Vienna DIF 2025: This is how spectacular the festival Sunday unfolded
The festival Sunday at the Vienna Danube Island Festival once again offered everything that characterizes Europe's largest open-air festival with free admission: a cross-genre music offering, a colorful supporting program for all age groups, and an audience that celebrated together exuberantly and respectfully.
#dif25 Festival Sunday in Vienna in the Spirit of Local Sound Diversity
The spectrum ranged from Esther Graf, LEMO, Roadwolf, and All Faces Down to JUGO ÜRDENS, Wir 4, Alle Achtung, Fast Boy, Technotronic - Eric Martin, to Manuel Rubey, Simon Schwarz, and David Scheid - from indie to dialect pop, electronic music, and rap to musical cabaret. International acts like Rag’n’Bone Man and BEAST IN BLACK also provided great stage moments. AUT of ORDA ignited the grand finale on festival Sunday - supported by special guests like Florian Ritt, Georgij Makazaria, Otto Jaus, RIAN, and Thomas Spitzer - creating an unforgettable moment for the audience. The Rock The Island Contest winners Julia Steen and Zweimann showcased the great creative potential of the local music scene. A special highlight: the 20th anniversary of the Vienna Song School Tokyo, where Viennese sound tradition met Japanese vocal art - a cultural bridge that moved the audience.
Visitors in Vienna Used Festival Sunday for Sports, Fun, and Movement
Already in the morning, numerous visitors flocked to the festival grounds on the Vienna Danube Island. The start was made by a lively morning pint with Die Fürsten, followed by the popular format Dance Music on Demand in the ORF III Culture Tent. The Bank Austria / OKIDOKI Kinderfreunde Island was able to convince the younger Danube Island Festival visitors with program points like the puppet theater, Spotlight Dance Center, and children's songwriter Bernhard Fibich. It got sporty with Beer Pong and Yoga by AuroraYoga on the Bank Austria / Ottakringer Rock Island. On the Federal Army Action & Activity Island, brave visitors once again tackled the obstacle course and ZORB course, while on the Sports Island, the BILLA / TUI Beach Volleyball Tournament was nearing its finale. With impressive demonstrations by rescue and therapy companion dogs and the Austrian Water Rescue, the Sunday afternoon on the Vienna Insurance Group / Safe Vienna Island was anything but boring. On the tourism stage, there was a holiday atmosphere with Latin American music and dances.
Mayor Dr. Michael Ludwig: "More than forty years of the Danube Island Festival in the heart of the city - that is a remarkable success story. An impressive showcase that shows what Vienna stands for: social cohesion, a modern and affordable Vienna for all, and respectful coexistence. After three exhilarating days on the Danube Island, I can only thank all the visitors, the numerous supporters, the organizers, and the dedicated staff. Without their commitment, a Danube Island Festival of this dimension would not be possible.
That Was the Danube Island Festival 2025
The low-threshold access refers not only to free admission but also to a variety of measures implemented in favor of accessibility. For many years, the organizers have been working on the topic of participation with the Vienna Accessibility Consulting Agency FullAccess and hallermobil. For the second time, the festival started with a large inclusion concert - "Milow for All - the Inclusion Concert presented by Magenta” on the main stage. Furthermore, awareness has been a major focus at the Danube Island Festival for years and is implemented with the Lifeline and checkit! as well as for the third time with the festival pastoral care of the Archdiocese of Vienna on the festival grounds.
A key anchor of the festival is the promotion of local music talent, including the Rock The Island Contest, which celebrated its 15th anniversary this year, and the Rock The Island Contest 4 Kids, which went into its second round this year. The winners Portrait of Tao, Fräulein Peter, Lia Nell, Julia Steen, Zweimann, and Die Schenkis (RTIC4Kids) rocked the big DIF stages in the spirit of promoting young talent and impressed with their skills. Beyond that, the festival of superlatives is considered the largest promoter of the local music, art, and cultural scene and offers all artists fair compensation.
The cooperation with this year's DIF charity partner, the Cancer Aid Vienna, also demonstrates lived social cohesion. Visitors were able to donate their cup deposit of two euros to the initiative throughout the festival weekend and also purchase the iconic #dif25 bags. Each bag is a lovingly handcrafted unique piece from the Wörkerei, a project of Caritas Vienna. The proceeds also benefit the Austrian Cancer Aid Vienna.
Visitors at the #dif25 Festival Grounds
The 4.5-kilometer-long festival grounds became the venue for around 700 hours of programming with over 200 acts and a diverse supporting program over the past three days. Vienna's Mayor Dr. Michael Ludwig, Deputy Mayor Kathrin Gaál, City Councilor for Finance Barbara Novak, City Councilor for Health Peter Hacker, City Councilor for Transport Ulli Sima, and City Councilor for Climate Jürgen Czernohorszky did not miss out, visiting the island on Friday and Saturday together with Vienna State Parliament President Christian Meidlinger, SPÖ Vienna Club Chairman Joe Taucher, SPÖ Vienna Women's Chairwoman and City Councilor Marina Hanke. Parts of the federal government, including Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler, Federal Minister for Women, Science and Research Eva-Maria Holzleitner, Federal Minister for Labor, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection Korinna Schumann, and Philip Kucher, SPÖ Club Chairman and Member of the National Council, also paid a visit to the island.
These were the #dif25 Acts
After the reinterpretation of Bizet's opera "Carmen" in cooperation with the Vienna Volksoper brought a worthy pre-opening to the Danube Island on Thursday evening with great audience approval and thunderous applause, nothing stood in the way of a weekend full of music, lived equality, and exuberant atmosphere. A program spanning all genres was presented on all 16 stages - diverse, inclusive, and intergenerational: On Friday, J.B.O., Milky Chance, Red Bull Symphonic - Johann Strauss 2025 Edition Camo & Krooked, Christian Kolonovits & the Vienna Symphony Orchestra including special guests Mira Lu Kovacs and AntoNetta, Milk & Sugar, Andy Lee Lang, Jazz Gitti & Disco Killers, EsRAP, and Mufdight created an exuberant atmosphere. The spectacular festival opening thrilled the Donauinselfest audience, which sent a bright sea of lights to Graz, setting a powerful sign of solidarity. On Saturday, memories of the 2000s were revived at the No Angels concert, who returned to the island after more than two decades - a true reunion that brought genuine joy to the visitors. Additionally, visitors experienced true goosebump moments with Kim Wilde. Other great acts were also found on the other stages, including Cyril, Conchita Wurst, Takeshi’s Cashew, James Cottriall, and Tagraeumer. The second festival day on the Bank Austria / Radio 88.6 Rock Stage set a strong sign for female-fronted rock - with acts like Vulvarine and Thundermother. The spectacular festival stage finale on Saturday was made by JOSH with special guests Esther Graf, Herbert Pixner, and Manuel Randi. On Sunday, celebrations took place side by side with LEMO, Rag’n’Bone Man, AUT of ORDA, who delivered a local grand finale with special guests like Florian Ritt, Georgij Makazaria, Otto Jaus, RIAN, and Thomas Spitzer. There was lively discussion and much laughter with Manuel Rubey & Simon Schwarz and David Scheid.
This was the #dif25 Supporting Program in Vienna
This year's supporting program was also colorful: The sports and dance program spanned all three festival days and offered movement sessions for all generations, including Yoga by AuroraYoga, HIIT workout, and DJing with "bass_training", Beer Pong, BILLA / TUI Beach Volleyball Tournament 2025. Those who wanted to try something new and learn visited the many workshops and information offerings on the new Bank Austria DonauCycle Sustainability Island or the Vienna Holding Democracy Island. The Federal Army Action & Activity Island offered a variety of sports participation stations. For families and children, the OKIDOKI Kinderfreunde Island and the performances by the Helpers of Vienna provided lots of fun and excitement.
The bicycle garages, implemented at the Donauinselfest together with ARBÖ Vienna, were once again very well received this year. The offer from WienMobil Rad with the temporary nextbike stations, where bikes could be rented and returned around the clock, was also well received.
After the festival is before the festival: From July 3 to 5, 2026, the Danube Island will once again become a hotspot for music, diversity, and togetherness - as always with free admission. With the goal of enabling even more participation, sustainability, and an intergenerational program, planning for the next Donauinselfest will begin soon.
(Red)
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.