A new harvest festival (ernte.dank.festival) has been with us since 2024 in a celebration of Austrian agriculture in the big city.
- Lots of regional food & drink
- Music and other entertainment too
- 2027 dates: TBA (was Sept 12-13 in 2026)
- See also:
The harvest festival
(The reds, greens and yellows of agricultural produce)
Once a year in early September, Austria’s agriculture descends on Vienna to offer thanks for the harvest, showcase its products, and educate city dwellers in the ways of the rural world.
Fortunately, many of those products are edible or drinkable, so a big chunk of the festival is turned over to stands and marquees brimming with regional specialties.
Great rounds of mountain cheese might nestle next to rows of homemade jams. Perhaps apples and apricots, pumpkin oil and pancakes, carp and organic kebabs.
Beer, wine, schnapps and fruit juices flow, with a chance to sample some of the regional classics. On my visit, for example, I spotted favourite beers from Zwettl and Weitra as well as Heuriger wine.
(Not common vehicles in central Vienna)
Quite apart from the foof and drink, the festival also offers entertainment and information.
For the former, you might find, for example, machine displays, chainsaw shows, kids activities, and a programme of musical treats (assuming you like brass bands and folk dancing).
For the latter, numerous educational stands offer information about national parks, agricultural education and more.
For the tourist, it seems a marvellous opportunity to work your way through the culinary concoctions of an entire country without leaving Vienna.
Dates, tickets & tips
The traditional date for the Erntedankfest is a weekend in September. I don’t have 2027 dates at the time of writing, but the previous edition ran across September 12th and 13th.
No ticket is required to enter the festival.
Vienna has a few other events with a strong regional agricultural and food component. See, for example, the Genuss Festival, Steiermark Frühling, Burgenland Kultinarium or Waldviertelpur.
The regular home to the Ernetdankfest is Heldenplatz square right in the centre. If you’re there, you’re surrounded by history and tourist attractions. Check the Hofburg overview for details or Part 2 of my suggested walking route that passes through the square.
How to get to the Erntedankfest
Follow the Heldenplatz link above for travel tips, but you’re right next to subway stations like Volkstheater on the U3 and U2 lines, not to mention tram stops for the 1, 2, D and 71 lines.
Address: Heldenplatz, 1010 Vienna | Website