Australia's best winter festivals, worth travelling for

These winter festivals are about to illuminate different parts of Australia.

Vivid Sydney, NSW

May 26 to June 17

This is the OG - the festival that first put "winter" on the travel map. It's back for the 13th time with an exhaustive program of unmissable light installations and live shows, and with a special emphasis on eating out with Vivid Food, a festival-within-a-festival concept. It can all get a bit overwhelming, so here's a definitive guide to the best of Vivid. Check into a harbour-view room at the Four Seasons Hotel, grab a cocktail and lobster sliders at Aster rooftop bar for stellar views, and explore the 8.5-kilometre illuminated walk (with 49 light installations and 3D projections), which starts off in Circular Quay, visits Barangaroo and Darling Harbour, and ends up at Central Station. And don't even think about missing the stars of White Lotus, Mike White and Jennifer Coolidge, in conversation with writer Benjamin Law at ICC Sydney on June 10. vividsydney.com

Illuminate Adelaide, SA

July 7-23

Not one to be left behind, the City of Churches (and festivals) has a Vivid of its own, with a spate of dazzling displays in the city that you can check out for free along with world-class ticketed shows. Awaken your senses at Mirror Mirror, the show from Montreal, which involves wandering through several halls of illuminated surfaces. illuminateadelaide.com

Rising: Melbourne, Vic

June 7-18

Lightscape, which lights up Melbourne's Royal Botanic Gardens from June 16 to August 6, is the obvious choice when it comes to festival of light in Victoria. But pay heed to Rising, too, which features heart-stopping stunts in shows like Tanz, immersive Indigenous exhibitions such as Shadow Spirits, sweeping dance performances like the Australian Ballet's Identity and thought-provoking theatre such as Jacky. But Rising's piece de resistance is Dutch artist Daan Roosegaarde's Spark, which will unleash clouds of arial bioluminescence - inspired by fireflies and stars - above Federation Square from June 7-10. rising.melbourne

Moama Lights, NSW/Vic

June 30 to July 23

It's not just the big cities stealing the show this winter; the twin towns of Echuca and Moama, perched on the NSW-Victoria border, with the mighty Murray zigzagging between them, are drawing the crowds, too. Brillant moving-light displays are part of the show here, too, only in this instance they're not competing with already-lit skyscrapers. There will be beer gardens, food trucks and plenty of entertainment for the young ones, including an ice-skating rink. moamalights.com.au

Returning to the Tasmanian capital for its 10th anniversary, Dark Mofo is a high-intensity tapestry of bold performances, engrossing art and all-night revelries. But the experience isn't complete without at least one visit to the Dark Park, which is anything but lightless, thanks to a series of eight kinetic light sculptures that re-create planetary orbit in a show called Silent Symphony. darkmofo.net.au

June 23 to July 9

Strictly speaking, this is not a festival, but it might just as well be considered one - such is its appeal. In 2022, Australia's beloved steam train, Puffing Billy, was decked up in colourful lights for the first time, allowing visitors to traverse through Victoria's magical Dandenong Ranges at night and take in a colourful lightshow. The event was an instant hit with families and tickets sold out within days. And this year's event will be no exception. Tickets will go on sale soon. puffingbilly.com.au