Thousands of revellers have stripped down for an early morning dip to welcome the winter solstice.
About 3000 people took part in the annual event held at Long Beach in Tasmania’s Sandy Bay on Friday morning, braving icy conditions for the swim, with temperatures reaching 7C.
The solstice is celebrated around the world with festivals and events held in the northern and southern hemispheres to mark the shortest day of the winter or the day with the least amount of sunlight.
The winter solstice swim is held annually by the Museum of Old and New Arts (MONA) as part of the festival of the bizarre, also known as Dark Mofo.
The festival’s organisers aim to challenge the public’s perception of art.
The festival, which wraps up on Sunday, ran a reduced program this year in a bid to find a more sustainable financial model.
Dark Mofo artistic director Chris Twite said the festival had established itself as a beacon of artistic exploration and challenged ideas for a decade, immersing audiences in the depths of darkness and the heart of winter.
“This year, by taking a fallow year, we are taking a crucial step in ensuring that Dark Mofo continues to be a catalyst for artistic innovation, cultural dialogue and shared experiences for many years to come,” he said.
“While the festival rests in 2024, the solstice does not, and we are excited to gather once more to present two popular pillars of the Tasmanian midwinter, along with some exceptional extra events.”
The event has grown over the past 10 years after just 300 people braved the cold water in its first year. It was expanded from 2000 participants to 3000 in 2024 due to high demand and a record turnout in 2023.
“Every year we are inundated with messages from disappointed punters who missed out on a spot,” Dark Mofo executive producer Melissa Edwards said.
The festival generates about $20m to the state economy each year and was awarded $7.5m in funding from the Tasmanian government in 2021 for a period of three years.
Despite the funding, rising costs and changing conditions meant event organisers had to pause the festival this year
Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the government would continue to work closely with event organisers on their plans for 2025.
“(MONA founder) David Walsh contributes so much to Tasmania, and we will continue our partnership with him and his team to deliver Dark Mofo into the future,” he said.