There’s never a dull moment in the city of Hobart with lively festivals and events running throughout the year. Some of the best events are not well publicised, so it pays to check local listings or ask at the visitor information centre to see what’s going on during your visit. Some of the bigger and more popular events are listed below.

A Day on the Beach: Australia Day celebrations are enjoyed at Kingston Beach with a variety of festive activities including those of cultural and sporting natures.

AAMI Hobart Cup: this annual sporting event is usually held on the first or second Monday in the month and is one of the most popular events in Tasmania’s horseracing calendar.

Clarence by the Water Jazz Festival: held at a number of venues on Hobart's eastern shore, this lively music festival runs for six days during which time some of Tasmania’s most gifted jazz musicians showcase their talents.

Three Peaks Race: if you’re at the right place at the right time you can catch sight of the competitors taking part in this unusual event which sees a combination of sailing and running. The event lasts four days, during which time boats race around the Tasmanian coast and runners takes on gruelling uphill off-road courses.

Annual Round the River Community Fun Run and Walk: locals don their running or walking shoes and join hoards of other participants in taking on courses which stretch to five kilometres long.

Targa Tasmania: this exciting car rally sees some of the city’s main roads closed to the public and opened to some of the world’s fastest cars for the southern loop of this spectacular competition.

Longest Night Film Festival: scheduled to coincide with the longest night of the year, this annual festival sees nine days of movie screenings at North Hobart’s State Cinema and the Peregrine Theatre at Antarctic Adventure.

Devonport Jazz: held in neighbouring Devonport, this lively affair brings the best of Tasmania’s jazz players plus others from across Australia to a number of different venues to showcase their talents in the various different styles of jazz music.

Blooming Tasmania: beginning in September and running through May, this festival sees a variety of botanically and horticulturally themed events including garden open-days, flower shows, contests and more.

Royal Hobart Show: this annual event is one of the most popular on the city’s calendar coinciding with the arrival of spring and the warmer weather. The show sees a variety of events set in themed areas such as the Food and Wine Gallery, Entertainment Pavilion, NAB Arena and World Bazaar Pavilion.

Royal Hobart Wine Show: held at the Royal Showgrounds, this event is a must for all wine lovers and gives visitors the chance to sample a large selection of locally and nationally produced vintages. There’s also a contest with a much-coveted title for which entrants from across the country and New Zealand also compete.

Hobart Christmas Pageant: always a lively affair, the Hobart Christmas Pageant sees streets closed for parades, live music performances, stalls and more.