The 2026 ECHO Festival, set to take place in Swansea between 13 and 15 March next year, is expected to help increase visitor numbers to the east coast and provide a boost to the local economy.
Jane Howlett speaking at the launch of the 2026 ECHO Festival.
Speaking at the launch of the festival in Hobart on Thursday, 26 November, Minister for Tourism, Hospitality and Events Jane Howlett said “we all love our east coast, and that’s what it’s about”.
“It’s encouraging regional dispersal, getting people into our regions and experiencing everything wonderful that the east coast has to offer,” she said.
“So, I hope the festival continues to share the stories of the east coast for many, many years to come.”
Howlett added that the festival – which began in 2019 to fill a gap in the cultural calendar and explore the stories of the east coast – has grown significantly “from little things”, and that this is a credit to its founder and creative director Ange Boxall, her team, and the many volunteers who bring the festival to life.
Jen Fry, chair of East Coast Tasmania Tourism.
Also speaking at the launch was the chair of East Coast Tasmania Tourism, Jen Fry, who said events like the ECHO Festival are “incredibly important for regional economies”.
“They’re really good at drawing in new types of people [who] dip their toes in our water and [are] like, ‘Oh yes, we’re coming back. I’m bringing the kids, I’m bringing my dad’ – whatever it is,” she told those who attended the launch.
“That inspiration is a really important part of what events do for our regional economy. Events employ locals. They purchase local products. They keep our economy ticking, especially in the shoulder season.”
East Coast is Centre Stage
ECHO founder Ange Boxall tells Tasmanian Times that the state’s east coast directly inspired the theme of the 2026 ECHO Festival, ‘Layers: Woven in Time’.
ECHO founder Ange Boxall.
“The East Coast is full of layers – stories, memories, landscape and community – and ECHO is where those threads come together,” she says.
Next year’s festival, she adds, will feel “textured, grounded and unmistakably east coast” as a result.
“ECHO centres [on] local voices – producers, artists, knowledge holders and storytellers. Seasonal food, site-based performances and community partnerships keep [it] deeply rooted in place. The coast isn’t a backdrop at ECHO; it’s an active part of the experience.”
Boxall says community is woven through the entire festival, and curiosity will guide the experience.
“People [will] wander, meet someone new, learn a skill, or discover a story they didn’t expect. It’s often these small, meaningful moments that become festival highlights.
“If people leave feeling inspired, grounded and full of good memories, [then] the theme has done its job.”
Boxall explains that ECHO will continue to grow in ways that support local community needs.
“Programming is more place-responsive and participatory, strengthening the festival’s role as a creative gathering deeply rooted in the east coast.”
For more information on the 2026 ECHO Festival, click here.
The launch of the 2026 ECHO Festival.
Callum J. Jones is passionate about telling stories. He studied English, History, and Journalism at the University of Tasmania and lived in Western Sydney from 2022 to 2024 while working as a journalist for Professional Planner, a leading online publication for financial planners. Callum has written for Tasmanian Times since 2018 and has also been published in a range of other outlets, including Quadrant and the BAD Western Sydney anthologies.
Tasmanian Times (TT) is a community-based news and current affairs service covering the island state of Tasmania. It exists to provide a diverse presentation of Tasmanian issues. TT creates and supports independent media content utilising the best of modern technologies and tried-and-true practices of public-interest journalism.
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