Switch off the streaming service, blow the dust off your LPs, and fire up the turntable. Time to dive into music that comes with “authentic” written in large neon letters on the album cover. It’s the Ottakringer Vinyl & Music festival.
- Music fair and festival with dozens of exhibitors
- View and buy (lots of) vinyl LPs, but also instruments, artwork, and more
- Also live acts, bars & street food
- Big instrument maker presence too
- 2027 dates: TBA (was Mar 7-8 in 2026)
- Book a short walking tour* for your Vienna trip
- See also:
What’s it all about?
(Inside the festival. Photo courtesy of Vinyl & Music; photo by Esther Crapélle Photography)
Think of the festival as everything music, but without the veneer of corporate marketing.
Like a musical artiste that refuses to be pigeonholded into a single genre, Vinyl & Music defies classification. It’s an exhibition and trade fair. A live gig and art gallery. A meeting point and dinner date.
It all takes place in Ottakringer Brauerei, which is Vienna’s big family-owned independent brewery in the 16th district: home to traditional and craft beers as well as various cultural events.
The numerous exhibitors typically come from all parts of the music production spectrum.
So amid more vinyl LPs than you can shake a Fender at, you might find, for example, makers of custom guitars, a booth with unusual loudspeakers, or someone selling cover art and concert posters.
Food trucks, live acts, tattoo artists, radio DJs, and bars round out the entertainment.
Highlights
(The legendary Mark Hayward returned in 2026 with memorabilia and more; photo courtesy of Vinyl & Music; photo by Esther Crapélle Photography. You can see some of his material over at the Timeless Tones Gallery in Vienna’s 13th district)
We’re regulars and never fail to enjoy ourselves.
There’s the venue for starters.
The old brewery buildings look like they stepped right out of a movie set for a New York-based mafia thriller, with the hollowed-out industrial premises and a labyrinth of rooms hiding one musical delight after another.
The selection on show varies from year to year. One time, for example, jukeboxes, pinball machines and arcade games had us cooing like grandparents at a wedding. Music is everywhere, featuring everything from Bowie to Bartók…
- Stacks upon stacks of LPs, with aficionados earnestly searching through the specialist collections in search of some elusive vinyl
- Music-flavoured art and memorabilia
- Gorgeous custom instruments
- …and more
The previous edition again featured the Wiener Instrumente Salon. This brought together instrument makers from Austria and abroad to discuss their work with music lovers.
As in past years, we also got a concert from those same instrument makers. The artisans always “put their money where their mouth is” and demonstrate how their mastery of instruments extends to playing as well.
The makers were just one of many live acts on open-air and indoor stages with Mexico’s Navajos Blues Band adding international presence. We particularly enjoyed the Celtic folk music by Spinning Wheel.
Vinyl & Music also has plenty of space to relax with a bite to eat and something to drink after browsing the market or enjoying the performances. The last edition had Italian ice cream, Viennese sausages, Greek specialties, and Mexican street food.
(A food truck there once sold the best fruit dipped in chocolate we’ve ever had. And we’ve had a *lot* of fruit dipped in chocolate.)
Dates, tickets & tips
I don’t have dates just yet for the 2027 Ottakringer Vinyl & Music festival, though a March weekend is traditional. The 2026 edition took place across March 7th and 8th.
Festival hours were:
- Saturday: 10am to 8pm
- Sunday: 10am to 6pm
Buy your tickets online or on the door.
Vinyl & Music sometimes pops up in smaller form during the rest of the year. For example, you typically get a Summer Nights version (with free entry) in August at the Ottakringer Bierfest.
Incidentally, if you find yourself near the brewery and want a full sit down meal, then the Tasty Asia restaurant opposite serves excellent food (we are regulars).
How to get to the festival
The 16th district is working class heartland outside of the old town. But, like most places in Vienna, it’s all easy to reach on public transport. To reach the brewery…
Subway: the U3 travels out from the centre (e.g. from the Stephansplatz and Volkstheater stations) and ends at Ottakring station. Walk down from there to the venue or take the 44 tram.
Tram/bus: the Johann-Nepomuk-Berger-Platz stop is opposite the brewery. Take the 2, 44 or 9 trams to get there. Both the 2 (e.g. from Karlsplatz/Oper or Burgring, for example) and 44 (from Schottentor) leave from the centre of town.
Address: Ottakringer Brauerei, Ottakringer Platz 1, 1160 Vienna | Website (for the event)