As they say in the Seven Kingdoms, winter is coming. But that’s no excuse to hibernate, and this year there’s plenty going on across Australia to entice you out of the house, from Sydney’s annual festival of lights to Hobart’s homage to the winter solstice. Read on for our picks.

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Sydney: Vivid Sydney

It would be remiss of us to discuss an Australian winter without starting with its biggest cultural celebration, Vivid Sydney. From May 2-June 17, the city comes to life with spectacular lights, interactive displays and illuminated buildings, from the Botanical Gardens and The Rocks, over to Chatswood, Barangaroo, Martin Place and beyond. Meanwhile, the stellar musical line-up includes Fleet Foxes (performing their first album in six years), Laura Marling, Nick Murphy (FKA Chet Faker), AIR, The Avalanches, Sampha, and more.

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Hobart: Dark Mofo

Without a doubt, Dark Mofo is the weirdest festival of any kind that Australia has to offer. Yeah, it’ll be extremely cold in Hobart in June, but believe us when we say it’s worth it. The musical line-up includes post-rockers Mogwai, Indigenous hip-hop duo A.B Original, ear-splitting black metal and death metal from Norway, Scotland and around the world. There’s also controversial art, one-of-a-kind theatrical performances, fire, food, plus nude swimming on the winter solstice for those willing to brave the (very) cold water of the River Derwent.

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Byron Bay: Splendour In The Grass

Byron Bay’s annual Splendour in the Grass festival takes place from July 21-23 and is set to be one of the event’s best years to date. The 2017 edition will showcase some of the world’s biggest artists, with stellar headline sets expected from The XX, Queens of the Stone Age, Sigur Ros, LCD Soundsystem, ScHoolboy Q, Royal Blood and more, alongside local favourites like Peking Duk, Tash Sultana, Dune Rats and Dan Sultan. The biggest and best winter music festival in Australia, it’s a must-do experience at least once in your life.

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Adelaide: Adelaide Cabaret Festival

And now for something a little different: from June 9-24 this year, Adelaide will be hosting its acclaimed Cabaret Festival. Special highlights include an incredible one-man show from the one and only Alan Cumming, performances from Courtney Act and Bill Frisell, and what’s sure to be a stunning performance from five-time Grammy winner Dianne Reeves. There’s all sorts of quirky, cute and downright bizarre cabaret, burlesque and alternative performance, plus a full comedy program, it’s hard to know where to start – and that’s before we even begin to think about the food and wine! If ever you needed a reason to visit South Australia, this is it.

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All Over: Winter Festival Australia

While most of the country doesn’t get real snow, there’s something enchanting about it all, and the Winter Festival Australia is here to help us imagine a magical, snowy Christmas, like something straight out of the movies. The travelling festival visits Sydney, Fremantle, Brisbane and Canberra across June and July. There’s open-air ice skating, toboggans, fake snow, markets, hot drinks, giant slides, igloos and more, including live music, skating performances, and even a troupe of handsome Saint Bernards – so your childhood dream of having a white Christmas can (kind of) come true.

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Feature image: Jack Toohey

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There’s no better way to get the most out of your weekend than by experiencing something original and new. The celebrations continue with the help of Absolut Botanik Collektiv – click here for more information.