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EVENTS

Nine unmissable events in Austria in March 2023

From food and wine events to live music and a course on climate change, here are the top events taking place across Austria in March.

Published: 27 February 2023 13:37 CET
Updated: 28 February 2023 16:18 CET
Nine unmissable events in Austria in March 2023
Elevate in Graz is just one event in Austria taking place in March 2023. (Photo by Johanna Lamprecht for Elevate)

March 1 – 5: Elevate Festival, Graz

Elevate is an annual interdisciplinary festival with a focus on cultural and socio-political issues. The programme includes live music, lectures, workshops, installations and performances. The five-day event takes place in and around the Graz Schlossberg. For more information visit elevate.at.

March 2 – 5: Artacts Festival, St. Johann, Tyrol

Artacts is an annual jazz and improvisation festival held in the ski resort town of St. Johann in Tyrol. This year will mark the 23rd year of the event and the lineup includes Austrian and international jazz acts. A one day adult ticket costs €30. The full programme can be found at artacts.at.

March 4 – 5: Vinyl and Music Festival, Vienna

This festival is a mixture of live music, record exchange, get-togethers and 150 exhibitors. Highlights include live music by Mella Casata and Bad Ida. The event takes place at the Ottakringer Brewery in Vienna. Tickets are €15 for Saturday and €10 for Sunday. More details about the event can be found here.

March 4 – 12: WIKAM (Vienna International Art and Antiques Fair), Vienna

The WIKAM Spring Fair takes place at Palais Ferstal on Strauchgasse. Visitors should expect classic antiques and contemporary art, as well as attendees from around the world. There will also be a retrospective of the Viennese painter and graphic artist Wilhelm Jaruska. An adult day ticket costs €14. For more information about the fair, visit wikam.at.

March 6 – 12: Restaurant Week, nationwide

The 26th Restaurant Week is a chance to explore Austria’s culinary scene at fixed prices, with the choice between a two-course lunch or a three-course dinner. Visit dierestaurantwoche.at to find participating restaurants near you.

March 9, 16 and 23: Carbon Literacy Training for Sustainable Futures, online

This course, run by Klimafit, is aimed at educating residents in Austria about climate change, its impacts and how everyday people can make a positive difference. The course operators are based in Innsbruck but the three sessions will be held online (and in English), so they can be accessed by anyone in Austria. The registration fee is €150 and more information can be found at klimafit.eu/events.

March 9: Weinviertel DAC Wine Tasting, Linz

The Linz wine tasting event is part of a Weinviertel DAC tour across Austria and Germany in 2023. Growers and winemakers will present the 2022 vintage, offering tastings and information. The event will take place at the Design Centre Linz. Advance tickets cost €20 and include wine tastings, water and bread. Find out more here.

March 25 – 26: Easter Market, Salzburg

Easter is an important celebration in Austria and – like at Christmas – Austrians love to mark the occasion with special markets. In Salzburg, the artisan markets are held for two weeks before Easter, so March 25 and 26, and then on April 1 and 2, from 10am to 6pm. You can find the markets at historic Gwandhaus on Morzger Strasse and more information here.

March 25: Masters of Dirt, Innsbruck

Masters of Dirt – Elements 2023 is a freestyle motorsport event featuring motocross bikes, snowmobiles and quad bikes. Expect to see riders doing huge jumps and stunts, alongside light displays and music. The Innsbruck event is part of a global tour and there are two performances on March 25 at 2pm and 8pm. Find out more here.

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For members

EVENTS

The best festivals and events taking place in Austria this autumn

With autumn just around the corner, we look at the cultural, foodie and historical events you should check out in Austria.

Published: 11 September 2023 17:14 CEST
Updated: 18 September 2023 16:56 CEST
The best festivals and events taking place in Austria this autumn

Cultural highlights

If you have a keen interest in cinema then the Viennale is for you.

The annual international film festival, which takes place from October 19th to October 31st this year, will include feature films from Austria, Argentina, France, Belgium and the USA to name but a few. 

Screenings take place at various venues across Vienna, such as Gartenbaukino on Parkring, Stadkino im Künstlerhaus and Urania on Uraniastrasse.

The full Viennale programme will be published on October 10th at 8pm.

Theatre fans have been enjoying the the festival Europa in Szene since it started in Wiener Neustadt on September 6th. But if you still want to catch it, it runs until September 24th. 

The event, which takes place in the Kasematten, is being held under the motto: ‘Sea Change – The Art of Transformation’.

The show takes a close look at transformation in various formats. The programme includes music theatre, performances, dialogues and other theatrical events. 

Medieval festivals

Fancy getting into the spirit of the past? Then check out one of Austria’s medieval festivals.

The Knights’ Festival at Liechtenstein Castle in Judenburg, which took place on September 16th and 17th, showcases traders, magicians and jugglers as well as a fire show and a knights’ tournament. 

The Medieval Festival at Finstergrün Castle, Salzburg  is on the same weekend. You can expect dance and musical performances, show fights, fire shows, and of course food and drink.

And in the Castle Park (Schlosspark) Laxenburg in Lower Austria, the knights’ tournament on horseback is taking place on several dates in September.

Beer festivals

Did you think Oktoberfest was just for Germany? Well, think again!

From September 21st to October 8th, you can pull on your dirndl or lederhosen (this is optional!) and head to the Kaiser Wiesn at the Vienna Prater.

The Wiesn, which is the biggest Oktoberfest-style event in Austria, will see groups of friends come together to enjoy huge beers, regional delicacies and live music. There are also lots of children’s activities planned.

Visitors can enter for free on the day but tickets are needed for many of the evening performances.

A person gives a thumbs up to beer

Thumbs up to beer. Photo: MabelAmber/Pixabay

Meanwhile, if you fancy trying out some beer a little later in the year, there’s the Craft Bier Fest in Vienna.

Taking place on November 10th and 11th at the Marx Halle in the capital, you can expert a huge variety of beer from a selection of different breweries as well as street food. 

Day tickets can be bought in advance for €15 each, and a two-day ticket costs €25. 

Wine events 

If wine is more your thing, then head to the annual wine harvest festival, Retzer Weinlesefest, in the Weinviertal region in Lower Austria.

It takes place from September 22nd to 24th in Retz’s main square and visitors can enjoy wine tastings, live music, entertainment, a wine growers’ parade – and even a fireworks display on the Sunday evening. 

If you want to combine wine with hiking, then get involved in Vienna’s Wine Hiking Day ,taking place on September 23rd and 24th.

Every year, Viennese wine taverns (Heurigen) open to hikers who can go for a brisk walk with stunning views and sample local wines. The Heurigen also offer delicious snacks including bread with various spreads and Marillenknödel (apricot dumplings – an Austrian specialty). 

READ ALSO: German word of the day – Marille

Participants can choose from four different routes for the hike – ranging from 2.4km to 9.6km.

There is the option of using the Heurigen Express instead. This train service departs from the U4 station at Heiligenstadt and takes you into Vienna’s wine country.

Don’t forget to check out Sturm, the very alcoholic drink made from the first grapes of the harvest season.

It is traditionally sipped by Austrians in early autumn. The season usually runs from late September to early October. 

Apricot dumplings are an Austrian speciality.

Apricot dumplings are an Austrian speciality. Photo: RitaE/Pixabay

READ ALSO: The best Austrian wineries to visit this summer

Food festivals 

Austria is home to some delicious specialties including the Knödel dumpling (OK, these dumplings are German too). 

And on September 23rd, a one-day event celebrating Knödel and Tyrolean culture is taking place – and it shouldn’t be missed by foodies. 

The Knödelfest  in St. Johann, Tyrol, starts at 11 am. Visitors should come hungry because they can sample 22 different dishes from the world’s largest Knödeltisch (dumpling table). Crowd favourites include bacon, cheese and apricot. You can also expect live music and lots of drinks.

Later in the month, from September 27th to 29th, a three-day foodie event will take place in Vienna, showcasing cuisine from the Waldviertal rural region, which is located north west of the capital.  

Expect plenty of tasty food, locally made beer and wine, as well as arts and crafts stalls. 

Waldviertelpur takes place at Vienna’s Rathausplatz and it’s free to enter.

READ ALSO: Schwammerl season – what is it and when does it start?

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