THE Winter Solstice celebrations made their way to New Norfolk last weekend at Glen Derwent’s “Dark Derwent”.
Liz Virtue, owner of Glen Derwent said her event “exceeded all expectations”, selling almost 500 tickets.
“It was a real family event, it was the biggest event that we’ve had in our courtyard, people definitely are ready to come out again,” Ms Virtue said.

Just as Dark Mofo is a showcase for Tasmanian creators, Dark Derwent was an opportunity to show the creations of Derwent Valley, with local breweries and vineyards supplying the drinks. The Lions Club also took up the tongs to supply food for those who braved the mid-winter night, and live music from local bands kept the event goers entertained.

Starting in the late afternoon and continuing up until midnight, the event brought in a diverse mix of families and visitors through the gates.
“We had 478 tickets sold, 344 adults, 101 children, 24 teenagers and nine babies, so it was a real family event,” Ms Virtue said.
The reach extended well beyond the Valley too, with guests making their way to the event from far afield. The appeals of the Valley and the reach of the Mona event in Hobart combined to build Glen Derwent and Derwent Valley tourism.
“It brought in people from all over, it was a great evening.”