Below is a list of balls in Vienna, the capital of Austria.
The first balls in Vienna were held in the 18th century. Today, 450 balls are held in the city. The ball season runs during Carnival from 11 November to Shrove Tuesday in February, although others are scheduled throughout the year.[1] Most balls are formal events where dancers wear a gown, tuxedo, or formal traditional Austrian dress. Traditional balls such as the Vienna Opera Ball open with debutantes performing a polonaise, followed by a choreographed waltz such as the viennese waltz.[2] Traditional ball etiquette also involves the use of dance cards and presentation of "Damenspenden", or spending gifts, to the young women attending the ball.[3] In 2018, the Vienna Chamber of Commerce estimated over 500,000 people would attend a ball that season and spend on the events.[4] The ball season has also attracted political controversy. The Vienna Ball of Sciences was founded in 2015 as an alternative to the Academics’ Ball, which was sponsored by the right-wing Freedom Party of Austria and is frequently protested.[5]
| Ball | Location | When | Note | Organizer | url | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wiener Rotkreuz Ball | November | Vienna Red Cross | www.wienerrotkreuzball.at | |||
| Hofburg Silvesterball | December | New Years Eve Dinner+Ball (tourism) | Hofburg Palace | www.hofburgsilvesterball.com | ||
| Zuckerbaeckerball | January | Vienna Bakers and Confectioners | www.zuckerbaeckerball.com | |||
| Ball der Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien | January | www.wuball.at | ||||
| Steirerball | January | Steirer Association | www.steirerball.com | |||
| Ball der Offiziere | January | Military Officers Ball | Theresian Military Academy | www.ballderoffiziere.at | ||
| Ball der Pharmacie | January | Less overcrowded - enough floorspace to waltz. | Austrian Chamber of Pharmacists | www.pharmacieball.at | ||
| TU Ball | January | Vienna University of Technology | www.tu-ball.at | |||
| Blumenball | Mid-January | Flower Ball | Vienna City Gardners | |||
| Jägerball | last Monday in January | Hunters Ball. Traditional costume mandatory | Green Cross Association | www.verein-grueneskreuz.at | ||
| Wiener Akademikerball | last Friday in January | until 2012: "Ball des Wiener Korporationsringes" | Vienna Academic Ball | www.wiener-akademikerball.at | ||
| Wiener Aerzteball | last Saturday in January | Medical Association of Vienna | www.aerzteball.at | |||
| Vienna Ball of Sciences | last Saturday in January | www.wissenschaftsball.at | ||||
| BOKU-Ball | February | www.bokuball.at | ||||
| IAEA-Ball | February | www.stylearts.eu/iaea | ||||
| Hofburg-Ball der Wiener Wirtschaft | February | Vienna Business Ball | Vienna Economic Association | www.hofburg-ball.at | ||
| Philharmonikerball | Elegant White Tie Cultural Event | https://www.wienerphilharmoniker.at/en/vienna-philharmonic-ball | ||||
| Techniker-Cercle | Ball of Industry and Technology | Club Techniker-Cercle | https://ball.techniker-cercle.at/ | |||
| Immobilienball | February | www.immobilienball.at | ||||
| Wiener Kaffeesiederball | February | Extravagant traditional ball closely associated with the Viennese coffeehouse tradition | Club of Viennese Coffeehouse Owners | www.kaffeesiederball.at | ||
| Regenbogenball | February | www.regenbogenball.at | ||||
| Vienna International Spring Ball | March | www.springball.at | ||||
| Vienna Opera Ball | government figures, international celebrities, debutants, wide televised coverage | |||||
| St. Johanns Club Ball | late Spring | |||||
| Juristenball | lawyers, judges, law students | www.juristenball.at | ||||
| Rudolfina Redoute | ladies must wear masks | www.redoute.rudolfina.at | ||||
| Elmayer-Kränzchen | www.elmayer.at | |||||
| Flüchtlingsball | http://www.integrationshaus.at/de/.../event.shtml?257 | |||||
| Concordia Ball | summer (May or June) | the oldest Viennese Traditional Ball | Concordia Press Club | www.concordiaball.at | ||
| Life Ball | summer (May or June) | biggest charity event in Europe supporting people with HIV or AIDS | Gery Keszler |