WHAT'S NEW!? #68 - VILLACH IN NOVEMBER 2026

The welcome2villach team collects the most important news from around Villach in a compact, monthly “News Story” with links to further information. In November, the expansion of the social safety net, innovative future plans with the "Food & Data" task force, and the opening of the new ice arena take center stage, while new accessible culinary huts, urban street art, and a multifaceted cultural program set the mood for the upcoming winter season.

• Help with housing shortages: Nobody in Villach has to live without a protective roof over their head against their will. Instead of an anonymous homeless shelter, the city relies on tailored, individual support and a tightly knit social safety net. The municipal social welfare office works closely with partners such as ARGE SOZIAL, Westbahnhoffnung, Samariterbund, Caritas, Volkshilfe, Diakonie, and street workers. Starting this year, the non-profit housing association “meine Heimat” is a new partner in the support network, providing housing quickly in cases of acute need. In addition to year-round funded emergency sleeping quarters, the youth emergency shelter JUNO, and temporary protective housing for women, the nationwide "Housing First" program is also being implemented. For acute cases, the emergency sleeping hotline managed by the Carinthian Samariterbund (04242/29000) is available daily from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM.
   
• Launch of the "Food & Data" Task Force: The pioneering future project "Food & Data Villach Farming" is to be developed on municipal land in the Federaun district. Plans include a server farm on six hectares of land and up to ten hectares of greenhouses for regional vegetable cultivation, using the computers' waste heat year-round. The remaining waste heat will flow into the city's district heating network, further reducing the share of gas in the heating mix. The Zech Group SE is ready to step in as an investor. A cross-party task force has now begun its work to transparently analyze the opportunities, risks, and open questions regarding power supply and the cooling concept.
   
• New culinary huts for the Villach Advent: Just in time for the start of the pre-Christmas season on November 13th, the traditional hut Advent on the Rathausplatz and Hauptplatz presents itself in a new design. Six newly purchased Advent hut combinations made of Styrian spruce combine protected indoor areas with outdoor standing and sitting tables. The new concept also seamlessly integrates existing guest gardens of the city center gastronomy and is completely barrier-free thanks to flat ramps. Well-known restaurateurs from the city center will operate the new huts.
   
• Ice Arena opens its doors: After about a year and a half of construction, the newly built second ice arena will be officially opened on November 16th. The hall offers a modern athletic area, a skills area, contemporary locker rooms, and a business lounge for amateur and youth sports. Starting next year, the new Federal Performance Center for Women's Ice Hockey will also begin operations here, establishing Villach as the center of Austrian women's ice hockey. On November 21st and 22nd, the sports facility invites the public to two open house days with show training sessions and guided tours from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

• The city is a colorful gallery: For ten years, Villach has supported urban street art initiatives and transformed dull gray into modern art. Since October, a new large mural by artist Bernd Püribauer has adorned the facade of the former Khevenhüller school with the message "Be nice to each other!". The artwork joins Carinthia's longest mural on the CCV Drau bridge, the 600-square-meter mural on the tower of the sewage treatment plant in St. Agathen, and colorfully designed staircases along the Drau promenade. An overview of all legal graffiti walls and projects can be found at villach.at/streetart.
   
• Business license in seconds: Thanks to the digital government service GISA-Express, business registrations for around 400 unregulated trades, location relocations, or changes of managing directors can now be completed in real time. As long as all legal requirements are met, official approval is fully automated within a few seconds. Since its launch in the spring, Villach has already processed over 170 applications via this digital channel. Access to the service is available with ID Austria at villach.at/gisa.
   
• Hooray, the Lesestadt is back! Carinthia's only children's literature festival invites visitors to a colorful world of experience at the Alpen-Adria-Mediathek. The 19th edition focuses on the works of multi-award-winning author and illustrator Michael Roher, who will personally present his books in captivating, interactive performances. Styrian illustrator Lisa Wagner has once again transformed the Mediathek basement into a walk-through miniature city. A special highlight: Until November 13th, the exhibition will also serve as a theater stage, where French actress Teresa König brings children's books to life – due to its immense popularity, the event program has even been doubled this year! The lovingly designed exhibition itself will remain open until January 8, 2027. More information at villach.at/lesestadt.
   
• Events: The culture and events scene has top-class highlights in store in November. A popular gift idea for culture lovers is the City of Villach's Christmas subscription: For 130 euros, you can combine and book five events of your choice from theater, dance, and concerts until December 22nd at villach.at/weihnachtsabo. On November 5th, the Rabenhof Theater brings Anna Mabo's "Ferdinand Raimund - Der Ganze", a mix of musical, folk theater, and pop concert, to the stage of the Congress Center Villach (CCV). The Villach Advent starts on November 13th with a festive devotion in the city parish church (6:00 PM) as well as the ceremonial opening, including a figure skating show on the Rathausplatz (7:00 PM). Game enthusiasts of all ages will meet from November 13th to 15th at the traditional Carinthian Game Days (Kärntner Spieletage) in the CCV. The Villach Cultural Forum (Kulturforum Villach) at the Kulturhof:villach offers exciting sounds off the mainstream with international guest performances such as the Co Streiff-Russ Johnson Quartet (November 5th), the Rempis/Adasiewicz/Corsano Trio (November 11th), and Ingrid Laubrock's Grammy Season (November 19th).