The Antarctic Midwinter Festival celebrates the winter solstice (June 21 - 22) - the shortest day and longest night of the Antarctic year and each year you're invited to join the fun!

It is traditionally a time of celebration across the whole Antarctic community with friends, social events and the big midwinter dinner - or even taking a plunge into freezing water for a midwinter swim.

The midwinter solstice (from the Latin solstitum, meaning "sun stands still") marks the turn of the season. The long polar night begins to retreat and the light returns to the frozen continent.

Tasmania's Unique Antarctic Community

Hobart's special connection with Antarctica goes back hundreds of years, and there's still a thriving link today that the Antarctic Midwinter Festival celebrates.

The Festival highlights the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration and heroes such as James Cook, Dumont d'Urville, Roald Amundsen and Douglas Mawson, and the part that Hobart played in their great Antarctic adventures.

The Festival is presented by the Tasmanian Antarctic community and explores the wide range of science undertaken in Antarctica and has a look behind the scenes to see how local companies supply, support and transport Antarctic expeditioners.

Events include open days, exhibitions, lectures and demonstrations all over the City of Hobart.