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CLIMATE CRISIS

Climate protesters disrupt opening of Salzburg Festival

Climate activists have disrupted the opening night of the Salzburg Festival of music and theatre in Austria, an activist group said, in the latest such protest to target an arts venue.

Salzburg Festival
Actors perform on stage during a dress rehearsal of Hugo von Hofmannsthal's drama "Jedermann" (Everyman) on the Domplatz ahead of the 2015 Salzburg Festival in Salzburg, Austria on July 16th, 2015. Photo by: AFP PHOTO / CHRISTIAN BRUNA

“We are the last generation capable of preventing the point of no return,” three young activists from the Last Generation group shouted at the festival’s premiere of “Jedermann” (Each Man) late Friday, before being escorted away by security, according to a video posted by the group on social media.

Founded in 1920, the Salzburg Festival is one the world’s top classical music festivals.

“The citizens of the Last Generation Austria demand that we face this question as a whole society,” the group said in a statement. “Especially now, when global heating is getting more out of control and is making itself felt all over the world with ever more extreme temperatures and ever more destructive weather, they can no longer look away.”

The protest came as swathes of southern Europe and the United States were baking in record heatwaves.

The festival disruption marked the latest protest by climate activists at high-profile venues.

At the golf British Open on Friday, protesters set off a smoke flare and threw orange powder onto the course before being arrested.

During the recent Wimbledon tennis tournament, protesters from the Just Stop Oil campaign group disrupted play by running onto courts in two separate incidents. The group had previously targeted the Ashes cricket series and the English Premiership Rugby final.

In recent months, climate protesters have also glued themselves to the base of an ancient sculpture at the Vatican Museums; to Johannes Vermeer’s “Girl With a Pearl Earring” painting at The Hague; and to works by Francisco Goya in Madrid.

In Germany, activists have flung mash at a Claude Monet work and in London’s National Gallery, they have dumped cans of tomato soup over the glass protecting Vincent van Gogh’s “Sunflowers”.

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10 unmissable events in Austria in July 2024

July is soon here and it is a great month to be in Austria with many festivals and events taking place all over the country. From a famous Kirchtag in Carinthia to the Salzburg Festspiele, where are some you need to attend.

10 unmissable events in Austria in July 2024

Villach Kirchtag

Villach Kirchtag is a traditional festival taking place annually in Villach, Carinthia.

This year, the festival goes on from July 28th to August 4th and offers days filled with live music, artistic performances, amusement rides, and traditional local cuisine and beverages.

Here, people dress up in dirndl and lederhosen, drink local beers, and enjoy Carinthian food such as Reindling (a type of sweet bread), Kasnudeln (cheese-filled pasta), and the traditional Kirchtag soup.

At the festival, you can meet both locals from the region and visitors from everywhere and together enjoy dancing on the street to different kinds of music all night long.

Find out more about the festival on its website

Food Festival Graz

This culinary festival takes place in Graz from June 30th to July 7th and gives you the opportunity to try everything from local specialties to international cuisine.

The aim of the festival is to provide unforgettable culinary experiences to every enthusiast and budget.

Apart from great food, you can enjoy live music, drinks, cooking shows, workshops, presentations, and other events.

You can read more about it here

 
 
 
 
 
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Wellenklänge Festival

Wellenklänge Festival is a famous cultural event held annually at the beautiful lake Lunz in Lower Austria.

The festival takes place July 12th to 27th this year and offer a diverse range of performances and artistic presentations, including music, theatre, dance, and visual arts.

The festival is known for its unique setting on the shores of the lake surrounded by tall mountains. It has also earned a reputation for its high artistic quality and diverse cultural activities set in beautiful natural surroundings.

READ MORE: Four of the best hidden villages in Austria’s Salzkammergut region

Rock im Dorf 

If you are a fan of heavy riffs and drum beats, head to Kirchhdorf in Upper Austria July 5th to 7th and enjoy Rock im Dorf, also known as ‘rock out in the village’. 

With two stages and a full programme, the Rock im Dorf festival will let you enjoy bands such as MIA., Bilderbuch, Mayberg and Endless Wellness Frittenbude. 

Camping is also possible with a pass (€5) in the Upper Austrian Traunviertel. 

 
 
 
 
 
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Carinthian Summer

Embrace the summer with Carinthian Summer: a huge music and cultural festival held annually since 1969 in the Austrian province of Carinthia.

This year the festival takes place from July 6th to August 4th. 

Here you can head to venues around Lake Ossiacher, Villach, Klagenfurt,  and other parts of Carinthia to check out a diverse range of music, whether it is classical, jazz or rock/pop. 

You will also find some experimental music in the festival programme to inspire audiences of all ages. 

The Rising Stars concerts are some of the festivals highlights. Here young artists gets promoted and integrated into the festival. 

Butterfly Dance Festival 

Put on your dancing shoes and join the Butterfly Dance Festival in Schlosspark Esterházy, Eisenstadt, Burgenland.

On July 5th, you can dance to soul, hip hop, funk, jazz, and other types of music in the beautiful Schlosspark in the capital of Burgenland.

Acts such as Kruder & Dorfmeister and Thievery Corporation will provide the perfect soundtrack, and dance instructors will be on stage to guide you.

You can read more and buy your tickets here

 
 
 
 
 
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Poolbar Festival 

The popular Poolbar Festival takes place annually in the medieval town of Feldkirch in Vorarlberg. This year, you can expect a program packed with concerts, readings, quizzes, cabarets, and more.

The lineup includes artists Wiegedood, Steel Pulse, Lena & Linus, Orbit, Klangkarussell, and Betterov.

The festival kicks off on Thursday, July 4th, and runs until August 11th.

On their website, you can check out the detailed program

READ ALSO: How to spend a summer afternoon in Austria like a local

Salzburger Festspiele

The Salzburg Festival is an annual celebration of art and culture in the historic old town of Salzburg. This year, it takes place from July 19th to August 31st.

Salzburger Festspiele is considered one of the most important festivals in the world for opera, classical music, and theatre. The organisers sell over 200,000 tickets each year.

The festival hosts world-famous orchestras, conductors, opera singers, and actors. The Vienna Philharmonic is one of the orchestras present every year.

You can see the program and read more about the festival here.

 Salzburg Festival is known worldwide for its qualitative performances. Photo by HANS JOERG MICHEL, AFP.
 

Nordkette Wetterleuchten

For those who love electronic music and to be surrounded by Austria’s tallest mountains, heading to this festival high above Innsbruck might be a great idea. 

The 21th edition of the Nordkette Wetterleuchten Electronic Music Festival takes place July 13th to 14th. 

As a festival visitors, you will be transported up the mountain 2,000 metres above sea level where you can enjoy famous DJs, live acts, and local Innsbruck legends.

As well as electronic music, the festival also offers panoramic views of Innsbruck and great food and drinks. 

Klima Biennale Wien

Enjoy the last weeks of this climate festival which goes on until July 14th at various locations all over Vienna.

The festival explores how art, design, architecture, and science can contribute to creating a sustainable and liveable future while also considering the impacts of climate change.

At the festival you can experience a wide range of performances, exhibitions, talks, concerts, and workshops.

If you want to participate, you can buy a festival pass at various locations, for which you pay as much as you like. You can, for example, buy it at the Museum Hundertwasser.

 
 
 
 
 
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READ MORE: 8 Austrian tourist spots likely to be overcrowded this summer

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