Celebrate Vienna Pride Throughout the Year
LGBTQ+ revelers are poised to celebrate Vienna Pride on June 1-12, 2022, but many visitors to the Austrian city don’t realize that the city is rich in culture and history and offers activities, events, and opportunities for the LGBTQ+ community year-round.
Vienna, the capital of Austria, is a city renowned for its history, music, art, architecture, and food. But it is also a hot spot on the international LGBTQ+ travel circuit. Vienna’s LGBTQ+ scene offers so many opportunities for visitors to mingle with the locals and the global community. Events such as the Rainbow Ball and the Diversity Ball in May, Vienna Pride in June, and the Vienna in Black – Vienna Fetish Week in October attract LGBTQ+ people from all over the world.
But queer travelers visiting for Vienna Pride should expect fun parties, films, lectures, and numerous events, all dedicated to the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, including those who identify as lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual, and intersexual. Also on the agenda is the 26-year-old Rainbow Parade, on June 11, which typically draws about 100,000 people every year.
While these fabulous queer events may draw visitors, there are dozens of clubs, restaurants, stores, and wellness facilities that are geared to the community year-round.
Vienna’s gay saunas are ideal places to get a little rest and relaxation, and at the top of the list, is Kaiserbründl Men’s Sauna, a long-time fixture of Vienna’s gay scene. In fact, an early 20th-century Archduke was known to frequent the retreat.
Bookstore Löwenherz, dedicated to LGBTQ+ clientele, is the perfect spot to pick up a book before heading over to a café for a Viennese coffee and a slice of Sacher-Torte.
Gayt, which is billed as the city’s biggest “Gay Lifestyle Store” sells clothing, toys, and art. There’s a gallery in the basement where queer creatives showcase their art.
Not a weekend goes by in Vienna without a mega party dedicated to diverse crowds. Dance to a Balkan-Pop and Turbo-Folk at the BallCanCan, stop by Pitbull to feel the vibe at Vienna’s first Bear & Butch bar, or turn up at G-Spot, a monthly party primarily for lesbians who have a choice of music to dance to on two floors. Check out Why Not, the oldest gay disco in the city, or you might be lucky enough to catch the rare Kibbutz Klub, organized by the “QueerHebrews,” where all are welcome to dance to Israeli music and Eurotrash. In Vienna’s hip clubs expect anything from a techno party in the trendy industrial location to pop or house events.
Other popular queer spots include Felixx, Village, and Sixta, a gay restaurant that serves traditional Viennese cuisine. For information to help you plan your queer-friendly vacation or holiday, check out LGBTQ+-friendly Vienna!
