Skip the black tie, evening gown or opera glasses for a change of musical pace. The Popfest Wien festival showcases the latest Austrian pop music. And it’s free.
- Multi-day festival with open-air and indoor stages
- Dozens of acts and a supporting event programme
- Pop, hip hop, and similar genres dominate
- 2021 dates: Jul 22-25
- Split between Karlsplatz and Arena Wien in 2021
- See also: The Buskers festival | Events in Vienna
Pop music from Austria
(Popfest curators, Esra Özmen (left) and Herwig Zamernik)
Vienna may be known for its classical concerts, but like any big city there’s a vibrant wider musical scene.
Each year, Popfest Wien brings the latest offerings from pop and related genres to the city on various stages in and around Vienna’s central Karlsplatz square.
Popfest performers include established stars in the Austrian firmament as well as relative newcomers. And the locations typically vary from a waterborne stage in front of the giant Baroque Karlskirche church to the hallowed halls of a local university.
Various side events and activities accompany the music, too.
2021 dates and tickets
The 2021 Popfest Wien takes place from July 22nd to July 25th in a slightly different format.
Thanks to ongoing uncertainty regarding events and regulations, the open-air part of the festival moves to the Arena Wien venue (July 22nd, 23rd and 24th).
The curators for the 2021 event (rapper and all-round artistic talent, Esra Özmen, and musician and producer, Herwig Zamernik) are planning indoor events around the usual Karlsplatz location, but these can only be finalised nearer the time when we have more clarity on COVID rules.
Attendance is free thanks to sponsors like the Wiener Städtische Versicherung (the same insurance folk who do the Ringturm exhibitions) and the Arbeiterkammer Wien (the representative organisation for Vienna’s employees).
How to get to Popfest Wien
Arena Wien is at Baumgasse 80, 1030 Vienna and only a short walk from Erdberg subway station on the U3.
Popfest’s traditional home on Karlsplatz is not just a large open space for outdoor events, including the fantastic divina art Christmas market: it also sits on top of one of the city’s main transport hubs.
Subway: take the U1, U2 or U4 lines to Karlsplatz station
Tram/bus: Take the 1, 2, D, 62 or 71 trams to Oper/Karlsplatz
Address: Karlsplatz, 1010 Vienna | Website