The most important regional festivals and celebrations

January
One of the most beautiful customs is the “Glöcklerlauf Procession”. Every year on January 5th, the eve of Epiphany, groups of men dressed in white meet at nightfall, wearing broad leather belts with heavy bells, and colourful, elaborate lanterns on their heads and tour the streets of the villages. These heavy lanterns take many hours to make and are true works of art. The custom is to shed light during the dark winter months and to bring luck for the new year.

February
Fasching (carnival time) is the period between Epiphany and the beginning of Lent. Fasching reaches its high point in the final week on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday which is a strict fasting day for the Catholic Church. Carnival celebrations are characterised by fancy dress balls, masked parades and many local customs and events. 

August
Bad Ischl was the summer resort of Emperor Franz Josef and his family, and the Kaiser Villa (the Imperial Villa) became the Emperor’s official summer residence. In 1831, Archduke Franz Karl and Archduchess Sophie took their first born infant son to Bad Ischl (the journey took them 24 hours), where he celebrated his first birthday. Franz Josef (1830-1916) spent 82 summers in Ischl and celebrated his 81st birthday there. To this day, the Emperor’s birthday is commemorated in Ischl with great ceremony on the 18th August every year.

December
Advent at Wolfgangsee
The Advent season is a very special time of year to pay a visit to St. Wolfgang, St. Gilgen and Strobl. Experience the magic of the Friedenslicht-Laterne, the huge floating “Lantern of Peace” which shines across Lake Wolfgang, lighting the way on dark winter nights and inviting the local people and visitors from near and far to come and join in the festivities.

If you should require any further information, please contact the local authorities or tourist offices.

How to get there:
By car
Coming from Salzburg: take the B158 to Bad Ischl.
Coming from Vienna: take the A1 motorway to Regau, then the B145 to Bad Ischl.

By train
Coming from Linz or Salzburg: Attnang-Puchheim > Bad Ischl
Coming from Graz: Stainach Irdning > Bad Ischl

By plane
To: Linz/Hörsching or Salzburg