18 things to do to make your May magnificent in Vienna

The Vienna Jewish Film Festival will take place in Vienna this month, and it’s got a fascinating screening program lined up this year. The festival will see a raft of movies being screened across the city, and an additional program of other kinds of events attached.  For detailed info on the festival, check the program here.

Burlesque icon Dita Von Teese returns to Vienna to turn the Burtgtheater into a glamorous variety theatre for a night of cheeky fun. For Glamonatrix she’s also invited some of the most renowned burlesque artists to reinterpret the classic variety shows of the 1940s in a modern way. With breathtaking performances and extravagant costumes this should be a night to remember!

It’s summertime! Halleluja! You know what that means – you and your butt should be sitting in a different Schanigärten every damn day, and be trying out all those restaurants you always wanted to go to before its too cold to sit outside again.

Check out this guide on Schanigärten in Vienna if you’re looking for places where you could be bingeing on Spritzers in the sun.

The Filmcasino will be the site of the mini fantasy film festivalin May, with a program so well curated, every film is worth checking out. If you’re not in the know on what the slash film festival is all about – think of a festival screening all kinds of scary, fantasy and all kinds of films that warp your mind. This May instalment will be just a taste of what’s to come at the main event happening in fall. Be sure to check out the programme online!

The Edelstoff market is back! We remember our time at the last Edelstoff Designmarkt fondly – we were greedily munching our way through the different street food stands while looking at some damn hip design, art and jewellery. Multitasking is a glorious thing.

We like that even though there’s always a big, young crowd at Edelstoff, it never gets too full, or stressful. The market will also feature the traditional hoard of food trucks to splurge at, while they also have some neat DJ tunes in the background to serve your hedonistic urges. 

What better way to celebrate diversity than with a ball? Wear spandex or a ball gown and party until dawn at this celebration of everything and everyone. Every gender, age, sexual orientation and disability will be in one fabulous setting at the Kursalon on Saturday to welcome each other and themselves in this safe and spectacular place.

The 8th of May marks the day where World War IIofficially ended in Europe. For that occasionthe Mauthausen Committee Austria organizes the annual Festival of Joy. Not only do they celebrate the liberation from the Nazi rule, but also commemorate the millions who were prosecuted and murdered under the regime.

This year’s theme is ‘Political Resistance’, which is still quite relevant in current times. On the programme are various speeches, a short film screening and a live concert by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.

This may not be the big COMIC CON of Vienna, but for those of you that need your fix of comics, fancy dress and panel discussions before November, then this fair is the perfect fit. They’ve got a huge program lined up, including guest speakers from a variety of countries and Cosplay Photo opps, there will be plenty to do for comic nerds.

They will be many events from the 9th -13th leading up to their main event at Metastadt on the 14th and 15th. The full program is available, here.

This special format of the Parallel Vienna art fair focuses on editions, graphics, small sculptures, objects, sculptures, and art books. So if you feel like browsing through some artsy stuff you should definitely make your way to the Semperdepot on one of the days it’s happening. Or on all of them if you wanna be extra artsy.

This has to be one of the city’s most beloved spring events of the year. Taking advantage of the lovely Stadtpark’s atmosphere and colour in spring, the Genussfestival will see hundreds of artisanal food makers from Austria’s regions occupy the park with stands selling their tasty wares.  This one is for the ‘Feinschmecker’ in the bunch and those that like the idea of lazing in the grass of a park with a glass (or bottles) of good Austrian wine with some friends.

Ethnocineca is a film festival filled with international documentaries, and it will finally be in person again! The festival’s central theme this year is ‘Entangled Realities’ and there’ll be 57 different short and feature length films relating to this subject. You can find the whole program, online.

This multidisciplinary art festival is offering up 5 months of events that embrace the culture and arts scene from a range of different angles.

In past years, some of the stuff in the program has been avant-garde to the point of being confusing, and some of the stuff caters to the age-old crowd that has been going to the festival for years. One thing is for sure –  you’ll always experience something new at the Wiener Festwochen.

You should check out the programme now if you’re into this sort of ‘tang.

It doesn’t take much to spend an amazing evening at the Donaukanal. And we suggest you spend a bit of time down there by the waterside during August. Make sure to follow our list of the DOs and DON’Ts so you truly enjoy the Donaukanal to the max during the summer and check out our ultimate guide to what’s happening on the Donaukanal in 2022!

While this festival is not just about the food, it does feature many stands serving up a lot of exotic cuisines from all over the world (which you don’t typically easily find in Vienna). The Südwind Straßenfest will be filling up the courtyard of the Uni Campus at the Altes AKH. All kinds of cultures will come together, selling their tasty meals and their beautiful handicraft. There will be live music as well as DJ sets, yoga and dance workshops, talks and discussions. Oh, and a raffle!

No, this is not going to be THE Ross from the actual TV show. Instead, it’s British producer Felix Clary Weatherall who has been producing bangers under this name since 2012. But trust us when we say that you should still check him out even if it’s not what you expected when reading the title.

This is a whole festival dedicated to food—now that’s something. Exhibitors from all around the globe are gathering at the Stadthalle to prepare some culinary treats for you and your friends to salivate over and eat, of course. Expect bodacious burgers, Vietnamese street food, crêpes, waffles, and much much more.

The Vienna Shorts is an annual international film festival where you can catch short films galore at various cinemas around town. This year the festival will finally be in person again and take place in various locations. Be sure to check out the film program, as there’s plenty of quality stuff in there. Many of the films have actually been nominated for various film awards. Just sayin’.

Summer days can get pretty hot in Vienna, so what better way to cool off from the scorching heat than jumping into the refreshing waters of one of the city’s many outdoor pools. Whether you’re a serious swimmer, or just one of those pool loungers standing in the serious swimmer’s way, it’s time to get your bathers out of the closet.

Most of the public pools also have spacious green areas, which are perfect for lying around and getting your tan on. Some of them even come with awesome water slides. And believe us when we tell you: you’re never too old for those things!

Not sure which one to visit? Then check out this guide we made.