Are you ready for the event of the summer? June has already brought some highlights to Vienna, such as Pride last weekend or the hot summer days at the lake. But this event is breaking records: the Danube Island Festival in Vienna is not only free, it’s also the biggest open-air festival in Europe!
Year after year, the mega event attracts millions of visitors and offers over 600 hours of entertainment on 16 stages. In 2025, we will be celebrating the Danube Island Festival for the 42nd time with the motto “Your island. Real moments”. Are you ready for this weekend in a class of its own? We’ll tell you everything you need to know about the Danube Island Festival.
When and where does the Danube Island Festival take place?
From Friday, June 20 to Sunday, June 22, you can visit the Danube Island Festival 2025 – as the name suggests – on Vienna’s Danube Island between Nordbrücke and Reichsbrücke. On Friday, the festival starts in the afternoon, with the first concerts on the main stages beginning at around 17:00. On Saturday, the program runs throughout the day, ending just before midnight. On the last day of the festival, the Danube Island Festival closes at around 11 pm. As always: admission is free!
In 2025, the festival sends out a special signal for democratic values: Vienna has a lot to celebrate this year – the city is the European Capital of Democracy and is celebrating a number of anniversaries (80 years of the Republic, 70 years of the State Treaty, 30 years of EU membership), which is why the Danube Island Festival is focusing on democracy. In concrete terms, this means: more accessibility, an inclusion concert, sign language interpretation, a new podcast and karaoke stage – everyone is welcome and should be able to participate as much as possible.
The program at the Donausinselfest in Vienna
The most important artists and acts in 2025 include international and national stars such as Milky Chance, Kim Wilde, Rag’n’Bone Man, No Angels, Halestorm, Steel Panther, Conchita Wurst, Josh, Thundermother and Milow, who will open the barrier-free inclusion concert. A very special highlight is the Red Bull Symphonic project: under the title “Red Bull Symphonic – Johann Strauss 2025 Edition”, electronic beats meet classical sounds: the internationally successful drum and bass duo Camo & Krooked are collaborating with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.
The pre-opening on June 19 brings a modern opera production to the stage with “Killing Carmen”. The line-up is complemented by numerous local talents, winners of the “Rock the Island Contest” and a colorful supporting program of cabaret, sports and children’s entertainment. You will find yoga events on the stage as well as beach volleyball on the lakeshore and karaoke.
You can find the entire program here. You can also download the exclusive Danube Island app for iPhone or Android to stay up to date and not miss any acts during the festival.
How do I get to the Danube Island Festival?
Public transport will take you directly to the Danube Island Festival in Vienna. The subway trains run conveniently to the venue from all directions, at 15-minute intervals from Friday to Saturday (every 3 minutes in the evening) and even all night long from Saturday to Sunday. The intervals for buses and streetcars will also be shortened on Friday and Saturday nights. You will arrive safely with these means of transportation:
- Rapid transit: S1, S2, S3, S4, S7 and S80 to Handelskai station
- Subway: U1 to stop Donauinsel and U6 to stop Handelskai or Neue Donau
- Streetcar: 31 to Floridsdorfer Brücke stop and 33 to Friedrich Engels Platz stop
- Bus: 11A to Handelskai stop and 22A, 24A, 31A to Kagraner Platz
To make the Danube Island Festival as safe as possible, the organizers ask you to refrain from carrying backpacks and large bags. Alcoholic drinks, cans and glass bottles may also not be taken onto the grounds. However, you will find a wide range of culinary delights on the site: there are over 250 food stalls with plenty of food and drinks waiting for you.