The 9th Antarctic Midwinter Festival takes place in Hobart from 19 - 28 June 2009. The festival celebrates the historical and living links between Tasmania and Antarctica.

A ten-day program of exhibitions, tours, social events, lectures and displays encourages the wider community to discover the fascinating world of science and exploration in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.

With the assistance of the Australian Antarctic Division, Antarctic Tasmania, the CSIRO, the Centre for Cooperative Research at the University of Tasmania, and many others, this unique festival brings a breath of ice and deep ocean to Australia's Antarctic port - Hobart, Tasmania.

• 'The Flight of the Snow Petrels' Children's Parade - An exciting and colourful parade along Hobart's waterfront to celebrate the midwinter solstice. Children carry hand-made lanterns to the lively beat of Latin dancers and percussionists. Ends at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery for 'A Midwinter's Night at the Museum' - 19 June 2009.
  
  
• 'A Midwinter's Night at the Museum' - an exciting entertainment for kids and families at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, exploring deep space, strange creatures, weird science and some amazing imagery - 19 June 2009.
  
  
• The Longest Night Film Festival at the State Cinema - featuring the Tasmanian debut of Warner Herzog's 'Encounters at the End of the World' and Anne Aghion's 'Ice People' - 19 - 28 June 2009.
  
  
• Polar Pathways Tours - Take a fascinating walk around the historical Hobart waterfront with an experienced Antarctic guide. Tours leave every evening at 4:00 pm from the foyer at Hadleys Hotel, 20 - 28 June 2009.
  
  
• David Sinclair - Feathers, Fur and Ice Photography Exhibition - A series of spectacular nature and wildlife images from the Antarctic Peninsula, Southern Ocean, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands by Melbourne photographer David Sinclair - 21 June 2009.
  
  
• The Antarctic Schools Program in conjunction with TMAG and the National Archives of Australia - five days of education and discovery for Tasmanian schoolkids and their teachers - 22 - 26 June 2009.
  
  
• The Extreme Environment Photographic Competition - inviting photographers around the world to submit images from the most remote parts of the planet with rich prizes and a public exhibition of the finalists at the TMAG Bond Store - 20 - 27 June 2009.
  
  
• Seeing in the Dark - Visualising Antarctic Science - enjoy a rare opportunity to visit a 26-metre 'Big Dish' radio telescope in operation, tour the facility at the University of Tasmania's Mount Pleasant Observatory and visit the Grote Reber Museum, which tells the story of a remarkable scientist, inventor and adopted Tasmanian - 20, 21, 27 and 28 June 2009.
  
  
• Fire and Ice Midwinter Spectacular Dinner - presented by the Tasmanian Polar Network and Australian Red Cross, at Wrest Point on Saturday 27 June 2009.
  
  
• Phillip Law Lecture - this prestigious event will be held at CCAMLR given by Dr Denzil Miller - 19 June 2009.
  
  
• Macquarie Island - A Twisty Tale of Cats, Rats, Mice and Rabbits - Removing feral pests from the World Heritage listed island has been a challenging task. Project Manager Keith Springer talks about successes to date and the challenges ahead - 24 June 2009.
  
  
• Devonport Antarctic Photography Exhibition - a special display of award-winning photography from the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic, on display from 4 to 25 June 2009 at the Imaginarium Science Centre, Devonport. Click on the link for full details and opening hours.
  
  
  

A Day at the Great Big Radio Telescope - 936 ABC Hobart special coach to the Mt Pleasant Radio Telescope

Log on to our electronic mailing list by sending your name and email address to mary.woolnough@development.tas.gov.au

Almost all festival events are free and open to the public. Pre-booking is not required, though tickets for the Longest Night Film Festival (www.statecinema.com.au) and the Fire and Ice Midwinter Spectacular Dinner tend to sell out. For bookings call (03) 62 356028.

> Extreme Environment Photographic Competition
> The Longest Night Film Festival
> Festival Image Gallery