Villach Carnival 2026
A must for every carnival fan, and anyone who wants to become one! The Boutique Hotel Goldenes Lamm Villach is the ideal starting point for cheerful carnival days.
Immerse yourself in the fifth season: Villach Carnival 2026 awaits you!
The city of Villach on the Drau River is affectionately called the ‘fools’ stronghold’ by its residents in January and February. And it is known throughout Austria for this. Why? It’s carnival season and Villach is famous for its ‘Villach Carnival’. Have you ever dreamed of immersing yourself in a world full of colour, music and carefree cheerfulness? Then you shouldn’t miss the Villach Carnival! Experience Villach as a vibrant stronghold of fools and create an unforgettable experience. Let yourself be enchanted by the magic of this special time.
Event programme: a colourful array of carnival events.
The carnival season in Villach is rich in varied events that offer something for every taste. It kicks off with the presentation of the prince and princess, which took place on 8 November 2025 and revealed the secret of the new rulers of the fools. The popular carnival sessions of the Villach Carnival Guild in the Congress Centre take place every Thursday, Friday and Saturday and are an absolute must for anyone who likes to be infected by humour and good cheer. Incidentally, the Congress Centre is within easy walking distance of 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:
- 9 January 2026: Premiere
- 10 January 2026: 2nd session
- 16 January 2026: 3rd session
- 17 January 2026: 4th session
- 23 January 2026: 5th session
- 30 January 2026: 6th session
- 31 January 2026: 7th session – Costumed session
- 5 February 2026: 8th session – ORF recording
- 6 February 2026: 9th session – ORF recording
- 7 February 2026: 10th session – ORF recording
Little revellers will also get their money’s worth at the children’s carnival, which takes place on 24 and 25 January 2026.
Carnival Saturday programme: A feast for all the senses
Carnival Saturday, 14 February 2026, marks the highlight of the carnival season and transforms Villach city centre into a huge stage for the big parade, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary. The members of the Villach Carnival Guild parade through the festively decorated streets, visit shops and pubs, and create a lively 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 Carnival Saturday is that many employees in shops and restaurants also dress up in costumes, adding to the cheerful atmosphere.
Children’s Carnival: A celebration for the little ones
The Villach Carnival also has a lot to offer for young revellers. The children’s sessions on 24 and 25 January 2026 at the Congress Centre Villach are a real highlight. Here, around 160 young talents present a varied programme 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 young artists. The children’s prince and princess lead the little revellers and provide additional fun. On Carnival Saturday, there is also a special children’s programme so that even the youngest visitors get their money’s worth.
The prince and princess
Since 8 November at 11:11 a.m., the new prince and princess for the Villach Carnival have been confirmed: Anna Sophie Petschar and Andreas Ferlan. Anna Sophie studies history in Vienna and commutes between the capital and Carinthia. Andreas runs a company for tiles and natural stones. Both are thus entering a long tradition of prince and princess pairs at the Villach Carnival.
The children’s prince and princess have also been chosen: Lena Taurer and Linus Leeb will take over the reign during the 60th Villach Children’s Carnival.
What does the cry ‘Lei Lei’ mean?
The cry of the Villach carnival revellers is ‘Lei Lei!’. This cry is a traditional part of carnival and has no deeper meaning. It is simply an expression of joy and exuberant celebration. ‘Lei Lei’ means something like ‘only, only’ and is therefore an important part of the Villach carnival tradition.
The history of Villach Carnival
The roots of Villach Carnival go back a long way, with the first mention of it dating back to 1867. On Shrove Tuesday of that year, the season ended with a ‘successful parade’, which probably corresponds to a procession.
What began as a loose tradition developed over time into an integral part of the city’s cultural life. From 1910 onwards, the Villach Farmers’ Association organised an annual farmers’ ball, the proceeds of which were used for charitable purposes.
The actual transformation to modern Villach Carnival began in 1955, when the idea arose to turn the traditional farmers’ ball into an exuberant, carnival-like event. This idea was very well received, and just three years later, more than 50 pubs in the city centre took part in the celebrations – marking the birth of ‘Carnival throughout Villach’.
In 1961, the first ‘Villach Carnival Session’ was held in the Chamber of Labour, which focused on the humorous and satirical elements of carnival. In 1964, the Villach Farmers’ Guild gave rise to the ‘Villach Carnival Guild’. And the Carnival Guild eventually took over the professional organisation of the carnival. A milestone in history.
Another milestone was in 1972, when the events were moved to the Villach Congress Centre, 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 club’s headquarters.
The election of the first prince and princess in 1955 and the first children’s prince and princess in 1967 cemented the traditions that continue today.
Since 1963, the highlights of the carnival sessions have also been broadcast on Austrian television (ORF) on Shrove Tuesday during prime time. For a long time, the Villach Carnival was one of the ORF’s most widely watched entertainment programmes.
