AWBF is Tasmania's largest free event and the largest celebration of wooden boats and maritime culture in the Southern Hemisphere.

Founded in 1994, the four-day festival is held biennially in Hobart, spanning the entire waterfront and feeding into the city beyond.

Hobart's historic port bursts to life with a vibrant atmosphere, offering a curated blend of experiences. The festival features a stunning collection of 400+ wooden vessels, from historic tall ships and classic yachts to traditional fishing boats.

Visitors can enjoy the grandeur of the opening Parade of Sail, and the closing Admiral's Sail, along with on-water displays, boat cruises and tours, symposium talks, workshops, cooking demos, exhibitions, theatre, film, live music at the festival tavern, delicious Tasmanian food and drink, and a dedicated kids' maritime precinct with shaded areas and plenty of activities.

What's on:

Events and points of interest around Hobart.

23 Jul 2025 - 23 Jul 2025
Voyage to Antarctica’s Floodgates
Brave high seas and freezing temperatures with four science leaders and hear about a research mission to a melting glacier in Antarctica.
17 Jul 2025 - 28 Aug 2025
Kelp & Cask
Join us for Kelp & Casks, a highly spirited collab between Mures Kelp Bar and our friends at Battery Point Distillery.
24 Jul 2025 - 26 Jul 2025
Ability to Create: InvisAbility
An interactive art exhibition celebrating the many ways we see and are seen, through sound, projection and visual arts.
19 Jun 2025 - 27 Dec 2025
High Tea, Asian Style!
Get ready for an afternoon stacked with flavour. On your savoury tier: house-made pork siu mai, crispy prawn wontons, and golden spring rolls.
24 Jul 2025 - 24 Jul 2025
Baroque and Roll | Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
Think orchestral music is slow? This concert is a chaotic cacophony of Baroque madness. Rebel wrote Les Élémens about the explosive creation of life
25 Jul 2025 - 11 Aug 2025
Celebrating National Tree Day | Handmark Artists | Group Exhibition
Handmark is excited to present our annual National Tree Day Exhibition, with 10% of all sales going to the Cancer Research Fund.
2 May 2025 - 26 Sep 2025
Healthy Hobart – Healthy Kids: Dance
Join in for some fun and learn new ideas to get your kids active in your home.
6 Jun 2025 - 6 Apr 2026
Arcangelo Sassolino: in the end, the beginning
Italian sculptor Arcangelo Sassolino brings his experiments with force, change and some very hot steel to Mona.
15 Feb 2025 - 16 Feb 2026
Théo Mercier: MIRRORSCAPE
Five countries, five exhibitions: France, Germany, Estonia, Denmark, and now Australia. The latest iteration of Jeremy Shaw’s new venture arrives at Mona.
20 Jun 2025 - 26 Jun 2026
Hobart Twilight Market Brooke Street Pier
The Hobart Twilight Markets showcases a wide variety of Tasmanian eats, drinks and artisans, along with live music from local talent.
All events