Vienna Ball Season

Background

Vienna's ball tradition grew out of the 19th-century Carnival balls held at court and in civic society, with the waltz at their heart. The ball season opens on 11 November and peaks in January and February, with more than 450 balls each year, from balls of trades and professions to charity balls. The Opera Ball, held at the Vienna State Opera, is the most prestigious of the season: about 150 young couples in white gowns and tailcoats form the opening procession, the ball begins after the opening ceremony, and at midnight the whole hall dances the quadrille. Other representative balls fill the city's great halls: the Philharmonic Ball at the Musikverein, home of the Golden Hall; the Ball of Sciences at the City Hall; and many balls at the Hofburg Palace.

Local customs

• Watch the opening ceremony of the Opera Ball and the midnight quadrille
• dance the Viennese waltz to a live orchestra
• attend themed balls at the Hofburg, the City Hall and other venues
• enjoy a late-night snack at a sausage stand or café after the ball.

Travel tips

• The ball season opens on 11 November each year and is busiest during Carnival in January and February
• each ball's date is announced annually by its organiser. Tickets and dress codes are subject to official announcement, and popular balls should be booked early. The State Opera, the Hofburg, the City Hall and the Musikverein are all around the Ringstrasse in the city centre and easy to reach by underground or tram
• balls usually go on late into the night, so please plan your journey back in advance.

2027 schedule

In 2027 the Opera Ball takes place on Thursday 4 February, the Philharmonic Ball on 21 January, the Coffee House Owners' Ball on 22 January and the Ball of Sciences on 23 January, all announced by Vienna Tourism.