The film and musical ‘Priscilla – Queen of the Desert’ tell the story of two drag queens, Mitzi and Felicia, and a trans woman, Bernadette, who travel through the Australian outback in an ageing bus called ‘Priscilla’ to put on a show in Alice Springs. The musical will premiere at the Salzburg State Theatre on 6 December 2025, directed by Ramesh Nair. [Read more]

The fourth tip in our Christmas series takes us to the Volksgarten in Salzburg. From 26 November to 6 January, the Winterfest, the largest circus festival in the German-speaking world, will take place here. Since 2001, the Volksgarten has regularly been the venue for a colourful circus ring as part of the Winterfest. International and local artists enchant audiences with poetry, drama and, of course, lots of acrobatics. [Read more]

5 event tips for pre-Christmas Salzburg? We start with ‘Priscilla – Queen of the Desert’. This musical, which premieres on 6 December, is not only entertaining but also promotes queer visibility and empowerment. Priscilla will be performed eight times at the Salzburg State Theatre until New Year’s Eve. [Read more]

Halloween, the pre-Christian Celtic custom that came to us from Ireland via the USA in the 19th century, has now developed creative potential of all kinds in Salzburg. With an organ concert by the Mozarteum Foundation, a rave by the record label ‘P LAB Recordings’ and Dragoween by the Magic Garage, the Halloween spirit is being celebrated in very different ways this year. [Read more]

‘The performance poetically delves into the complex reality of queer relationships and highlights the divide between the private and public spheres.’ The dance theatre piece ‘Mind the Gap’ explores queer lifestyles through dance, inspired by Pina Bausch, a leading figure in modern dance theatre of the last century. On 4 September at the Kollegienkirche in Salzburg. [Read more]

In mid-May, the wild thinX research festival opened up a speculative space for rethinking built and natural environments in the Salzburg cityscape. The appeal of thinking and designing differently lies in the potential horizons of political imagination. Although the festival is over, an exhibition will continue to explore the theme until 25 July, inviting visitors to engage with their own perceptions. [Read more]

‘After Rome and Seville in previous years, we are continuing our imaginary city trip as part of the Salzburg Whitsun Festival in 2025, this time letting ourselves be enchanted by the sounds of the lagoon city of Venice,’ writes artistic director and opera singer Cecilia Bartoli in her announcement of this year’s Whitsun Festival in Salzburg. Opera, concerts and ballet will explore the artistic significance of Venice over three days in June. [Read more]

‘A feast for the eyes!’ Under the motto “Essthetik”, the eat & meet culinary festival 2025 attracts local and foreign gourmets to Salzburg. From 7 to 30 March, many restaurateurs in the old town of Salzburg invite you to take a look behind the scenes of food preparation and be inspired by cooking courses. [Read more]

The Salzburg Easter Festival is a major cultural event and an integral part of the cultural life of the city of Mozart. Founded in 1967 by Herbert von Karajan, the festival attracts people from the surrounding area and from all over the world. In an interview with gaysalzburg.at, press officer Christoph Koch gives insights into the programme of this year’s festival. [Read more]

In 1973, Richard O’Brian’s Rocky Horror Show premiered at the Royal Court Theatre in London. Even after more than 50 years, this spectacle about sex, love and transvestitism has fans all over the world. A 50th anniversary show is currently running in German-speaking countries. Salzburgers and visitors to the city have it easier. From 22 December, the musical can be seen on the stage of the Salzburg State Theatre. [Read more]

Frida Kahlo was a Mexican artist who painted many self-portraits due to her painful life story. As a Marxist, she was an important voice in political Mexico and had an eventful love life. She had affairs with both men and women while she was married to her husband. Now the Salzburg State Theatre is bringing “Frida’s World” to the stage as a ballet from October. [Read more]

The Salzburg International Summer Academy of Fine Arts was founded by Oskar Kokoschka in 1953. Since then, it has brought together artists from all over the world for workshops every summer. Queer themes are also a recurring theme. The artist Philipp Gufler shows his examination of queer history and role attributions in the Galerie im Traklhaus. The Salzburg 2024 Pride Festival also begins at the same time as the finissage. [Read more]

Rice from Lower Austria, turmeric from Styria or shiitake mushrooms from Salzburg. The eat&meet Culinary Festival is entering its 15th round this year and is focussing on exotic foods and dishes. Almost everything from regional production. [Read more]