The open-air event "Palais Freiluft" has officially kicked off in the garden of the historic Palais Auersperg in Vienna's Josefstadt district. Following a warm-up event as part of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest, the grounds have opened their gates for a multi-month summer program that will run until September 4, 2026.
For a total of 94 days, the private park is open to the Viennese public and tourists, offering an interdisciplinary range of leisure activities that combines gastronomy, visual arts, sports, and cultural events in one central location. Organizer and initiator Paul Rittenauer of JPR Entertainment welcomed numerous representatives from the regional business, political, cultural, and media sectors to the traditional opening evening.
The open-air event's culinary concept relies on collaborations with various Viennese restaurants and pop-up concepts to offer visitors a wide range of food. The culinary spectrum ranges from stone-baked pizza from "Bernotti" and sushi variations from "Tenno" to meat specialties and smash burgers from "Trixie Kiddo" and hot dogs from "Collina am Berg." The food options are complemented by classic Viennese cuisine from the in-house "Auersperg Gastro." The bar area is operated in cooperation with major beverage brands and sparkling wine producers such as Schlumberger, Kattus, and Stiegl, who are responsible for catering to guests throughout the entire thirteen-week event.
In addition to its focus on gastronomy, the palace gardens will function as an expanded cultural and sports space in the city center during the summer of 2026. The weekly program will include sports classes such as yoga, Pilates, and salsa, as well as regular public events, including a "Park Quiz," themed markets, and the "Picnic Club" event series. The design centerpiece will be the "Open-Air Sculpture & Art Garden," which will present contemporary sculptures and installations in public spaces, thus contrasting the historic Baroque architecture of Palais Auersperg with modern art. The palace's own Mozart Orchestra, under the direction of conductor Vinicius Kattah, provided the musical accompaniment for the opening evening, setting the tone for the coming months with classical pieces.
Built in 1706, Palais Auersperg has always served as a venue for major events and prestigious gatherings in Vienna. The temporary use of the park for formats like "Palais Freiluft" reflects the ongoing trend in the event industry to utilize historical settings for commercial leisure and gastronomy concepts. By combining free access to the park with designated consumption zones, management aims to achieve high visitor numbers on weekdays and weekends and establish the Palais as a key component of Vienna's summer cultural scene.