They say it’s impossible to dance and be angry at the same time. Something about the combination of lights, laughter, and music just has a way of always turning frowns upside down. Festivals are all about encouraging people to dance, sing, and bond with one another. Vienna hosts plenty of festivals each and every year.
We’re not just talking about music festivals either; art, food, film – the Austrian capital hosts festivals for every occasion you can think of. No matter the month or the season, there’s always something on the calendar. There are large scale events like the Wiener Opernball and there are smaller-scale events like the Vinyl & Music Festival. It’s no wonder why they call Vienna “the City of Music”.
These are our picks for the top festivals in Vienna. The price of admission varies greatly from one event to the next and we’ll include links to each event’s website down below. Before you head out for your festival adventure, leave extra gear and backpacks at a Vienna luggage storage service.
We’ve heard of music festivals, book festivals, and even pet festivals before. Just when you think you’ve seen it all, Vienna hits you with their annual coffee festival. As the name implies, the Vienna Coffee Festival is a massive event dedicated to everyone’s favorite black beverage.
The festival features tons of coffee tastings as well as panels from some of Europe’s top brewing companies. New flavors are displayed each year. We’re talking about rare and exotic coffee blends that are incredibly hard to come by. The Vienna Coffee Festival is a must for coffee connoisseurs.
Winter in Vienna is always a special occasion. Heaps of snow cover every inch of the city, people really get into the holiday spirit, and Vienna Ice World begins. Rathaus, Vienna’s city hall square, becomes an enormous ice skating rink. Guests of all ages are encouraged to join in on the fun, even if you’ve never ice skated a day in your life.
This event starts in December and ends in February. Whether you’re celebrating Hanukkah or Christmas in Vienna, or if you’re kicking off the New Year, you don’t want to miss out on Vienna Ice World.
For those who don’t know, Vienna is one of the world capitals of Classical music in Europe. A myriad of famous composers traveled to and played in Vienna during the 18th and 19th centuries. We’re talking about legends like Beethoven, Hayden, and Mozart. Today, festivals like the Wiener Opernball keep that tradition alive and well.
The Opernball is an opera festival of epic proportions. It’s held each year at the illustrious Vienna State Opera. History repeats itself whenever the Opernball kicks off; the greatest musicians from every corner of Europe play their hearts out to an adoring audience. Only this time, you can be a part of that adoring audience.
So the Wiener Opernball has the Classics covered, but what about contemporary artists? That’s where the Vinyl & Music Festival comes in. As the name implies, this music fair is dedicated to vinyl records and the songs recorded on them. It’s the perfect place to go loot digging as you’ll find all kinds of records here. The records are just the tip of the iceberg though; live DJs are always putting on shows whenever the Vinyl & Music Festival comes to town.
Last but not least, this event features jukeboxes and pinball machines straight from the late 1960s. The Opernball might be a blast from the past, but this festival really is a present from the present.
You’ve got to admire Vienna’s festival scene. It’s just so incredibly diverse! Events like Vienna Ice World make for unforgettable winters. The Vinyl & Music Festival is a haven for DJs and record heads. Then, there’s the Bread Festival. Brotfestival, as it’s called in German, is exactly what it sounds like – an annual extravaganza with bread as its centerpiece.
Kruste & Krume are the masterminds behind this event. The Bread Festival grants visitors a closer look at the art of baking and a chance to eat some of the tastiest pastries in the city.
Who says you can’t have fun and get a good workout at the same time? Certainly not the folks behind the Argus Bike Festival. This event is dedicated to all things bicycle. Visitors are free to watch Vienna’s BMXers soar through the air and perform death-defying stunts.
Or… guests can strap on their helmets, hop on their bikes, and join in on the fun! We’d be remiss not to mention the bike merchants and exhibitors who attend this festival each year.
Food, glorious food. Austrian cuisine has enjoyed international popularity for as long as we can remember. Bratwurst, Apple Strudel, Sachertorte — all of these items are Austrian staples. Vienna is a city that deeply appreciates the culinary arts. Ergo, the Genuss Festival.
You can find dishes from all around Austria at this event. It’s a kind of food fair where vendors set up shop and guests chow down to their heart’s content. The Genuss Festival is typically held at Stadtpark. We think that’s a great move because you’ll most likely need to walk off some of that schnitzel.
Those flickering lights…. that eerie clicking sound… What kind of bone-chilling horror is this?! Well, it’s the /SLASH Film Festival. Those lights and that sound? All of that’s coming from film projectors.
The /SLASH Film Festival is a true delight for film aficionados. Each year, more than 60 films are screened across 11 days. Genres range from sci-fi, suspense, action, and of course horror. Grab your tickets and have a scary good time at the /SLASH Film Festival.
Why not next check out our Vienna city guide for more information on the cultured Austrian captial.
