WHAT’S NEW!? #4 - VILLACH IN JULY 2021

The welcome2villach team collects the most important news from around Villach in a compact, monthly “News Story”, with links to more information. In July there is news about Villach’s popular Shopping Nights, investments in the local economy and industry, and awesome summer events!

• Summer in the city! Villach’s city marketing office (Stadtmarketing Villach) has once again come up with a colorful and diverse program for the summer months. Wednesday evening Shopping Nights are a fun part of this program, where downtown shops can stay open until 9 p.m on Wednesdays from June 30-September 8. There is also super fun entertainment planned, and we can look forward, for example, to “Living Room Concerts” in many of the pub gardens around town.
   
• Rediscover Villach - through one of the interesting themed city tours offered by the Villach Tourism Association, which also gives city tours specially for children. Carinthian tour guides can help you learn more about the following topics: “Villach, the transportation hub”; “From the plague to COVID - How Villach has handled dangerous pandemics”; “Villach’s bedtime stories”; “What the streets can tell us”.

• Villach is growing, not only in terms of the number of residents, but also in terms of the number of successful companies - which of course all need a lot of electricity. Work on a solution for this began already 12 years ago, and it has now officially been brought online. There is now a 220/110 kV grid support in the south of Villach, the third in Carinthia. In total, €80 million were invested in complete grid security for Villach.
   
• The Summer Bus is here, which is a sustainable way to get to and around the Faaker See, all without that tedious search for a parking spot. This service is free for all Villach residents! Grab your Summer Bus ticket (Sommerbuskarte) from the Magistrat’s office in the Villach City Hall and off you go. Check out the route and timetable here.
   
• Because the current COVID situation has again made it impossible for Villach’s Kirchtag to take place, the organizers of that event, the Villacher Bauerngman, have come up with something special. It is tradition that local businesses are asked for donations for the so-called “Children’s Fund” (Kindlkassa) when they are officially invited to the Kirchtag each year, and this money is donated to support disadvantaged children and youths. Because the Kirchtag is again not happening, this year the Bauerngman group is collecting these donations online. From now until the normal peak of the Kirchtag festival on August 7th, donations are being gratefully taken on the Bauerngman website, where you also have the chance to win valuable prizes.
     
• Artists wanted! The Street Art Works found on building walls throughout the city are a visual treat for visitors and locals alike. Organizers are now looking for ideas for a new surface - an approximately 60 m² wall of “Staubers Stadtschenke” will be beautified. Please get in touch with jugend@villach.at if you have a creative suggestion. The entry deadline is July 23rd and the project should be created over three weekends in September.

• Summer is here and therefore so are the many diverse events in downtown Villach:
   
  •  In addition to the Shopping Nights on Wednesdays there is the Alps Adriatic Ceramics Market from June 30-July 3. Approximately 60 artisans will be offering traditional and modern dishes, containers, decorative pieces, ceramics for gardens and yards, ceramic jewelry, and much more.
     
  • Looking for a bike? On July 7th beginning at 5 p.m. bicycles from the city’s lost and found office will be auctioned off at Hans-Gasser-Platz. A total of 25 bikes from the lost and found will be looking for new owners, and the proceeds will be donated to Inklusion:Kärnten.
     
  • From July 7-11 we will experience the Spectrum Theater Festival. The main event starts each day at 9 p.m., with other performances happening throughout the day at various locations throughout Villach’s downtown. All performances can be attended for free!
     
  • Street artists will then take the reins on July 14th, 21st, and 28th, and will charm Villach’s residents and visitors with breathtaking shows. The “Walk of Art” will also take place on these dates, in which the Lederergasse will be turned into a picturesque art walk where you can watch Carinthia artists in the process of creating their art.
     
  • On July 14th the Amateur Grilling Championship will take place at Villach’s Rathausplatz, with grilling professional Yulia Haybäck. The opening of the Carinthian Summer Music Festival will also be celebrated on July 14th, featuring Orjazztra Vienna in the opening concert that evening.
     
  • And last but not least, every Wednesday and Friday from June 30th to September 10th we can look forward to the Draupuls Water Show on the Drau River, with the show beginning at 9:30 p.m.