Donauinselfest Vienna 2025 – All Information

The Donauinselfest offers music, cabaret, sports, culinary delights, and presentations from clubs, businesses, and organizations. The organizer is the SPÖ Vienna in cooperation with the City of Vienna and numerous local partners.

The festival grounds extend over 4.5 km, bounded by the Nordbrücke in the north and the Reichsbrücke in the south. It includes 16 stages and many themed areas with special program focuses.

 In 2025, there will be a special focus on inclusion: There will be shuttle and escort services, a main stage program partially translated into sign language, and five quiet zones for retreat.
 

• Date: June 20–22, 2025
• Admission: Free
• Stages: 16
• Times: Approx. midday to approximately midnight
• Visitors: 2–3 million over 3 days
• Focus: Inclusion, democracy, diversity

In addition to international stars, there will be a focus on Austrian acts. The music program will be complemented by cabaret, dance, podcasts, and more.

Rock the Island Contest

The young musicians' competition offers a stage for young artists. The winners receive cash prizes or coaching and perform live at the festival. A separate category for children will be judged by a jury.

Inclusion Concert with Milow

The Belgian singer Milow will perform on Friday morning. A host and a digital sign language avatar will accompany the concert.

Red Bull Symphonic – Johann Strauss 2025

On June 20th, the works of Johann Strauss Jr. will merge with drum & bass by Camo & Krooked on the FM4 stage, supported by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Christian Kolonovits.

Vienna Volksoper – "Killing Carmen"

On June 19th, the Volksoper will present excerpts from its modern "Carmen" adaptation, "Killing Carmen – an opera-musical throwback." The full performance will follow in the fall.

"Extra Wow – The 2 at 2"

On Saturday, Rolf Rüdiger and Robert Steiner's radio show will be recorded live – a cross-generational family highlight.

Wiener Städtische Versicherung / Sicheres Wien Insel

Organizations such as water rescue and rescue dogs will present their work. There will be demonstrations of emergencies and first aid tips.

Other Program Items

The Democracy Island offers interviews with a wide variety of people on the topic of democracy, as well as hands-on activities. The Austrian Armed Forces will set up sports courses and stations for numerous sporting activities that invite participation. The Tourism Island will feature a diverse program on Thailand on Friday and Korea on Saturday, including K-Pop acts. On the Austrian Lotteries Sports Island stage, everyone can try their hand at karaoke and perform. The Wiener Städtische Versicherung Schlager Island will present artists from the Schlager genre, DJs will perform on the OBI / kronehit Electronic Music Stage, and international and local rock acts will present their music on the Bank Austria / Radio 88.6 Rock Stage. Of course, there will be other stages where numerous artists will perform. You can find the full program here.

The festival is family-friendly. The Okidoki Kinderfreunde stage features a dedicated children's program with songs, clowns, magic, and interactive stations. Child-friendly activities also feature on other stages.

A visit with children is especially recommended during the day. Crowds increase in the evening, and it gets louder and more crowded. Strollers are permitted, but not ideal due to some uneven paths.

Important information:

• Bags larger than A3 are prohibited.
• Only 0.5L water bottles are permitted.
• Unaccompanied children will be taken to the Kinderfreunde zone.
• Tip: Provide your child with a wristband/note with contact details.

Public transportation is the best way:

• U1: Donauinsel station
• U6: Handelskai or Neue Donau
• Trams 30, 31, 33: Floridsdorfer Brücke
• Long-distance trains: Transfer to U1 or U6

Arriving by bike is also possible – the ARBÖ offers secure bicycle garages.

Arriving by car is not recommended. Use Park & ​​Ride and transfer to public transport.

Check the site and program schedule in advance to ensure you arrive at your desired acts on time. The paths on the island are long, and within the grounds, you can only get around on foot.

Dos & Don'ts

Dos

Check the site and program schedule
Agree on meeting points with friends
Sunscreen & hat
Secure valuables securely
Be patient upon entry and departure
Provide children with emergency contacts

Don'ts

Arrive by car
Bring umbrellas (even small ones)
Bring alcohol & glass bottles
Bring food
Bags over A3
Leave trash lying around
Underestimate distances

Of course, the right outfit for an open-air festival is very individual and also weather-dependent. In warm weather and strong sunshine, bringing sunscreen and a hat is essential.

In cold and wet weather, you should dress accordingly warmly and waterproof. There are few sheltered areas on the Danube Island, and access to public transport is sometimes far apart. So you have to be prepared for the fact that you won't be able to find shelter quickly in the event of sudden changes in weather conditions.

The Donauinselfest is colorful and diverse, and all styles are welcome. Since many children attend the festival all day, some consideration should be given to their clothing choices.

What to bring

• Sunscreen and hat
• Rain poncho or rain jacket
• 0.5L bottle of water
• Site map • Program plan
• Bag or backpack smaller than A3
• Cash; some stalls and vendors may not accept card payments
• Warm clothes for the evening

The Donauinselfest has been held annually on Vienna's Danube Island since 1984 and is organized by the SPÖ Vienna political party. Numerous Viennese businesses sponsor the festival, operate stages, or offer interactive and interactive stations.

The festival's predecessor was a "cultural spring festival" in 1983, which attracted ten times the expected number of spectators. Since then, the festival has continued to develop. The number of stages grew, and in addition to concerts of various musical genres, such as pop, rock, classical, Schlager, hip hop, and much more, more and more representatives of cabaret artists also performed. Sports activities, food stands, sales booths, and information stands also expanded the program over the years.

Until 2008, a large fireworks display lasting up to 20 minutes was part of the program. However, as the fireworks attracted increasing numbers of spectators and caused problems with everyone leaving after the fireworks, it was decided to discontinue this display. Now, the focus is entirely on the stage and participatory program.

The most well-attended performance took place in 1995. Approximately 250,000 fans watched the Kelly Family's performance. Perhaps the most legendary performance was Falco's 1993 performance in front of over 100,000 spectators. Despite rain, thunderstorms, and lightning strikes, the concert was completed, and fans and musicians braved the weather.

In 2020 and 2021, the Donauinselfest took place in a modified format due to the coronavirus pandemic. Over several weeks in the summer, artists performed throughout the city on a converted bus. In September, a "finale" took place on the Donauinsel, featuring performances by several artists. Tickets for this finale were available for prize draws.

Since 2022, the festival has returned to its original format.