WHAT'S NEW?! #33 - VILLACH IN DECEMBER 2023

The welcome2villach team collects the most important news from around Villach in a compact, monthly “News Story”, with links to more information. In December, the tpv is approaching the impressive milestone of 1,000 jobs, while the Villach Women's Office celebrates its 30th anniversary, the Dobratsch Nature Park starts its winter season, and culture enthusiasts can look forward to the Advent season, fantastic Christmas subscriptions, and the K3 Film Festival.

• tpv soon to reach the 1,000-job mark: The tpv Technology Park Villach continues to experience steady growth and is expected to become the location for over 1,000 jobs in the coming year. The three pillars of the park - education, research, and business - are expanding, with significant developments. Examples of this include the expansion of the GPS training center, the establishment of the high-tech company WILD, the founding of a technology-oriented kindergarten, and the opening of Austria's largest research cleanroom.
   
• New Fire Department and Community Center in Perau opens its doors: After 15 months of construction and a total investment of 3.6 million euros, the ecological flagship building is completed. The Volunteer Fire Department Perau now has a modernized location, and citizens have a new barrier-free event venue in Villach.

• 30 years of Villach Women's Office: Since 1993, the Women's Office in Villach has been actively advocating for women. Villach was the first city in Austria to contractually approve an annual subsidy for women's work. Over the years, numerous women-supporting initiatives have been implemented, including the Villach Women's Prize, the Women's Report, the permanent exhibition in the town hall, women's fairs, film screenings, and readings. To celebrate the anniversary and the important work of the Women's Office, a celebration will be held on December 12th from 6 pm.
   
• Take the Nature Park Shuttle to Dobratsch: The Dobratsch Nature Park is starting its winter season and is presenting a diverse winter program this year as well. From family treasure hunts in the snow to guided hikes and herbal and incense workshops, there is something for everyone. The Dobratsch Nature Park Winter Bus is also available to hiking enthusiasts from December 1st to March 31st, bringing interested individuals to Villacher Rosstratte and back every day from Wednesday to Sunday for 3 euros. During the Christmas holidays (24.12.-07.01.) and the semester break (10.-18.02.), the shuttle can be used daily.
   
• Villach’s Animal Table is moving: In early 2024, the Villach Animal Table is relocating to Klagenfurter Straße 42. Starting from February 17th, the initiative that has been in existence for a year at the new location will offer food and accessories for dogs, cats, rodents, fish, and birds every third Saturday of the month to support needy pet owners. The Animal Table, supported by the SoMa-Market, relies on help and welcomes material and monetary donations to continue helping animal lovers.
   
• The popular public transportation bonus promotion is back! From January, public transportation passengers can again get their money back. To submit ticket invoices, they must be valid for at least 15 days in December 2023. Subsidized are monthly passes, semester passes for students, annual passes, and climate tickets valid between December 1, 2023, and February 29.
   
• Cultural enjoyment under the Christmas tree: The Christmas subscription of the Culture Department offers five cultural evenings with high-quality music and theater performances. For 104 euros, culture enthusiasts can choose from various events, from symphony concerts to theater performances. To ensure that the subscription arrives under the Christmas tree on time, orders are accepted until December 15th via martina.urschitz@villach.at or by phone at 04242 205 3412.
   
• "Ideals and Idols" at K3: Under the theme "Ideals and Idols," this year's K3 Film Festival in Villach invites film enthusiasts from December 6th to 10th to an exciting cinema experience. With an impressive selection of short and feature films as well as cool special programs, the regional festival creates a platform that brings the cultural diversity of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Slovenia, and Carinthia to life on the screen.
   
• Events: December is all about the Villach Advent in Villach. Visitors can get into the spirit of the most beautiful festival of the year with diverse Advent delights in the city center. On December 1st, around 45 Krampus groups will cause mischief again from 6 pm during the Krampus run. On December 17th, the Christ child will be welcomed in Villach as part of the Farmers' Advent, and families can experience a great Advent program with magic and puppet theater throughout the Advent season at Standesamtsplatz. In December, culture enthusiasts can also look forward to the dance fairy tale “Nutcracker and Mouse King” (December 2nd) and great concerts at Kulturhof Villach - from the punk quartet Franz Fuexe on December 2nd to the women's trio Niescer, Reid, and Harris on December 5th.