Festival of Voices 2026: Your complete guide to Tasmania’s winter singing celebration
Tasmania’s best-sounding festival is back. Festival of Voices ’26 runs from 3 to 12 July (with regional and workshop programs beginning as early as 28 June), filling Hobart’s waterfront, historic venues, pubs, breweries, and regional towns with voices, harmony, and community energy. Now in its 21st year, it’s Australia’s largest singing festival and one of our island’s most beloved winter traditions.
Whether you’re flying in for the weekend or planning a full Tasmanian road trip around the program, this guide covers the essential dates, highlights, venues, and logistics.
What is Festival of Voices?
Festival of Voices began in 2005 as a small gathering of music lovers around a winter fire. Today, it’s grown into a 10-day celebration featuring local, Australian, and international talent across choral concerts, community singalongs, workshops, cabaret, comedy, and free pop-up performances. The guiding philosophy is simple: singing is for everyone. Connection through music is something Tasmania does exceptionally well.
The 2026 edition is particularly significant. It marks 21 years of the festival through introducing several new additions to the program, including the Voices on the Road regional touring format and a new Choir Lounge at Salamanca Arts Centre.
Key Dates at a Glance
- Regional and workshop programs: from 28 June 2026
- Main festival program: 3-12 July 2026
- Locations: Hobart (primary), Launceston, Burnie, St Helens, and regional Tasmania
- Tickets and full program: festivalofvoices.com
Festival Highlights: What’s on in 2026
The Big Sing — 3 July, Princes Wharf 1, Hobart (Free)
This is the centrepiece of the festival.
Every year, thousands of voices come together on Hobart’s waterfront for a free, family-friendly, community singalong. The 2026 edition features Casey Donovan leading a mass rendition of this year’s Big Sing song, My Island Home, alongside Tom Thum, Uncle Gus and The Rimshots, Men in Suits, Queensland Show Choir, Pitches Be Crazy, and Pop Choir.
Hosted by John O’Hara and Gorgi Coghlan. Starts 5:30 pm at Princes Wharf 1 on Castray Esplanade.
Parking: Morrison Street, Castray Esplanade, and Salamanca Place
Entry is free. No booking required. Rug up.
Tom Thum: Beatboxing Phenomenon
One of the world’s most extraordinary beatboxers, Tom Thum has logged more than half a billion views on his live performance videos. His 2013 TEDx talk at the Sydney Opera House is the most-watched TEDx talk of all time with over 75 million views. At Festival of Voices 2026, he performs a headline show at Altar Bar, conjuring orchestral sweeps, jazz, 80s synths, and techno using nothing but his voice. He also runs a hands-on beatbox workshop at the Youth Arts and Recreation Centre.
Casey Donovan @ Multiple Events
Casey Donovan appears across the festival in three distinct formats. She leads the Big Sing mass chorus on 3 July, performs as part of Older. Wiser. Louder. on 6 July (a powerhouse celebration of women’s voices alongside Gorgi Coghlan, Prof. Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO, and others), and plays her only Tasmanian solo show — Casey Up Close — at the award-winning Josef Chromy Wines in Relbia on 5 July.
The latter is an intimate acoustic performance, accompanied by guitar, and includes Australian Idol classics, musical theatre hits, and new original songs performed live for the first time. Tickets are very limited. Relbia is a 20-minute drive from Launceston… and easily paired with a Tamar Valley wine tour. You know how to get there. Ready to book your car with us?
Lior with a String Quartet — 8 July, Theatre Royal
One of Australia’s most celebrated singer-songwriters performs at the Theatre Royal alongside Strings on Fire in a chamber-style evening. Lior reimagines selections from his catalogue wrapped in lush string arrangements. Intimate and elegant. And only a walk from our office!
Spend your evening with David Campbell — 3 July, Federation Concert Hall
David Campbell swaps the big band for a piano trio to deliver an up-close cabaret performance of timeless material from Bobby Darin, Johnny O’Keefe, and more. Storytelling, soul, and that signature voice.
Michael Paynter: The Great Australian Songbook Tour — 10 July
Fresh from his acclaimed run as Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar, Michael Paynter brings a stripped-back celebration of iconic Australian songs in an intimate touring format. Amen!
Club Broadway — 11 July, The Grand Poobah, Hobart
We may be a ways away from Broadway, but Tasmania brings it to you. A glitter-drenched musical theatre party on a full club sound system. Hits from Hamilton, Wicked, Six, Chicago, Rent, Disney, and more, hosted by DJ Dan Murphy. And costumes are very much encouraged.
Apple Shed Shindig — 11 July, Willie Smith’s Apple Shed, Huon Valley
You know we love Willie Smith’s! Selling out every year it runs, this community favourite takes place at one of Tasmania’s most beloved venues. Led by choir legend Rose Wilson and folk band WolfeFolk, the evening starts with a three-part harmony arrangement of Mumford & Sons’ I Will Wait (with a live six-piece band), then rolls into traditional Tasmanian tunes, bluegrass, and crowd singalongs including I Will Survive and Mamma Mia.
No singing experience required. Willie Smith’s Apple Shed is about 40 minutes south of Hobart — ideal for an afternoon drive through the Huon Valley before the show. Ready to go? Meet you there!
A Choral Soirée at Parliament House
In a new venue for 2026 (with Government House hosting a change of Governor), this intimate choral concert is held in the Reception Room at Parliament House. The internationally acclaimed Auckland Youth Choir, directed by David Squire, performs a beautifully curated program. Premium tickets include reserved seating and a glass of bubbly post-performance (don’t mind if we do…); standard tickets are also available.
Speed Dating with Composers — 4 July, Paranaple Convention Centre, Burnie
A full-day songwriting workshop followed by a one-night-only concert. Singer-songwriters Daniel J Townsend, Jenny Mitchell, and Meg Washington guide participants through an immersive day of collaboration and music-making — then workshop participants join the artists on stage to perform what they’ve created.
This event takes place in Burnie on Tasmania’s northwest coast, about 2.5 hours from Hobart. Ask us for recommendations along the way if you’re making the trek!
Country Pub Chorus: The Wolfe Brothers
4 July at Easy Tiger, St Helens (East Coast Tasmania) and 5 July at the Longley International Hotel (although, at the time of publication, this one is SOLD OUT!)
The Wolfe Brothers lead classic country pub singalongs with lyrics provided — no auditions, no nerves. The St Helens edition is a perfect excuse to drive Tasmania’s east coast… Just saying.
Older. Wiser. Louder. — 6 July, Hobart
A powerhouse evening celebrating women’s voices, stories, and lived experience. Casey Donovan, Gorgi Coghlan, Anna-Lee Robertson, Amanda Hodder, Prof. Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO, Jean Stafford, Maria Lurighi, Xani Kolac, and Hobart Harmony collectively represent decades of award-winning artistry across recording, stage, and choral leadership.
This will be magic.
Gillian Cosgriff: Life, Oh Life — 3 July, Theatre Royal Studio
Award-winning musical comedian and festival favourite Gillian Cosgriff returns with a suitcase of sharp humour and original songs exploring modern existence. Playful, quick, and not to be missed.
Salamanca@6 — Peacock Theatre (Selected Evenings)
Five intimate evening showcases at the Peacock Theatre spotlighting emerging and early-career Tasmanian singers and ensembles. Tickets are inexpensive and the programming is genuinely unpredictable: some of the festival’s most memorable moments happen here.
Why not celebrate some epic emerging Tasmanians while you’re here? Maybe you will see the next rising star on their come-up!
The Singers’ Lounge and Choir Lounge @ Salamanca Arts Centre, nightly from 3–11 July
The Singers’ Lounge is a festival institution: a late-night space at Salamanca Arts Centre where the line between professional and amateur blurs and surprises happen nightly. In 2026, it’s joined by a new Choir Lounge upstairs for the first time. Both are free or low-cost.
Lunchtime at St David’s — Multiple Weekday Afternoons
Free lunchtime vocal performances at St David’s Cathedral in the heart of Hobart CBD. A warm, beautiful mid-festival option. Our Hobart City office is only a stone’s throw away.
Stumble across something in the state-wide popup program
Choirs and vocal groups perform in public spaces throughout the festival: Salamanca Market, waterfront precincts, cafés, breweries, and unexpected indoor venues across the state.
No tickets required — you’ll stumble across these performances. Keep an eye on the Festival of Voices website for the released schedule.
Workshops: Sing, Learn, and Participate
Festival of Voices isn’t a passive event! Join in – the workshop program in 2026 spans baroque to rock, and includes:
- Classical Choral Workshop with Dr Elizabeth Scott (distinguished choral conductor returning after a successful 2024 visit)
- A Cappella Masterclass with Melissa Kenny (8–10 July), culminating in a performance at Federation Concert Hall
- AC/DC Choral Workshop (11–12 July) — a high-energy choir experience devoted entirely to AC/DC’s music
- Beatboxing Workshop with Tom Thum (Youth Arts and Recreation Centre)
- Xani Looping Workshop (2 pm, 9 July) — improvisation and looping with voice or instrument
- Sea shanties, gospel, songwriting, and more…
Worth noting: multi-concert ticket buyers save up to 15% on full-price tickets when booked in one transaction.
Voices on the road: regional Tasmania tours
New for 2026, Voices on the Road is a series of four curated three-day small-group touring experiences. Participants are bused to unique regional locations across Tasmania — performing in local venues and connecting with communities far beyond Hobart.
Non-singers are explicitly welcome to come along and listen. The tours are supported by the Tasmanian Government through Events Tasmania.
Venues and getting around
Festival of Voices is genuinely spread across the state. Having your own car gives you access to the full program — especially the regional highlights that are otherwise difficult to reach.
Key Hobart venues: Princes Wharf 1 (Salamanca/waterfront), Federation Concert Hall, Theatre Royal, Salamanca Arts Centre, The Grand Poobah, Altar Bar
Regional venues: from Burnie to Launceston to the East Coast, we can get you there. Book a hire car with Drive Car Hire to enjoy Tassie to its fullest.
Getting to Hobart for Festival of Voices
Most visitors fly into Hobart Airport (HBA), located 17 kilometres east of the city. Direct flights operate from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, and other Australian capitals. Launceston Airport (LST) is the second gateway, useful if you’re visiting the north and northeast of the state as well.
Picking up a hire car on arrival gives you the flexibility to attend festival events across multiple regions. Drive Car Hire operates from both Hobart Airport and Hobart City, with electric and hybrid vehicles available — ideal for navigating Tasmania’s scenic regional roads without worrying about fuel.
Practical Information
What to wear
Tasmania in July is cold, often wet, and occasionally windy. Layer up for outdoor events like the Big Sing and Pop-Up Programs. Hobart’s indoor venues are well-heated.
Accessibility
The festival is committed to delivery of an accessible, inclusive experience for all. Accessible parking noted at major venues. Contact the festival for wheelchair bookings.
Sustainability
Eco-friendly practices are embedded across festival operations – from waste reduction to energy efficient production to ethical sourcing.
Pair it with a Tasmania Road Trip
Keen for a mid-winter Tasmanian road trip? July is prime season for a mid-winter adventure. Explore the Huon Valley’s ciders, the Tamar Valley Wine Region, cradle country, or the Bay of Fires – or all of the above!
An Easter egg: our Festival of Voices discount
If you’ve read this far, we’re excited to share our FOV2026 discount with you.
We’re offering a special 10% discount on our daily car hire rate (so this does not apply to your insurance or optional extras) which is valid for all bookings 2+ days.
Pickup and drop-off at our Hobart City and/or Hobart Airport locations.
Use promo code “FOV2026” for 10% off car hire
Discount is active as of now and applies to any Festival of Voices rentals between 1 July and 12 July. Test it out when you book your car.
Let us know that you found the Easter egg! Well done, you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. It’s a free, all-ages, all-welcome event at 5:30pm on Hobart’s waterfront on 3 July. Bring your kids… and maybe a thermos.
Not at all! Many events are pure concerts or comedy. Workshops and singalongs are designed for all ability levels – some even explicitly state “no experience required”.
Yes, and for most of the regional program, it’s the only practical way. A hire car from Hobart or Launceston is your easiest option,
Some events sell out quickly! Book in advance where possible.
Plan your festival road trip with Drive Car Hire
Drive Car Hire offers vehicle pickup from Hobart Airport, Hobart City, and Launceston Airport. With everyday, sports, luxury, hybrid, and electric vehicles, our cars are well-suited to Tasmania’s regional road network, and all vehicles are available for multi-day hire to match your festival itinerary,
Book your rental car at drivecarhire.com.au.
Published by Drive Car Hire – Tasmania’s top reviewed, locally owned car rental company. Serving visitors to Hobart and Launceston since the 1980’s. First in TAS to offer EV rentals. Go with the locals!