Vienna is alive with the sound of music
it‘s the eurovision song contest, luv!
After Austrian singer JJ won the competition last year, the Eurovision Song Contest is taking place in Vienna between 12. and 16. May 2026 — just a few weeks away!
And the city is buzzing with preparations and good vibes! So, if you have already booked your trip to Vienna to be part of the big event, here are a few recommendations from my side for your trip.
Maybe you have your tickets for one of the semi-finals or even the final in the „Stadthalle“. If not, you can always join a public viewing. The big one is taking place in the big square in front of Vienna‘s City Hall. But if you prefer a smaller venue, there are a lot of pubs in the city where you can join other Eurovision enthusiasts.
But what to do during the week? Why not start with a visit of the exhibition „United by Queerness“ at Qwien and dive into memories of 70 years of the Eurovision Song Contest.
I was lucky to join a tour of the exhibition today done by Gerd Brandstätter (left, a colleague of mine as an Austrian guide) and Max Bauer (right, radio host of the Austrian radio station Ö3). Their enthusiasm and personal experiences of all aspects of the Eurovision Song Contest is infectious. And it is this enthusiasm that visitors to Vienna will experience in the weeks before but especially during the week of the big event.
For more information:
https://www.ogae-austria.at (the official fan club)
