Austria Festivals and Events

Austria is renowned for its traditions, splendour and grandeur.  One of the best experiences is to enjoy one of the many festivals or events that occur all year in Austria.  From music to dancing to enjoying Austrian cuisine- there is something for everyone.

Here are some of the festivals and events:

Event Calendar

Click on the month to jump to that point in the Calendar. 

January

• New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day concert by the Vienna Philharmonic at Musikverein
• Hahnenkamm World Cup Ski Race– Kitzbühel in mid-January WEBSITE
• Mozart Week in Salzburg. Late January to early February WEBSITE

February

• Fasching is carnival season in Austria, with balls, parades, and parties. It traditionally starts on November 11, but the real start of Fasching activities is January 6 (Epiphany). Fasching ends at midnight on Shrove Tuesday (Faschingsdienstag).
• Vienna Opera Ball. The most famous and grandest Ball of the Carnival season is held on the last Thursday of Fasching at the Vienna Opera House.

March

• Viennese Easter Markets Starting around two weeks before Easter, they usually run until Easter Monday. Vienna hosts three main Easter Markets: Altwiener Ostermarkt, Am Hof and Schönbrunn.

Other cities and villages may also host Easter Markets.

April

• Donaufestival Festival International musicians and artists present their works, performances and installations. End of April in Krems and der Donau. WEBSITE
• Vienna Marathon. Mid-end of April. WEBSITE

May

• International Music Festival at Musikverein in Vienna in early May to mid-June. WEBSITE
• Vienna Festival (Wiener Festwochen) operas, operettas, musicals, theatre, and dance performances. The second week of May until mid-June. WEBSITE

June

• Midsummer night festival bonfires and folkloric events in the Tyrolean valley towns and the Wachau region along the Danube in Austria. June 15-22.
• Styriarte Graz. This cultural event features a different theme every year. Late June to mid-July. WEBSITE
• Vienna Jazz Festival The program has over 50 international and local jazz stars from late June to mid-July. WEBSITE
• Austrian Grand Prix, the annual Formula 1 at the Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Styria, Austria. End of June. WEBSITE

July

• Vienna Rathausplatz Film Festival Free showing of operas, concerts, and musical performances on a giant screen from dusk. Various stalls sell food and drink.
• Kaprun Burgfest The popular medieval festival has a large craft and medieval market in front of the castle, a children’s programme, and a tent city with many activities. End of July (July 19-21, 2024) WEBSITE
• Vienna International Dance Festival mid-Jul to mid-August WEBSITE
• Donauinselfest Vienna Outdoor music festival with international superstars. WEBSITE
• Tyrolean Festspiele Erl The annual festival contemporary compositions, chamber concerts and operas. WEBSITE
• Bregenz Summer Festival From mid-July to mid-August.WEBSITE
• Salzburg Festival a premier cultural event with opera, chamber music, plays and concerts, held at various venues throughout Salzburg. Late July to late August WEBSITE
• Carinthischer Sommer Music Festival held annually since 1969 in Ossiach, Villach and other venues in Carinthia.July to August WEBSITE

August

• Grafenegg Festival is a Classical music festival held in Lower Austria in Grafenegg (near Krems an der Donau) from mid-August to early September WEBSITE
• Saalfelden Jazz Festival international jazz and breathtaking Alpine scenery. WEBSITE

September

• Mittersill Strudelfest Over 20 different varieties of strudel, live music, children’s program takes place at the beginning of September. WEBSITE
• Vienna Wine Hiking Day Vienna’s unique vineyards can be explored annually in autumn on the wine hiking day. Normally the end of September. (Sept 28-29, 2024) WEBSITE
• International Bruckner Festival, Linz. This month-long festival features concerts, theatrical presentations, art exhibits, and fireworks. From mid-September to early October. WEBSITE
• September 24 St Rupert’s Day Fair. Celebrating the Patron Saint of Salzburg, with music, children’s events and food. WEBSITE

October

• Viennale – The film festival shows everything from avant-garde to old classics. WEBSITE
• Almabtrieb– In early October in the Alpine regions, the cows come down from the mountains dressed in their finery. Various events, parades and food to celebrate.  Dates in Zillertal

November

• St. Martin’s Day is Celebrated on November 11. Eating a goose (known as Martinigansl) is traditional, which you will see on many restaurant menus.
• Christmas Markets—From late November to December 24th, many villages host their own Christkindlmarkt. The most famous markets are in Vienna, where there are ten main markets plus others. Other popular markets are in Salzburg, Innsbruck; and on the shores of Wolfgangsee in the villages of St Gilgen, Strobl, and St Wolfgang.

December

• Krampuslauf (Krampus Run) Traditionally takes place on December 5/6th. The Krampus is a goat-footed, half-demon hairy devil figure with horns who disciplines naughty children. Various parades of Krampus occur in the Alpine villages of Salzburgerland and Tirol. Traditionally St Nikolaus visits with Krampus.
• St Nikolaus Day On December 6th Nicholas comes with his angels and distributes gifts to the good children.
• Christmas.  Austrians celebrate on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve, shops close at around 4 p.m. It’s not Father Christmas or Santa Claus who brings  presents – it’s the  Christkind who comes in the form of an angel with white feathery wings, a halo above his head, and blond curls
• Perchten At the end of December, the Perchten travel around the Alpine regions between Christmas and the Epiphany. They drive away the evil spirits of winter. They are said to drive out winter spirits with hideous faces, the rattling of chains and loud bells and the touch of the horses’ tails they carry with them brings good luck. The Perchten look somewhat similar to Krampus.

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