Highlight Events in the Region in Lower

A trip along the Danube in is a dream come true. Visitors can look forward to scenic countryside, the Wachau (a UNESCO World Heritage landscape), lush terraced vineyards, blossoming apricot trees, historical buildings and archeological parks. The Danube region attracts visitors with events featuring fine cuisine, traditions, culture and wanderlust.

Spring feelings and wine festivals What a great opportunity to get a breath of fresh spring air and enjoy the countryside in the Wachau, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape! At the beginning of the season – in late March to early April – the Wachau is transformed into a fragrant sea of pinkish white blossoms. Every year, some 100,000 apricot trees bud, setting the UNESCO World Heritage landscape awash in delicate pastel hues.

Spring is also the time for the wachau GOURMETfestival. This series of culinary events is a must for all gourmets and bons vivants. It features big names, exciting newcomers, many an unusual venue and all this in the midst of the scenic Wachau Valley. This year’s lineup is as unusual as it is first-rate and will take place from March 31 to April 14. Fixed events every year are the two-day wine fair at the Dominican Church in , exclusive menus at the top restaurants in the region with international guest chefs and an array of superb vintages.

Wine enthusiasts can sample excellent wines from the Danube region at the events of Weinfrühling, a celebration of spring and wine held each year in late April and early May. Most winemakers open their cellars to the public at this time – this is the most diverse opportunity to sample wines all year long. At Wachau Weinfrühling from April 30 to May 1, one hundred Vinea Wachau winemakers invite the public to taste their new vintage. The climax of Weinfrühling is the Steinfeder Night on Saturday, April 30, at the castle in Spitz. The association “Traditionsweingüter Österreich” (Traditional Austrian Winemakers) holds its Tour de Vin at the same time as Weinfrühling. Under the motto “sample – chat – buy”, the 31 association members invite the public to visit them in the four winemaking regions Wagram and the Krems, Kamp and Traisen valleys! Frühlingserwachen am Wagram (Spring Awakening on Wagram) also focuses fully on the new wine. The Wagram vintners warmly invite the public to taste their new wine on April 30 and May 1. At the Three-Valley Weinfrühling on the weekend of April 23 and 24, you can sample wines from the Traisen, Krems and Kamp valleys.

In early summer when the temperatures rise, it is time for wine enjoyment to shift outdoors to wine festivals and cellar-lined road festivals. Rohrendorf has the longest cellar-lined road in Austria (2,100 m) and holds a festival there every two years – 2016 it will be from September 2 to 4. In , all cellars on Sauberg open their doors from August 26 to 28. This hill affords a unique view of the major wine town of Langenlois and the LOISIUM World of Wine. The Wachau has a very special festival from August 13 to 15: The Rieslingfest in the lovely Renaissance Teisenhoferhof in Weissenkirchen features dance music, a traditional frühschoppen wine brunch and the awarding of the Riesling Order on Sunday afternoon. Regional delicacies and superb Wachau wines are on hand to delight the palate.

Solstice celebrations and apricots The age-old tradition of the solstice celebration is cultivated in splendid and enjoyable ways in more than 20 communities in the Danube region comprising the Wachau, the Nibelungengau and the Krems Valley. Vineyards romantically bathed in the light of torches, impressive fireworks and dramatically illuminated buildings along the bands make the solstice celebrations in the Wachau and Nibelungengau truly memorable every year. This year’s summer solstice festivities in the Wachau take place on June 18. The Nibelungengau, just west of the Wachau, celebrates a week later on June 25.

Homage is paid to the famous Wachau apricot every year at harvest time in July. At the traditional apricot festivals, you can sample deliciously light apricot dumplings or liquid apricots in a variety of forms. This special fruit is celebrated enthusiastically every year at the traditional Apricot Kirtag in Spitz from July 22 to 24 and at “Alles Marille” (Everything’s Apricot) in Krems on July 15 and 16. A big highlight of the Apricot Kirtag is the traditional parade with King Marillus and Princess Apricosia and in Krems, the cutting of the delicious giant apricot cake in the historical center of the city.

Wine and cultural delights In 2016 the Grafenegg Festival is celebrating its tenth anniversary. This classical music festival is held at the unique “Wolkenturm” open-air stage and directed by star pianist Rudolf Buchbinder. Today Grafenegg is one of the most renowned festival venues for international orchestras with its unique setting in the castle park of Grafenegg. The anniversary season showcases topflight performers and opens with a Summer Night Gala at the Wolkenturm on June 16 and 17.

The Grafenegg Anniversary Festival will run from August 19 to September 11 and once again presents top global orchestras such as Concertgebouworchester Amsterdam and the Cleveland Orchestra as well as major conductors such as Christian Thielemann, Franz Welser-Möst and Daniele Gatti. Hilary Hahn, Klaus Florian Vogt and Camilla Nylund are among the soloists that will appear at Grafenegg. Beethoven will dominate the grand finale on the last day of the anniversary festival, with Rudolf Buchbinder playing all five piano concertos together with the Vienna Philharmonic.

Autumn delights and wine bliss Autumn is the season for harvest festivals. At these traditional festivals, people give thanks for the year’s good harvest. Many wear special local costumes, and local clubs carry out traditional activities during the celebrations. At the thanksgiving celebration in Spitz/Donau on October 2, locals get decked out in traditional garb and have a procession with abundant harvest bounties to the church where a special mass is celebrated. Then the new wine and other harvest treats are served and there is dancing by a band in traditional costumes and a folk dancing group from Spitz. Wösendorf and Weissenkirchen also have thanksgiving festivals.

Time for Weinherbst Weinherbst, Lower Austria’s celebration of autumn and wine, features wine events throughout the Danube region in this province. It is the time for grape gathering and autumn wine festivals along the Danube. Spitz in the Wachau is especially diverse. This year, visitors to the Spitz Weinherbst from September 25 to October 9 can look forward to an extensive program, ranging from open houses at wine cellars and vineyard hikes to special Weinherbst menus. During “Kostbares Kamptal” (Sumptuous Kamp Valley) on September 3 and 4, the Kamp Valley vintners open their doors and invite the public to sample their wares. The wine festival at Eichbühel in Krustetten is held in the middle of the vineyards. On August 27 and 28, the vintners offer their best wines along with traditional buffet delicacies. At Göttlesbrunner Leopoldigang on November 19 and 20, about 20 vintners from this famous wine town in Römerland Carnuntum open their cellars and invite the public to sample the new wine.

The first wine christenings of the new vintages go from mid-November on, starting as soon as the vintners pick their last grapes. Wine christenings can be found throughout the Danube region in Lower Austria, for instance at Göttweig Abbey or in Krems, Weissenkirchen and Bruck/Leitha.

Danube regions in Lower Austria in November and December During the stillest time of the year, the Wachau offers a special cultural program in November. The Austrian actress Ursula Strauss is the curator of “Wachau in Echtzeit” (Wachau in Real Time), a line- up of cultural and musical events specially adapted for the performance venues in the Wachau.

Advent in the Danube region of Lower Austria promises to bring hours of quiet contemplation and moments of enchantment. The towns and villages along the Danube invite visitors every year to magical Advent markets or on romantic winter cruises. The Danube region has a broad program of events ranging from the traditional Christmas market at the Aggstein ruins and the traditional Advent markets at Grafenegg to Christmas magic at Göttweig Abbey and the Advent village at Schloss Hof plus an array of small and tranquil Advent markets.

In the Knights’ Hall and throughout the premises of the Aggstein ruins, craftspeople offer their handmade wares for sale on three weekends (November 5/6, 12/13, and 19/20). Medieval tradespeople bring alive the magic of days long past. The Grafenegg Advent Market from December 8 through 11 is one of the largest and most traditional Christmas markets with over 80 exhibitors at the craft market and in the castle workshops. A “Taste of Lower Austria” hut village offers culinary delights in the castle park, which is all aglow with Christmas lighting. The splendid grounds of Schloss Hof are likewise transformed into a Christmas village full of atmosphere on the five weekends prior to Christmas. At about 100 stands, visitors can get great ideas for Christmas gifts and delectable food.

Top dates for 2016

Mar 31 – Apr 14 wachau GOURMETfestival, www.wachau-gourmet-festival.at Apr 23 – 24 Weinfrühling in Kamp, Krems and Traisen valleys Apr 29 – May 7 Donaufestival, www.donaufestival.at Apr 30 Steinfeder Night at castle in Spitz, www.vinea-wachau.at Apr 30 – May 1 Frühlingserwachen am Wagram (Spring Awakening), www.regionwagram.at Apr 30 – May 1 Tour de Vin, www.traditionsweingueter.at Apr 30 – May 1 Weinfrühling in the Wachau: 100 Vinea Wachau vintners invite public to sample the 2015 vintage, www.vinea.wachau.at May 13 – 16 International Baroque Festival: International ensembles and artists perform at Melk Abbey, www.kultur-melk.at May 28/29 & Jun 4/5 & 11/12 Roman Festival at Roman city of Carnuntum, www.carnuntum.at Jun 10 – 12 Egon Schiele Weekend, www.tulln.at/erleben/schiele

Jun 18 Summer solstice in the Wachau, www.sonnenwende.at Jun 25 Summer solstice in the Nibelungengau, www.sonnenwende.at Jun 25 – Aug 13 Summer concerts at the Wolkenturm, Grafenegg, www.grafenegg.com Jul 1 – 31 Glatt&Verkehrt, a music festival at three venues: Spitz Castle, Dürnstein Abbey and Winzern Krems, www.glattundverkehrt.at Jul 15 – 16 Alles Marille (Everything’s Apricot) in Krems/Donau: Variety of events in homage of the Wachau apricot, www.alles-marille.at Jul 22 – 24 Apricot Kirtag in Spitz/Donau: Specialties featuring Wachau apricots such as apricot dumplings and apricot schnapps, www.spitz-wachau.com Aug 13 - 15 Riesling Festival in Weissenkirchen, www.weissenkircheninderwachau.at Aug 19 – Sep 11 Grafenegg Festival, www.grafenegg.com Aug 26 – 28 Cellar-lined road festival at Sauberg, Langenlois, www.donau.com Sep 2 – 3 Night of Stars from Wachau, http://www.starnacht.tv/de/starnacht-aus-der-wachau Sep 3 – 4 Kostbares Kamptal (Sumptuous Kamp Valley), www.kamptal.at/kostbares-kamptal Sep 18 International WACHAUmarathon, www.wachaumarathon.com Sep 24 – Oct 9 Weinherbst in Spitz: Extensive program including vineyard hikes, Weinherbst menus and open houses at wine cellars, www.spitz-wachau.com Sep 30 – Oct 2 Glatt&Verkehrt Festival HerbstZeitlos, www.glattundverkehrt.at Oct 2 Harvest festival in Spitz/Donau, www.spitz-wachau.at Nov Wachau in Echtzeit, a cultural program by Ursula Strauss, www.wachauinechtzeit.at Nov - Dec Advent along the Danube in Lower Austria

You can find further information about the Danube region in Lower Austria in English, Czech and Slovak at the website www.donau.com

You can find photo material on the Danube region in Lower Austria in our online picture archive at the website www.donau.com/bildarchiv.

Vacation information: Donau-Niederösterreich Tourismus GmbH Schlossgasse 3, A-3620 Spitz/Donau, Austria (T) +43(0)2713/30060-60, (F) +43(0)2713/30060-30 (E) [email protected], (U) www.wachau.at; www.donau.com;

Media inquiries Jutta Mucha-Zachar, Donau-Niederösterreich Tourismus GmbH Schlossgasse 3, A-3620 Spitz/Donau, Austria (T) +43(0)2713/30060-24 | (F) +43(0)2713/30060-30 (E) [email protected] | (U) www.donau.com