In this world premiere, Mikelangelo & The Black Sea Gentlemen, joined by Up She Rises choir, take on The Odyssey in a spirited and irreverent musical retelling of the Ancient Greek epic. Developed in partnership with Four Winds Concerts, with support from the Australian Government through Festivals Australia.

Watch for a flotilla of small boats making their way from Recherche Bay to Hobart for AWBF on the Living Boat Trust’s expedition. The name means “travelling by canoe” in the language of the Melukerdee people.

Keith Lane presents a romantic vision of life at sea, capturing notable ships, sweeping coastlines and the enduring allure of a life afloat. Come for the opening of the exhibition on Wednesday 3 Feb 6pm-8pm. Nolan Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre

Acclaimed Aotearoa New Zealand artist Michel Tuffery, assisted by Cook Islands artist Katu Teiti, leads a three-day hands-on lino printmaking workshop exploring Pacific voyaging, design and maritime connections. Supported by Creative New Zealand. Directions: Enter via the main entry to the UTAS School of Creative Arts and follow the signs.

Sailing south to the Festival? Maritime Tasmanian whisky distillery Waubs Harbour, located halfway up Tasmania’s east coast in Bicheno, invites you to “Drop in for a Dram” on them. Pull into The Gulch visitor berthing right outside the distillery, or drop the pick in the bay and come and share a story and a dram with the crew. Get in touch with Waubs Harbour Whisky for more details: info@waubsharbourwhisky.com

Discover ‘BOAT’ reimagined through the eyes of Tasmanian artists in a specially curated exhibition at the waterfront Henry Jones Art Hotel.

Muir Anchoring Systems will open its Kingston workshop for complimentary, limited-capacity tours before and after the Festival. Just 15 minutes from Hobart, visitors can see where Muir’s recreational and superyacht anchoring systems are designed and manufactured, and meet some of the people behind them.

Watch discarded sailcloth and marine debris take on a new life as RECOLAB and Project Interrupt transform waste into bags, sails and inventive new forms.

Explore a one-of-a-kind collection of Chinese junk paintings and artefacts alongside hand-carved spoons made from salvaged boat timbers. The Social Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre

Meet representatives from maritime museums around Australia and discover the organisations preserving the nation’s maritime heritage. Presented by the Australian Maritime Museums Council.

Watch caulking, steam bending, oar making, net making, half-model carving and mast shaping as traditional boatbuilding skills come to life. Presented by the Wooden Boat Centre.

Watch Project Interrupt founder and HEART creator Samuel McLennan transform marine debris from Tasmania’s coastline into model boats using improvisation, resourcefulness and creativity.

Step back in time with Graeme “Critter” Creighton and discover traditional rope-making using hemp, jute and hand-built wooden machinery, then lend a hand in these interactive demonstrations.

Explore Hobart’s evolution as a maritime city through working vessels, trade, boatbuilding and the people who shaped its waterfront. Admission: Adult $16, Concession $13, Student $6, Family $32. Children 12 and under and carers with a Companion Card are free.

Step into Tasmania’s working maritime past through historic photographs of boats and crews, projected in the laneway beside the Maritime Museum.

Discover the intricate art of kumiko, assembling precisely cut timber pieces into a beautiful traditional Japanese geometric design to take home.

Marvel at finely crafted model boats and ships in bottles, celebrating the precision and artistry of maritime makers.

Explore beautifully restored Australian classic sailing dinghies, from diminutive Sabots to iconic Sydney Harbour skiffs.

Hear whistles blow and engines rumble as the Hobart Vintage Machinery Society brings historic steam machinery to life, recalling the power behind working boats of the past.

Watch hard-hat divers suit up in authentic early 1900s gear and take to the water, bringing to life the skill and hardship of commercial diving beside the Torres Pearl lugger. Presented by members of the Historical Diving Society.

See traditional knotwork and rope-making brought to life by the International Guild of Knot Tyers and local artisans.

Dropped your barrel of rum overboard? Grab a couple of ropes and have a go at parbuckling, a time-honoured maritime skill.

Explore more than 20 historic pond yachts dating from the late 1700s to the early 1900s, displayed throughout Narryna Heritage Museum. Admission: Adults $10, Concession $8, Child $5. No booking required.

Meet Balinese boatbuilders as they bring a traditionally built jukung to life, demonstrating the craftsmanship, rigging and traditions behind this distinctive fishing boat. The celebration culminates on Sunday at 3:00 pm with a gamelan-led parade, blessing and ceremonial launch at Constitution Dock.

Explore working outrigger canoes and intricate sailing-vessel models from Sulawesi, with Indonesian boatbuilders demonstrating traditional lashing and building techniques.

The Chinese Community Association of Tasmania explores the role of Chinese communities in Australia’s maritime heritage, while sailor and author Graham Cox of the Junk Rig Association demonstrates a working model of a Chinese junk rig and shows how this traditional sail design has beenadapted for modern yachts.

Encounter Parafang, a full-sized Amis bamboo sailing raft from Taiwan, with traditional construction, binding and sailing techniques brought to life.

Usually, the grown-ups build the boats. This time, it’s the kids’ turn. Children aged 8–15 can build, decorate and take home their own wooden pond yacht with The Wooden Boat Centre Tasmania, then bring it back for Monday’s Pond Yacht Regatta at Constitution Dock. Tickets: $35 per child/yacht. One ticket includes one child, one pond yacht and one accompanying adult. All materials included.

Explore more than 200 works by Tasmanian artists responding to water across painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics, textiles and more. Presented by the Art Society of Tasmania. The Long Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre

Among the cargo crates and red sails of the Junk Oil exhibition, discover mahjong with the Chinese Community Association of Tasmania. Learn the basics and enjoy a lively game of skill, strategy and social connection. The Social Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre

Watch Waubs Harbour Whisky cooper Laurie Schmeider shape timber into traditional wooden barrels using time-honoured tools and techniques. Once vital to ships carrying spirits, food and other goods, wooden casks were an essential part of maritime trade.

The 141-foot brigantine One & All is traditionally built in carvel construction with a topsail schooner rig, and will sail to Hobart from South Australia for the 2027 festival. For more information and bookings, please contact the vessel operator directly. Bookings are not managed by AWBF.

Built in 1949 for Baltic trade, Søren Larsen was among the last traditional cargo-carrying sailing ships of her kind. Restored and re-rigged by the Davies family in 1978, she now sails as a graceful 19th-century-style brigantine. For more information and bookings, please contact the vessel operator directly. Bookings are not managed by AWBF.

Built locally and launched in 1988, Lady Nelson is a replica of the original brig that played a role in establishing the settlement of Hobart Town in 1804. For more information and bookings, please contact the vessel operator directly. Bookings are not managed by AWBF.

Julie Burgess is a wooden auxiliary gaff-rigged ketch that spent more than 50 years cray fishing in Tasmanian waters from the 1930s. For more information and bookings, please contact the vessel operator directly. Bookings are not managed by AWBF.

Enterprize is a 27-metre topsail schooner and fully operational replica of the vessel built in Hobart in 1830 by William Harvey and William Pender. The original Enterprize later sailed to mainland Australia in 1835 and became closely linked with the early settlement of Melbourne. For more information and bookings, please contact the vessel operator directly. Bookings are not managed by AWBF.

La Drone is a 38-foot motor cruiser built on the Tamar River in 1948. Constructed in Celery Top Pine with carvel planking and a beautiful 1950s blackwood interior, she has spent her entire life in Tasmania and now offers intimate cruises on the Huon River. For more information and bookings, please contact the vessel operator directly. Bookings are not managed by AWBF.

Alma Doepel is a three-masted topsail schooner built in 1903 and now based in Melbourne. Once part of the famed Bass Strait “Mosquito Fleet”, she traded between Hobart and the mainland and set a record of 58 hours 30 minutes from Hobart to Melbourne Heads, uniquely carrying square sail among the fleet. For more information and bookings, please contact the vessel operator directly. Bookings are not managed by AWBF.

Meaning “Sea Canvases”, Toiles de Mer is a tradition begun at Brest in 1992, with sailors creating decorated plaques that tell the stories of their vessels. Introduced to AWBF in 2025, the collection grows with each Festival. The Sunroom Gallery, UTAS School of Creative Arts

Photographer Mark Chew records the dhows and sailors of the Swahili Coast as, each November, they transform their craft from lateen-rigged working boats into out-and-out racing machines, vying for the respect of their community. Sidespace Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre

Through the photographs of ama diver and artist Aiko Ohno, enter the world of Japan’s centuries-old women free divers, who harvest shellfish, seaweed and other marine foods without scuba gear, and the coastal communities shaped by their work. The Courtyard, UTAS School of Creative Arts

Learn traditional Japanese joinery with carpenter Yuji Kanesada and designer Hiroshi Yamaguchi, using authentic saws, chisels and planes to explore tsugite techniques and their history. Tickets Opening Soon

Create a delicate wooden rose or anemone with artist Takako Kawamura, using fine shavings from a traditional Japanese kanna hand plane.

Browse a collection of books on seafaring, shipbuilding and maritime adventure, and settle in for a read between Symposium sessions. Presented by the Wooden Boat Guild of Tasmania.

Learn traditional marlinspike ropework with Mick Corker and make a thump mat to take home. Presented by the International Guild of Knot Tyers. Tickets: $125 per person (includes all materials).

Watch more than 200 wooden boats and tall ships sweep into Sullivans Cove during the Festival’s iconic Opening Parade of Sail.

Duyfken is a full-scale replica of the early 17th-century Dutch VOC vessel sent fromBantam, on Java, in 1605 to explore new trade opportunities. The original reached and charted part of Cape York in 1606, making her an important part of Australia’s early European maritime history. Duyfken will be available for free tours over the Festival weekend. Supported by the Australian National Maritime Museum.

Reeba Von Diamond loves to party. Her band of fabulous Jazz players make hot tunes with old favourites. Gymnastic lead breaks, shiny threads and high energy tunes put fun at the centre of their improv. Never the same show twice.

Violaloop: one guy, one 5-string viola, one loop pedal. Infinite grooves, made live and deleted on the spot, no repeats, no pre-recordings. Every set is a one-time-only vibe.

Discover the art of maritime whisky with Waubs Harbour and master cooper Laurie Schmeider. Explore how timber, traditional coopering techniques and oceanside maturation shape Tasmania’s distinctive whisky flavours, with four tastings including a special AWBF limited release.

Gather at Constitution Dock for the official opening of the Australian Wooden Boat Festival, as we welcome our interstate and international visitors to Hobart’s waterfront. Tasmanian Indigenous boatbuilder Sheldon Thomas will launch Truganini, inviting visiting boats and Festivalgoers into Sullivans Cove and marking the beginning of four days of maritime celebration.

Catch WolfeFolk, led by contemporary violinist Emily Wolfe, as some of Tasmania’s finest musicians cut loose with an eclectic mix of folk, blues and country, fuelled by improvisation, infectious rhythms and a sound that’s anything but predictable.

Enjoy rich harmonies, acoustic guitar and a versatile mix of classic songs and modern hits from Tasmanian duo Stellar, featuring Tony Mak and Samantha James-Radford.

Set sail with the Muppets for a wonderfully chaotic take on the classic pirate adventure, packed with treasure maps, sea shanties, mutiny and plenty of laughs. Classification: G

Join some of Tasmania’s working shipwrights for a panel discussion about the craft, skills and experience of building and maintaining wooden boats today.

A playful maritime-inspired life drawing session with Nolan Art and artist Joshua Lamb, featuring experienced mermaid models, tails on and tops off. Enjoy a lively evening with a bar and prizes. All materials and nibbles provided, costumes encouraged and no serious drawing credentials required. The Founders Room, Salamanca Arts Centre

Enjoy rich harmonies, acoustic guitar and a versatile mix of classic songs and modern hits from Tasmanian duo Stellar, featuring Tony Mak and Samantha James-Radford.

Climb aboard for a chaotic Caribbean adventure as an unconventional skipper takes charge of a family’s inherited yacht and turns a simple voyage into anything but smooth sailing. Classification: M

Sand and nail together a small wooden boat from Huon and King Billy pine with help from Woodcraft Guild Tasmania volunteers. Cost: $10 Pay on the day

Take to the water and try a range of traditional and community vessels, from classic dinghies to Indigenous watercraft. Presented by the Living Boat Trust. Note: For safety reasons, there will be no rowing during Dragon Boat demonstrations on Saturday 10:30am-11am & 12pm-12:30pm.

Step aboard Peppermint Bay II for a family-friendly cruise offering a behind-the-scenes look at the Port of Hobart during the Festival. Cruise through Sullivans Cove past Hobart’s historic docks, wharves and piers, with close-up views of visiting wooden boats, before heading north along the River Derwent past Macquarie Wharves, beneath the Tasman Bridge and on to the Selfs Point Fuel Terminal. Along the way, hear stories about the festival’s tall ships and wooden vessels, while learning how Tasmania’s working waterfront operates, how maritime safety is managed and how TasPorts is planning for the future. Ticket: $20 This cruise is wheelchair accessible. For more information and bookings, please contact TasPorts through their ticketing page. Bookings are not managed by AWBF.

Join us for the opening of the 2027 Wooden Boat Symposium, with an Acknowledgement of Country and official welcome before the weekend’s program begins.

Add a splash of colour with free face painting for little sailors.

Discover the life and legacy of celebrated boat designer Iain Oughtred and his enduring influence on wooden boatbuilding. On Monday, the screening is followed by Closing the Circle: Iain Oughtred, an open conversation celebrating his work and legacy. Mon 11:30am–12:15pm.

Joe & Olivia Wilson are a brother-sister duo from just outside Hobart. Seasoned multi-instrumentalists who have played together since childhood, they bring an easy musical chemistry to performances that shift from heartfelt and atmospheric to lively and funky.

Batten down the hatches and follow the fiddle! Fiddle In The Rigging brings sea shanties, hornpipes and maritime mischief to Kings Pier in a roving one-man, one-fiddle performance.

Help build Kumundar, a 5m x 5m x 3m wooden jungle gym inspired by traditional Japanese carpentry. Kids can use wooden mallets and wedges to help assemble the structure, combining hands-on construction, play and traditional woodcraft. Tickets: $10 | Ages: 5–12 Supported by the Hobart-Yaizu Sister City Committee and Dobson Mitchell Allport.

All aboard the Kumundar Gujo Sailing Ship, an imaginative wooden playground inspired by traditional sailing vessels. Kids can climb, explore and play throughout the day, with plenty of room for young adventurers to create their own nautical journeys. Supported by the Hobart-Yaizu Sister City Committee and Dobson Mitchell Allport.

The Solar Boat Challenge invites children to design, build and race their own solar-powered boats. With materials provided and a race pool ready to go, kids can create their models, test them on the water and see how they perform. Suitable for children aged 5-12 years.

Create clouds of bubbles using handcrafted, steam-bent Huon Pine frames and special bubble mix. A playful, hands-on activity for children and families of all ages.

Meet the young boatbuilders behind My First Boat as they put the finishing touches on their very first rowing boats before parading them to Constitution Dock for launch on Sunday morning. Designed for children aged 5–10 to build with an adult, a limited number of boat kits are also available for families keen to join the next generation of sailors. For kit enquiries: office@awbf.org.au

Take a quiet break at The Book Barge, a cosy reading nook where children can enjoy sea-themed stories away from the festival bustle. Families are also invited to donate new or pre-loved sea-themed children’s books. This initiative is kindly supported by Variety Tasmania - the Children's Charity, New Zealand Maritime Museum and the City of Hobart as a designated "UNESCO City of Literature".

Get creative at The Mariners Makerspace with ocean-inspired craft, boat building and interactive storytelling designed to spark curiosity and imagination.

Pop into the Variety Tasmania tent, purchase a pirate hat to show your support, and join the crew for some swashbuckling festival fun.

See the historic Derwent Class fleet out on the River Derwent for a relaxed Saturday rally, celebrating these distinctive Tasmanian yachts and the community that has brought them back to life.

Chris Bray shares the remarkable story of rebuilding a 29-foot junk-rigged sailboat and sailing it through the Northwest Passage, becoming the first junk-rigged vessel to make the crossing.

The Festival shares the waterfront weekend with one of Tasmania’s great sporting traditions, the 189th Royal Hobart Regatta. Watch the RAAF Roulettes sweep over the River Derwent from Saturday to Monday,

Feel the power and precision as Dragon Boats Tasmania goes head-to-head in tug-of-war challenges and fast-paced short races.

Join Pirate Peg for piratey fun, playful adventures and colourful twisty craft creations for young festival-goers.

Experience the lively sound of the Tasmanian Heritage Fiddle Ensemble as traditional and contemporary Tasmanian tunes meet local storytelling, global influences and a modern twist. Led by violinist and musical director Emily Wolfe, the Hobart/nipaluna-based ensemble keeps Tasmania’s musical traditions alive while giving them a fresh contemporary edge.

Graham Cox explores the history and practicalities of adapting yachts to junk rig, from Blondie Hasler’s pioneering Jester to the techniques used to convert and handle the rig today.

Up She Rises take their pirate spirit on the move, roaming the Festival with foot-stomping shanties, bold harmonies and plenty of cheek.

Set sail across the stars in Disney’s swashbuckling sci-fi adventure, as a teenage dreamer joins a spacefaring crew in search of legendary treasure. Classification: PG

Billy Whitton, Hobart’s own crooner, brings smooth guitar, classic songs and an easygoing mix of favourites from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s.

Aiko Ohno introduces ama diving, a centuries-old Japanese tradition of diving for marine resources, and shares her own journey from Tokyo photographer to ama diver in coastal Japan.

Gamelan Beleganjur Selatan, the Walking Warriors of the South, rise again after a 10-year hiatus with the thrilling, hypnotic pulse of Balinese gongs, cymbals and drums. Find them roving the Festival and also accompanying the Balinese boat launch on Sunday at 3pm.

Watch student groups race the clock to build a boat from scratch using limited materials, ingenuity and teamwork.

Tas Maloya is a new project led by violinist Emily Sheppard, drawing on the driving rhythms, percussion and communal spirit of Maloya. Expect a vibrant, groove-rich performance with plenty of energy and movement.

Hear Up She Rises fill the heritage walls of Hobart City Hall with bold harmonies, sea shanties and their unmistakable pirate spirit.

Montz Matsumoto takes his banjo on the move, weaving bluegrass, Celtic and Japanese influences through a lively roving set across the Festival.

Sands Family Circus brings acrobatics, balance, humour and plenty of circus fun for kids and grown-ups alike.

Take on the Kumundar Teenage Puzzle Challenge, a hands-on workshop inspired by traditional Japanese carpentry. Teenagers will put their problem-solving skills to the test using wooden components, mallets and wedges, exploring the ingenuity of traditional Japanese woodcraft. Tickets: $10 | Ages: 13–16 Supported by the Hobart-Yaizu Sister City Committee and Dobson Mitchell Allport.

David O’Sullivan shares what he learned while documenting boatbuilding, sailing and maritime traditions in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, drawing on community stories, museum work and oral histories.

Learn the sailor’s art of traditional ropework with master rope artisan Mick Corker and create your own adjustable nautical lanyard to take home. Presented by the International Guild of Knot Tyers. Tickets: $125 per person (includes all materials).

The Southside Steppers bring the party with roving brass, punchy percussion and a feel-good mix of New Orleans funk, pop, R&B and soul.

Sip Tasmanian rum, follow the sound of sea shanties and live music, and soak up the rollicking maritime atmosphere in the historic grounds of Narryna Heritage Museum. Entry: $10 per person

Climb aboard a pirate radio ship broadcasting rock ’n’ roll from the North Sea in this irreverent comedy about music, rebellion and life offshore. Classification: M

See a traditional Japanese wooden boat launched at Constitution Dock, built using time-honoured techniques from Niigata Prefecture. The honryousen reflects a disappearing boatbuilding tradition, with hand-fitted planks, traditional tools and blacksmith-made fastenings bringing Japanese craftsmanship to the Hobart waterfront.

I Made Suparta and I Kadek Suarjana explore the origins, symbolism and traditional building of Bali’s jukung, including the ceremonies that bring the fishing boat to life and its enduring role in village life.