Program and Stages at the Vienna New Year's Eve Trail 2025/26

On December 31, Vienna's city center will once again transform into a huge open-air stage for hundreds of thousands of visitors. At seven locations in the city center and at the Giant Ferris Wheel Square in the Prater, the New Year's Eve Trail 2025/26 offers live music, performances, and culinary highlights with free admission. In total, more than 100 hours of programming are planned – from waltz to pop to party hits.

Vienna New Year's Eve Trail 2025/26 as the Starting Signal for Eurovision Year

The focus of this year's Vienna New Year's Eve Trail is the Eurovision Song Contest, which Vienna will host in 2026. At the City Hall Square, a specially produced ESC stage show will take place at the turn of the year. At the same time, the Eurovision Countdown Clock will be presented – the official timer until the grand finale in May. Mayor Michael Ludwig emphasizes the unifying character of the event: "The turn of the year becomes a joint kickoff that brings people together and focuses on a music year that connects Vienna and Europe."

Best of Eurovision at Vienna City Hall Square

At the City Hall Square, on the largest stage of the New Year's Eve Trail, Benny King and Christiana Uikiza present the rousing show "Best of Eurovision" and unite the greatest Song Contest hits of all time. Accompanied by an eight-piece live band, the two singers interpret well-known and popular songs from seven decades of Eurovision - from ABBA to Conchita, from Céline Dion to Loreen. The program is framed by DJ Alex List.

The official start of the ESC Year 2026 takes place exactly at midnight. With the turn of the year, the Eurovision Countdown Clock begins its operation and counts down the remaining time until the grand ESC finale on May 16, 2026, continuously from that moment. The installation, consisting of a large-format LED wall, is set up directly on the Ringstraße and will be prominently visible at the City Hall Square until the finale.

Simultaneously, a unified countdown will be played on the LED screens on all stages of the Vienna New Year's Eve Trail. Accompanied by the sound of the Pummerin and the first bars of the Danube Waltz, around 800,000 visitors will experience a special turn of the year.

Women's Power, Rhythm & International Sounds at the Freyung

The Freyung stage offers a diverse program for the turn of the year, characterized by powerful voices and pulsating rhythms. After an atmospheric DJ kickoff in the afternoon, Iris Camaa & the Camaa Kult Orchestra heat things up with "Latin meets Pop," combining international chart hits with groovy original compositions.

Subsequently, the Funky Ladies, an extraordinary all-female band, bring glamour and dynamism with high-caliber pop and soul classics. Just before and after midnight, the Viennese Ladies, a prominent soul and R&B supergroup, take over, thrilling with their energetic Etta James tribute and original songs. A DJ set finally leads the visitors into the early morning hours.

The Party is On at Am Hof

At Am Hof, visitors can expect a high-energy party program with some of the country's most popular live bands. After a DJ kickoff, The Bad Powells provide the first highlights with soul and disco hits from the 70s and 80s, along with a spectacular stage show.

The Electric Beat Club Deluxe continues the evening with a versatile mix of rock, pop, soul, and disco. Later, Tha Family delivers a rousing finale with great enthusiasm and well-known party hits, before a DJ set accompanies the guests until 2 AM.

Vienna's Graben Becomes Europe's Largest Open-Air Ballroom

The Graben once again becomes an open dance floor in the heart of the city. The Schwebach dance school offers short waltz introductions throughout the afternoon, preparing visitors of all levels for the traditional midnight dance.

Classical New Year's Eve at Stephansplatz

At Vienna's Stephansplatz, the New Year's Eve is all about classical elegance. The event kicks off with Rondo Vienna, an all-female orchestra led by Barbara Helfgott, providing high-caliber sound moments with versatile ensembles and international stage experience. As the evening progresses, the Bernd Fröhlich Orchestra and the Orchestra of the New Operetta Vienna alternate, presenting waltzes, operetta classics, and grand melodies steeped in Viennese musical tradition. Together, the ensembles stylishly and spiritedly accompany the audience into the new year.

Latin Rhythms & Pop Sounds on Kärntner Straße

Kärntner Straße once again becomes the central DJ location of the New Year's Eve trail. From the afternoon, well-known DJs create a dynamic atmosphere with a mix of Latin rhythms, current pop tracks, and danceable club sounds. The continuous sets make Kärntner Straße a lively meeting point for all who want to celebrate the New Year with modern beats and lots of movement.

Family Program at the New Year's Path at the New Market

The New Market kicks off New Year's Eve with an extensive OKIDOKI live program: The ORF presenters and popular characters like the ABC Bear, Kater Kurt, and Kasperl create a varied interactive program with games, quiz formats, and live acts, including the kids' pop band Young Republic and the family concert Christoph + Band.

In the early evening, the Duo Italiano provides a Mediterranean atmosphere with classics and modern hits from the Italian music scene, followed by the Blues Brothers Corporation, who interpret blues, funk, and soul classics in the style of the legendary film duo. The musical conclusion of the evening is provided by the FreeMenSingers, who present world hits from several decades with their characteristic vintage guitar sound.

New Year's Eve Party in the Vienna Prater

The winter market in the Prater offers the perfect start to New Year's Eve from noon. DJs and live acts create a lively atmosphere before the party mode begins in the evening - an ideal place for those who want to start the new year relaxed yet dancing.

Live Broadcasts of the New Year's Concert

On January 1st, the traditional New Year's Concert of the Vienna Philharmonic will be broadcast live again at Stephansplatz and the winter market in the Prater. At Graben and Kärntner Straße, the Vienna Philharmonic will also be acoustically heard. From 11:15 AM, visitors can celebrate the start of the year musically in the open air.

Diverse Culinary Offerings for New Year's Path Visitors

Culinarily, the Vienna New Year's Path is also well-equipped: More than two dozen restaurateurs offer a varied assortment at all locations - from hearty classics and international street food variations to vegetarian and vegan dishes. The offerings are complemented by sweet specialties, warm drinks, and a diverse range of punch and sparkling wine creations for toasting.

>> More information about the program at the Vienna New Year's Path 2025/2026 is available on the website

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