WHAT'S NEW!? #64 - VILLACH IN JULY 2026

The welcome2villach team collects the most important news from around Villach in a compact, monthly “News Story”, with links to more information. In July, Villach comes alive with the cultural highlights of the Carinthian Summer Festival and the Villach Summer Cinema, while the free Summer Bus expands access to Lake Faaker See. At the same time, major housing and education projects – including the expansion of assisted living in Schlossgasse and the opening of Villach's first Montessori kindergarten – mark important milestones in the city's ongoing development.

• Villach Takes Center Stage: From July 2nd to August 2nd, the Carinthian Summer Festival features a diverse program of classical music, jazz, literature and musical walks across Villach, Ossiach and Klagenfurt under the motto "Far & Near". For the first time, the festival also hosts the "Villach sounds" city festival, turning the city center into a lively open-air cultural venue on July 18th. Musical highlights include the Treppenhausorchester, Anna Anderluh and Anna Mabo, alongside performances by the Theaterwagen Porcia theatre company and readings by Tara Meister, inviting visitors to wander through the city's streets and squares while discovering music, theatre and literature around every corner.
   
• €15.7 Million Investment in Assisted Living: The senior residence in Schlossgasse is undergoing a comprehensive renovation and will be transformed into the modern "ParkQuartier". The project will create 77 accessible assisted-living apartments, complemented by a senior day-care center, a base for Volkshilfe Carinthia's mobile care services, and an emergency overnight shelter for women. The development is being carried out by the non-profit housing association Neue Heimat and operated by Volkshilfe Carinthia. Construction is already underway, with completion scheduled for 2029, bringing housing, care and support services together under one roof.
   
• Free Summer Bus to Lake Faaker See: From July 4th until the end of September, Villach residents can once again travel free of charge to the lakeside beaches at Lake Faaker See using the Summer Bus. Free travel is available with the Summer Bus Pass for residents of Villach, available in the current city magazine (Issue 05 | 26th of June), at the City Service Center in the Town Hall and at the BUS:SI information point on Hans-Gasser-Platz. The service operates on Postbus routes 301 and 302. Timetables and route information are available at villach.at/sommerbus.
   
• Summer Holiday Kick-Off in the City Park: To celebrate the start of the school holidays on Friday, July 10th, the newly renovated playground in Villach's City Park will officially reopen. The upgraded area features a water playground, zipline, discovery trail, boccia court, and trampoline. Live music by Manuel Brunner will accompany the celebration, while children and teenagers can enjoy free ice cream from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon, while supplies last.

• Open-Air Cinema Returns: The Villach Summer Cinema once again transforms the courtyard of the Music School into an atmospheric open-air cinema. Between July 16th–25th and August 6th–25th, the program features 27 films, ranging from biopics, literary adaptations and dramas to animated features and family-friendly productions. The full program is available at www.kinosommervillach.at.
   
• Villach's First Montessori Kindergarten: This autumn, Villach's first Montessori Kindergarten will open in cooperation with Diakonie de La Tour. It will be located in the current premises of the Pestalozzi Kindergarten, which will move to the new Education Campus at Stadtpark. The project further expands the city's childcare services and gives families even more choice when it comes to early childhood education. Registration is open from July 6th–10th by prior telephone appointment (+43 664 88 58 10 08) at the Pestalozzi Kindergarten.
   
• Events: July also brings a packed program of festivals, exhibitions and performances, complementing the Carinthian Summer Festival and the Summer Cinema. Two exhibitions open the month: from July 4th, the TART Gallery presents Natascha Zenig's photographic exhibition The Mysterious and Savage Grace of Dark Art, while from July 6th, the Dinzlschloss showcases watercolors by Franz Schneeweiß. From July 8th–11th, the Spectrum Festival transforms Villach's city center into an open stage for contemporary art, performance and interdisciplinary projects under the motto "DA!DA!", with free admission. This is followed by the Long Night of Dance on July 11th, bringing contemporary dance performances to public spaces throughout the city center. The program also includes acrobatic performances on July 3rd and 17th, the DRAUpuls multimedia light show at the Drau river terraces, and public screenings of the FIFA World Cup at Unterer Kirchenplatz until July 19th. The month culminates with the 81st Villacher Kirchtag, beginning on July 26th , when the city center fills with music, tradition and festive celebrations.