Villach Carnival 2026

In January and February, the Drau town of Villach is affectionately known as the “stronghold of fools” by its inhabitants. And it is known for this throughout Austria. Why? It’s carnival time and Villach is famous for its “Villacher Fasching”. Have you ever dreamed of immersing yourself in a world full of color, music and carefree merriment? Then you shouldn’t miss the Villach Carnival! Experience Villach as a pulsating stronghold of fools and create an unforgettable experience. Let yourself be enchanted by the magic of this special time.

The carnival season in Villach is rich in varied events that offer something for every taste. The season kicks off with the presentation of the prince and princess, which took place on November 8, 2025 and revealed the secret of the jesters’ new regents. The popular carnival sessions of the Villach Carnival Guild take place every Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the Congress Center and are an absolute must for all those who enjoy being infected by humor and good humor. You can easily reach the Congress Center on foot from our hotel . We also offer special carnival packages every year.

The carnival sessions of the Villach Carnival 2026 will take place on the following dates:

• 09 January 2026: Premiere
• January 10, 2026: 2nd meeting
• January 16, 2026: 3rd meeting
• January 17, 2026: 4th meeting
• January 23, 2026: 5th meeting
• January 30, 2026: 6th meeting
• January 31, 2026: 7th session – Costumed session
• February 05, 2026: 8th session – ORF recording
• February 06, 2026: 9th session – ORF recording
• February 07, 2026: 10th session – ORF recording

The little fools also get their money’s worth at the children’s carnival, which takes place on January 24 and 25, 2026.

Carnival Saturday, February 14, 2026, marks the highlight of the foolish days and transforms Villach’s city center into a huge stage for the 70th parade. The members of the Villach Carnival Guild parade through the festively decorated streets, visit stores and pubs and create an exuberant atmosphere with their music.

The official highlight of the day is undoubtedly the grand parade with hundreds of masked groups, numerous floats and tens of thousands of spectators. The most beautiful masks and floats will once again be judged and awarded prizes by a jury in 2026. The carnival parade is led by the prince and princess and the children’s prince and princess, who hand out sweets and candy to the children.

A special feature of Shrove Saturday is that many employees in the stores and restaurants are also dressed up, contributing to the cheerful atmosphere.

The Villach Carnival also has a lot to offer for the little jesters. The children’s sessions on 24 and 25 January 2026 at the Congress Center Villach are a real highlight. Around 160 young talents present a varied program of dance, music, sketches and acrobatic performances. The children’s carnival sessions are not only great entertainment for the little ones, but also an opportunity to celebrate the up-and-coming artists. The children’s prince and princess lead the little jesters and add to the fun. There is also a special children’s program on Carnival Saturday, so that even the youngest visitors get their money’s worth.

Since 8.11. at 11.11 a.m., the new prince and princess for the Villach carnival has been announced: Anna Sophie Petschar and Andreas Ferlan. Anna Sophie is studying history in Vienna and commutes between the capital and Carinthia. Andreas runs a tile and natural stone company. Both are thus joining a long tradition of prince and princess couples at the Villach carnival.

And the children’s prince and princess have now also been chosen: Lena Taurer and Linus Leeb will reign over the 60th Villach Children’s Carnival.

The jester’s call of the Villach carnival jesters is “Lei Lei!”. This exclamation is a traditional part of carnival and has no deeper meaning. It is simply an expression of joy and exuberant celebration. “Lei Lei” means “just, just” and is therefore an important part of the Villach carnival tradition.

The roots of the Villach carnival go back a long way, with the first mention in 1867. On Shrove Tuesday of that year, the season ended with a “successful corso ride”, which probably corresponds to a parade.

What began as a loose tradition developed over time into an integral part of the town’s cultural life. From 1910, the Villacher Bauerngman organized an annual farmers’ ball, the proceeds of which were used for charitable purposes.

The actual transformation to the modern Villach carnival began in 1955, when the idea arose to turn the traditional farmers’ ball into an exuberant, foolish event. This idea was very well received, and just three years later over 50 bars and restaurants in the town center took part in the celebrations – the birth of “Fasching in ganz Villach”.

In 1961, the first “Villach Carnival Session” was held in the Chamber of Labor, which focused on the humorous and satirical elements of carnival. In 1964, the “Villacher Faschingsgilde” emerged from the Villacher Bauerngman. And the carnival guild finally took over the professional organization of the carnival. A milestone in history.

Another milestone was in 1972, when the events were moved to the Congress Center Villach, which offered greater capacity and better opportunities for staging the shows. In 2001, the carnivalists moved into their own, newly built guild house, which serves as the clubhouse.

The election of the first prince and princess in 1955 and the first children’s prince and princess in 1967 consolidated today’s traditions.

Since 1963, the highlights of the carnival sessions have also been broadcast on Austrian television (ORF) during prime time on Shrove Tuesday. For a long time, the Villach Carnival was one of ORF’s most popular entertainment programs.