Tasmania's ports will host major summer events including yacht races and festivals, attracting over 100,000 people. TasPorts urges visitors to plan ahead for festive road closures.
Posted
22 December 2025
Tasmania’s ports will once again come alive this summer with the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, Launceston to Hobart Yacht Race, Taste of Summer, and New Years Eve events set to draw crowds of more than 100,000 people.
TasPorts encourages Tasmanians and visitors to our festival state to plan ahead with several road closures in place over the festive period.
A cornerstone of Hobart’s summer calendar, the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race returns for its 80th running in 2025.
More than 120 yachts are expected to complete the passage from Sydney to Hobart, berthing across Kings Pier Marina, Constitution Dock and Elizabeth Street Pier. Thousands of spectators traditionally line the waterfront to witness yacht arrivals and take part in associated celebrations.
Franklin Wharf between Constitution Dock and Hunter Street will be closed to traffic from Thursday 18 December 2025 to Saturday 3 January 2026.
Established in 2007, the Launceston to Hobart Yacht Race follows a demanding course down Tasmania’s east coast and has become a well-recognised fixture on the state’s sailing calendar.
Yachts are expected to berth between Elizabeth Street Pier and Brooke Street Pier, with an event information presence located at the Elizabeth Street Pier forecourt.
To support public safety an additional road closure will be in place on Franklin Wharf between Elizabeth Street and Constitution Dock from Saturday 27 December 2025 to Thursday 1 January 2026.
Taste of Summer will return over the 2025/26 period, showcasing the very best of Tasmanian food, drink and culture, featuring local producers, hospitality operators and entertainers.
The festival is open daily from Saturday 27 December 2025 through to Saturday 3 January 2026, offering a mix of ticketed and free entry sessions, including a free community access period on New Year’s Eve.
Hobart’s New Year’s Eve fireworks will again provide a focal point for celebrations, delivering a major public event set against the waterfront backdrop. There will be two fireworks displays, one at 9.30pm and one at midnight, welcoming the new year with a highly attended, family-friendly celebration.
TasPorts will work closely with the City of Hobart and event partners to support expanded public viewing areas and safe crowd movement along Franklin Wharf and surrounding precincts. Combined with the race villages, Taste of Summer and designated public spaces, New Year’s Eve continues to attract tens of thousands of people to the waterfront.
To support public safety for the fireworks celebrations City of Hobart will be implementing road closures across the entire Sullivans Cove waterfront district, including Franklin Wharf, Morrison Street, Gladstone Street, Salamanca Place and sections of Murray Street and Elizabeth Street. These closures will be in place from Wednesday 31 of December 2025 to Thursday 1 January 2026.
TasPorts is proud to play a central role in these iconic Tasmanian events, which celebrate Hobart’s maritime heritage and enliven the waterfront. From world-class yacht races to Taste of Summer, this vibrant season offers something for everyone and highlights the best of Hobart’s summer.
