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
- 2023 dates: July 27th to 30th
- See also:
Pop music from Austria
(The Popfest atmosphere. Photo © Simon Brugner)
Vienna may be known for its classical concerts, but (like any big city) it has a vibrant wider musical scene.
Each year, Popfest Wien brings the latest offerings from pop and related genres to town on various stages in and around the 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.
2023 dates and tickets
The event normally takes place at the end of July and 2023 is no exception: July 27th to 30th.
After previous uncertainty regarding events and regulations, the festival returned to normal in 2022 with various offerings on Karlsplatz square and in surrounding locations like the Künstlerhaus building, the TU Wien university, the open-air Karlsgarten, and the Karlskirche itself.
(Curators for the 2023 event: Anna Mabo and Dorian Concept; press photo © Ingo Petramer)
Check with the official website for details of the next event, once available.
Attendance is normally 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
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