Austria's Cultural Celebrations: Traditions And Festivals

Austria is a country steeped in tradition, with a rich history of cultural celebrations and festivities. From Christmas markets to summer solstice bonfires, there is always something to look forward to in Austria. With 13 public holidays a year, Austrians know how to celebrate, and their traditions are known for their authenticity and sincerity. So, what exactly does Austria celebrate? Well, there is no shortage of festivities throughout the year, from the famous Vienna Ball Season to the mystical Rauhnächte (Rough Nights) between Christmas and New Year.

Christmas markets, festive treats, and Advent wreaths

Christmas Markets

Austria is famous for its Christmas markets, which spring up in cities and towns across the country from mid-November until the end of the year. These markets are full of twinkling lights, handcrafted gifts, and festive treats. The scent of mulled wine and roasted almonds fills the air, and carols ring out from loudspeakers. Visitors can expect to find everything from handcrafted gifts and decorations to traditional Austrian food and drink.

Some of the most popular Christmas markets in Austria include:

• The Christkindlmarkt on Vienna's Rathausplatz, which features countless stalls, a tree full of hearts, and a children's programme.
• The Salzburg Christkindlmarkt at Dom and Residenzplatz, where traditional huts fill the heart of the city's baroque old town.
• The Christkindlmarkt in Innsbruck's old town, where the sound of tower brass players and the scent of mulled wine and roasted chestnuts create a cosy Christmas atmosphere.
• The Hellbrunn Advent Magic in Salzburg, where an eight-metre-tall Christmas Angel towers over a fairy-tale forest of 700 fir trees adorned with 10,000 red baubles and fairy lights.
• The Christmas Market at Schönbrunn Palace, which offers a blend of handicrafts, regional delicacies, and festive magic.

Festive Treats

Austria has no shortage of delicious treats to enjoy during the festive season. Here are some of the most popular:

• Vanillekipferl: Light, crescent-shaped biscuits with a vanilla flavour.
• Glühwein: Hot, spiced mulled wine, perfect for warming cold hands at the Christmas markets.
• Roasted almonds: A savoury snack, often enjoyed straight from the bag at the Christmas markets.
• Gingerbread: Known as "honey cakes", these spiced biscuits are a staple of Austrian Christmas celebrations.
• Kletzenbrot: A traditional Austrian Christmas fruit loaf.

Advent Wreaths

The Advent wreath is a popular symbol of Christmas in Austria. It typically features four candles, one of which is lit on each of the four Sundays in Advent, counting down the weeks until Christmas Eve. The lighting of the fourth and final candle is a sign that Christmas is near. The tradition of the Advent wreath is believed to have originated in Germany in 1839 before spreading to Austria and becoming a beloved part of the Christmas celebrations.

New Year's celebrations and the Vienna Ball Season

New Year's celebrations in Austria are a big deal. With fireworks, concerts, balls, parties, waltzing, and lucky charms, it's a time to ring in the new year in style.

In Vienna, the entire inner city becomes a massive party zone on New Year's Eve, attracting up to one million people annually. The Silvesterpfad "New Year's Path" starts at 2 pm on December 31 and ends at 2 am on January 1. There are concerts on the streets, dancing to the ever-present sound of the waltz, and the latest chart hits. At midnight, fireworks light up the sky, accompanied by all the church bells ringing, and half the town dancing to the Blue Danube Waltz.

On New Year's Eve and January 1, the Viennese State Opera and the Volksoper host gala performances of Johann Strauss' "Die Fledermaus" ("The Bat"). The Vienna Philharmonic also has a long tradition of celebrating New Year's Day with a lively and nostalgic music programme from the vast repertoire of the Johann Strauss family and its contemporaries. The Vienna New Year's Concert delights a live audience in the Musikverein and is broadcast to approximately 50 million viewers in over 90 countries, making it the most famous classic concert in the world.

The Vienna ball season is an annual cultural and social highlight. Each year, more than 450 balls take place in the city, with the season starting on November 11, just in time for the start of the carnival season, known locally as Fasching. The Vienna ball season reaches its peak in January and February, with the old tradition of Carnival balls continuing to thrive. The balls offer more than 2,000 hours of dancing, with a mix of the traditional three-four rhythm of the waltzes and more contemporary sounds, offering something for every taste.

The balls are held by different organisations and groups, such as one for lawyers or one for students of a particular university. The dress code is usually black tie, with women wearing floor-length gowns and men in black jackets and trousers. The only women who wear white are those participating in the Cotillion at the opening of the ball. The balls are all-night affairs, with guests dancing until the early hours of the morning.

So, whether you're waltzing in a magnificent hall or celebrating on the streets, Austria knows how to welcome in the New Year.

Easter traditions and celebrations

Easter in Austria is a religious occasion steeped in tradition and celebration. The Easter period in Austria is marked by cultural highlights such as Passion Plays, Palm Sunday and Easter markets.

Food and Drink

Food plays a central role in Easter celebrations in Austria. The pig has long been a symbol of good luck and prosperity, so it is customary to eat pork or boar. Lamb and rabbit are also common dishes, although chocolate rabbits are usually reserved for children. Bread and pastries are also Easter staples, including Easter bread with raisins, braided or twisted, and Sachertorte, a type of cake. A traditional Easter brunch includes sweet bread (Osterpinze), cold cuts, coloured eggs and horseradish.

Decorations and Crafts

Eggs are a key symbol of Easter in Austria and are incorporated into seasonal arts and crafts. The contents of real eggs are blown out, leaving a hollow shell that can be painted or decorated with beads, fabrics, ferns or flowers. These decorative eggs are hung in windows, on plants and on bunches of willow twigs. They are also used to create centrepieces, combined with pussy willows and spring flowers like tulips.

Easter Trees

In the weeks leading up to Easter, people buy thin tree branches, often willow, and place them in a vase to create an Osterbaum (Easter tree). Ribbons and decorated eggs are hung from the branches.

Easter Bunny

The Easter bunny (Osterhase) is a mythological figure that hides colourful eggs, sweets and small gifts for children to find, either in the house or, if the weather is warm, in the garden.

Easter Markets

Austria is known for its Easter markets, where regional foods, crafts, gifts and decorations are sold. Vienna's main Easter markets are held at Schönbrunn Palace and Freyung, where there are also craft workshops for children.

Easter Fires

In the Alpine provinces of Austria, Easter fires are lit on mountain peaks after sunset on Holy Saturday. Bands of musicians travel through towns, playing sacred hymns. These fires are sometimes called Judas fires, as effigies of Judas Iscariot are burned in them. This tradition dates back to pagan times, when fires were lit to celebrate the arrival of spring.

May Day and the maypole

May Day, or Staatsfeiertag, is a public holiday in Austria. It is a day of no work, commemorating the nation-building efforts of workers, and is marked by parades and speeches in the bigger cities. It is also celebrated as the arrival of spring.

The maypole, or Maibaum, is a longstanding tradition in Austria. It is a decorated tree or tree trunk, usually erected on 1 May, or the evening before, in the village square. The maypole is a symbol of fertility and is thought to have originated as a memorial to St Walburga, an English abbess of the 8th century. The worship of Germanic forest deities is the origin of the maypole, which has been speculated to have had importance in Germanic paganism.

The maypole is a huge tree with a long wooden trunk, a wreath, and a fir tree tip at the top. Customs on 1 May and the night before include maypole scrambling, stealing the maypole, and May parades with brass bands. There are clear rules for stealing the maypole: it may only be stolen on the night of 1 May, the tree must already have been felled, and the theft must not be discovered by maypole guards. If the theft is discovered, the guards must release the tree in exchange for a crate or barrel of beer.

The maypole is traditionally set up with the help of long poles, but nowadays tractors, forklifts, or cranes may be used. In Lower Austria, ropes and ladders are used. The raising of the maypole is followed by a maypole dance, accompanied by brass band processions through country towns.

National Day and political milestones

Austria's National Day, also known as Nationalfeiertag, is celebrated on 26 October. The day is dedicated to the political milestones achieved in Austria since World War II. It is a significant day for the country as it celebrates the re-establishment of Austria's sovereignty and the end of the Allied occupation.

After World War II, Austria was occupied by the four Allied forces: the Soviet Union, the United States, Great Britain, and France. They divided the country and its capital, Vienna, into four zones. The Austrian parliament, though democratically elected, had to seek approval from the Allied Control Council for every government decision.

In 1955, Austria successfully negotiated an end to the occupation. The Austrian State Treaty was signed on 15 May 1955 and came into force on 27 July 1955. On 26 October 1955, the Austrian Parliament passed the Federal Constitutional Law on the Neutrality of Austria, declaring the country's neutrality and its decision to not be involved in any military alliances. This day has been celebrated as Austrian National Day since 1965 and was designated a public holiday.

On National Day, the Federal Government holds a series of events and traditions in Vienna. The Federal President honours the victims of resistance and lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. New recruits of the Austrian Armed Forces are sworn in, and the Council of Ministers holds a festive meeting. The Federal President also addresses the nation in a televised speech.

Additionally, open houses are held at the Office of the Federal President, the Federal Chancellery, ministries, and other public institutions. Austrian embassies worldwide celebrate by hosting various events for Austrian citizens. The day also includes military parades and cultural performances. It is common for Austrians to wear the country's colours, red and white, and many local authorities organise cultural events and military displays.

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