WHAT'S NEW?! #53 - VILLACH IN AUGUST 2025

The welcome2villach team collects the most important news from around Villach in a compact, monthly “News Story”, with links to more information. In August, Villach combines progress with tradition – from the new education campus and the modern sewage treatment plant to the family-friendly lake.bike Playground, as well as the 80th Kirchtag and numerous cultural events.

• New education campus nearly complete: The “Schule am Stadtpark” is becoming a modern education campus in Villach that will unite several institutions under one roof: the former “Richard-Wagner-Schule,” Elementary School 1 (currently still in Khevenhüllergasse), and two kindergarten and two daycare groups. The new name officially replaces “Richard-Wagner-Schule” and emphasizes the central location right by the city park. Construction of the building is almost finished, with outdoor areas planned for completion by year-end. Around 16 million euros are invested in this project, marking another important milestone in Villach’s education initiative.
   
• 160 years serving Villach: Villach is secured by 21 volunteer fire brigades – two of which celebrate special anniversaries this year: the main fire station has existed for 160 years, and the Landskron volunteer fire brigade for 140 years. The main fire station has 155 members including 13 youth firefighters, while Landskron has 42 members.
   
• Villach’s sewage treatment plant modernized again: Two new coarse screens with a cleaning capacity of 7,200 liters per second replace the outdated models. The plant treats around 14 million cubic meters of wastewater annually from Villach and nine surrounding communities. It is now blackout-proof and energy self-sufficient thanks to photovoltaics and combined heat and power plants, keeping Villach technically state-of-the-art in wastewater treatment.
   
• Innovative playground for the whole family: At Lake Ossiach, the new lake.bike Family Playground in Heiligengestade offers fun and sports for all ages – with bike courses for every level, a jump airbag, a classic playground, beach volleyball courts, and shady rest areas. There is also a bike service station and drinking water fountains.

• Highlight of Kirchtag week: The 80th Villach Kirchtag is in full swing, bringing genuine folk culture and festive atmosphere to Villach’s streets. On Saturday, August 2nd, the anniversary of Austria’s largest traditional festival culminates in the grand Trachten parade with over 2,000 participants from Austria and abroad starting at 4 pm through the city center.
   
• Summer freshness at the Dobratsch: The Dobratsch Nature Park is a perfect summer outing for all ages – with diverse hikes, barrier-free viewpoints, and exciting insights from park rangers. Highlights include the Alpine protection event “Fire in the Alps” on August 9th, the traditional Dobratsch Kirchtag on August 15th with masses, music, and mountain hut specialties, and the birds of prey weeks from August 18th to 31st, where thousands of birds can be observed in the sky. The Villach Alpine Road, celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, makes access to this natural experience especially comfortable.
   
• Kinosommer Villach enters its second round: Starting August 7th, the second part of the popular Kinosommer Villach takes place in the atmospheric arcade courtyard of the music school – featuring blockbusters, arthouse films, and family hits like Mufasa or How to Train Your Dragon. Films will be shown in German or original versions with subtitles until August 24th – also ideal for Villach’s international community.
   
• Events: After Kirchtag, the summer program in Villach’s city center continues with energy: The Beach Zone at Hauptplatz (August 15th–31st) invites visitors to beach volleyball, a swimwear fashion show followed by a concert by Emely Myles (August 22nd), and another summer concert by the EMV Stadtkapelle (August 30th). Ceramic enthusiasts will find special pieces at the handicraft market from August 28th to 30th at Oberer and Unterer Kirchenplatz, while culture lovers can enjoy the musical Hamlet (August 6–9th) at Rathausplatz and the concert West Side Stories by the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna as the spectacular finale of the Carinthian Summer.