits to ensure a good harvest of fruit in the Autumn. The ceremonies of each wassail vary but they generally all have the same core elements. A wassail King and Queen lead the song and/or a processional tune to be played/sung from one orchard to the next, the wassail Queen will then be lifted up into the boughs of the tree where she will place toast soaked in Wassail from the Clayen Cup as a gift to the tree spirits (and to show the fruits created the previous year).
Then we will have the wassail which we want you all to join  in!
Old Apple tree we’ll wassail thee,
And hoping thou wilt bear.
The Lord does know where we shall be
To be merry another year.
To blow well and to bear well,
And so merry let us be.
Let every man drink up his cup
And health to the old apple tree.
Then we want you to sing and shout and bang drums and pots & pans and generally make a terrible racket until the gunsmen give a great final volley through the branches to make sure the work is done!

Featured Music

Costume Prizes

Let your imagination run as wild as the festival itself...
 
Inspired by pagan traditions, the earth and all its elements, the changing seasons and traditional Morris dancing costumes, we encourage festival goers to dress up and express themselves. The festival has a history of attracting huge crowds of attendees donning greenery, feathers, fur and leather, and with over $2,000 of prize money to give out, it’s a good idea to get started early on creating your work of art! For inspiration you can visit our Instagram or Facebook page which will showcase some of the previous year’s costumes, and will give you an idea of the overall feel of the festival.
 SATURDAY PRIZES
  • Best Female: $250
  • Best Female Runner Up: $100
  • Best Male: $250
  • Best Male Runner Up: $100
  • Best Child: $250
  • Best Child – Runner Up $100
All children who dress up will get a small prize for taking part.
SUNDAY PRIZE
  • Best Family: $500
  • Best Family – Runner Up $250

Winter Food and Drink

Just a few samples here. Click for many more...

Where to stay near Huon Valley Winter Festival

Budget Accommodation

Mid Price Accommodation

Picture
Huonville

Busses and parking for Huon Valley Winter Festival

The HVMWF is located at Willie Smith’s Apple Shed which is a 30 minute drive south of Hobart at 2064 Huon Highway, Grove Tasmania.

Car parking will be in the large paddock behind the Apple Shed with the entry from Pages Rd. The highway will be clearly sign posted. Overflow parking (if required) will be at the Huon Valley Cool Stores, Huon Highway in Huonville. 
No parking on the Huon Highway, or the event will be shut down

Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival
The Apple Shed
2064 Huon Highway
Grove TAS 7109

BUS INFORMATION:
HOBART & KINGSTON

You can get to the HVMWF easily and return safely by catching the bus from Hobart. The bus makes a stop in Kingston to pick up passengers and continues on to the festival and returns to Hobart via Kingston. The festival busses will run on Friday & Saturday, there will be no busses running on Sunday.
Hobart Pick Up & Drop Off Location: Campbell Street, next to the Grand Chancellor
Kingston Pick Up & Drop Off Location: The bus stop closest to the BP in Kingston on Channel Highway
All busses to and from the festival from Hobart via Kingston cost $15 p/person (return ticket)

BUS TIMETABLE
DayTime & Locations
Friday BusDeparts Hobart at 5pm, Pick Up Kingston at 5:30pm arrives at HVMWF at 6pm
Departs HVMWF at 11pm
Saturday Bus (Early)Departs Hobart at 2pm, Pick Up Kingston at 2:30pm arrives at HVMWF at 3pm
Departs HVMWF at 8pm
Saturday Bus (Late)Departs Hobart at 2pm, Pick Up Kingston at 2:30pm arrives at HVMWF at 3pm
Departs HVMWF at 10pm

CYGNET BUS SERVICE
There will be a bus service running from Cygnet to HVMWF departing from Cygnet Town Hall. There will be a Friday night bus and a Saturday bus but no Sunday Bus
All busses to and from the festival from Hobart via Kingston cost $10 p/person (return ticket)
​
BUS TIMETABLE:
DayTime & Locations
Friday BusDeparts Town Hall at 6pm arrives at HVMWF at 6:30pm
Departs HVMWF at 11pm
Saturday BusDeparts Town Hall at 3pm arrives at HVMWF at 3:30pm
Departs HVMWF at 10pm

FREE HUON VALLEY SHUTTLE
There will be free busses constantly running around the valley picking people up from two locations:
  • Village Green – Ranelagh
  • Skinner Drive – Huonville
Busses will run on:
  • Friday from 5pm
  • Saturday from midday
  • Sunday from 11am
More details will load below shortly......

Some previous years' program features
Three days and nights of mid winter fun 1/2 hour south from Hobart

17 July 2015

Folktastic Friday night at the Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival!
The Gypsy Dub Sound System, Guerilla Zingari, Lagoon Hill Zydeco, Bad Beef, The Dead Maggies & more!

17 July 2015

Dust off your tatters, top hats and pagan worshipping finery for a repeat performance of last year’s trail blazing Midwinter Winter Festival.
If you haven’t sung to an apple tree whilst banging pots and pans by firelight lately, head to the Huon Valley to celebrate the regions apple picking history and join in the ages-old tradition of wassailing – basically scaring nasties out of the orchard’s cider trees to ensure a bumper autumn crop.
Music from Mic Conway and his National Junk Band, Chupacabra, The Gypsy Dub Sound System, Lagoon Hill Zydeco, Guerilla Zingari and our very own Hairyman.

17 July 2015

Join us on the Sunday for a day of fun family activities including: Morris Dancing Workshops, Children's storytelling, Maypole dancing and many other family friendly activities.
There will of course be music from the likes of the Davidson Brothers, Mic Conway and his National Junk Band, Guerilla Zingari to ensure there is something for everyone!

Nearby Huon Valley Winter Fest Accommodation

Picture
Port Huon: 20 minutes from The Apple Shed
Picture
Geeveston: 21 minutes from The Apple Shed
Picture
Ranelagh: 15 minutes from The Apple Shed
Book online at Huon Bush Retreats and receive a bottle of Willie Smiths Original Organic Cider. We have 10 stubbies to give away. When they are gone they are gone.