New Year’s Day (Neujahr, 1 January) opens the Austrian year with concerts, fireworks and family visits. Vienna broadcasts the famous New Year’s Concert of the Vienna Philharmonic, and many people take winter walks in the Alps or around lakes. It’s a calm, elegant start to the year.

Epiphany (Heilige Drei Könige, 6 January) closes the Christmas season. In many towns, children dressed as the Three Kings (Sternsinger) go from house to house singing carols and collecting donations for charity, writing the traditional blessing in chalk above the door. It’s a day that mixes devotion, winter customs and community.

St. Joseph’s Day (Josefitag, 19 March) is a state holiday in Carinthia, Styria, Tyrol and Vorarlberg. Government offices and schools are typically closed, while most private businesses remain open. Churches hold Masses honoring St. Joseph, patron of workers and families.

Easter Sunday (Ostersonntag) is a central religious and family celebration in Austria, marking the resurrection of Jesus. Traditional festivities include Osterstriezel (braided sweet bread), colorful egg hunts, and Easter bonfires (Osterfeuer) in rural regions. While it is a major day of rest and celebration, most supermarkets and retail shops are closed nationwide, as is standard for Sundays.

Easter Monday (Ostermontag, date varies) is a relaxed continuation of the Easter celebrations. Families visit relatives in the countryside, go for spring hikes or enjoy the last days of the ski season. Churches hold festive liturgies, and children still hunt for Easter eggs.

This is a public holiday in Austria.

Labour Day (Staatsfeiertag, 1 May) has a double character in Austria: it is both International Workers’ Day and an official state holiday. Trade unions and social organizations hold marches, while families enjoy the first real days of spring in parks and mountains. In Vienna, political events and cultural performances fill the city center.

Ascension Day (Christi Himmelfahrt, 40 days after Easter) is a public holiday with strong church traditions. Many Austrians use the long weekend to travel or go hiking, as May often brings mild weather. In rural areas, processions and decorated churches mark the solemnity of the feast.

St. Florian’s Day (Florianitag, 4 May) is a state holiday in Upper Austria. Public offices and schools close, while most private businesses stay open. The day honors St. Florian, patron saint of firefighters, with church services and local ceremonies.

Pentecost Sunday (Pfingstsonntag) is a major Christian holiday celebrated 50 days after Easter. Many Austrians use the long weekend with Pfingstmontag for short trips and Pfingstausflüge to the Alps or lakes. As with all Sundays in Austria, retail stores are closed, though museums and restaurants in tourist areas often remain open.

Whit Monday (Pfingstmontag, 50 days after Easter) celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit. In Austria it is a welcome spring holiday: people attend Mass, but just as often they spend the day in nature, cycling, hiking or visiting lakes and wine regions.

Corpus Christi (Fronleichnam) is one of Austria’s most picturesque Catholic feasts. After Mass, believers join processions through the town, often with the Blessed Sacrament carried under a canopy, brass bands playing, and people in traditional Tracht. In lakeside villages the procession may even take place on boats. It’s a strong expression of Catholic heritage.

Assumption Day (Mariä Himmelfahrt, 15 August) falls in the middle of the Austrian summer. Villages bless herbs and flowers, a tradition rooted in Alpine customs. Many people are on holiday in the mountains or at lakes, so the day is often celebrated in a relaxed, outdoor atmosphere.

St. Rupert’s Day (Rupertitag, 24 September) is a state holiday in Salzburg. Government offices and schools are typically closed, while most private businesses remain open. The city hosts the Rupertikirtag folk fair with music, food, and traditional costumes.

Carinthian Plebiscite Day (Tag der Volksabstimmung, 10 October) is a state holiday in Carinthia. Public offices and schools close, while most private businesses stay open. It commemorates the 1920 plebiscite confirming Carinthia’s borders.

Austria’s National Day (Nationalfeiertag, 26 October) commemorates the country’s 1955 declaration of permanent neutrality and the end of Allied occupation. Vienna opens some public buildings, the army stages demonstrations on Heldenplatz, and families enjoy the crisp autumn weather. It’s a patriotic but not militaristic day, focused on peace and identity.

All Saints’ Day (Allerheiligen, 1 November) is a quiet day of remembrance. Families visit cemeteries, light candles and lay chrysanthemums on the graves of loved ones. Churches read the names of the departed, and the whole country takes on a calm, autumnal tone.

St. Martin’s Day (Martinstag, 11 November) is a state holiday in Burgenland. Government offices and schools are typically closed, while most private businesses remain open. Lantern processions, goose dinners, and new‑wine tastings (Martiniloben) are common.

St. Leopold’s Day (Leopoldi, 15 November) is a state holiday in Vienna and Lower Austria. Government offices and schools are typically closed, while most private businesses remain open. The day honors Margrave Leopold III; many locals visit Klosterneuburg Monastery.

Immaculate Conception (Mariä Empfängnis, 8 December) is a key Marian feast and a public holiday in Austria. It also marks the real start of Advent shopping: cities are full of Christmas markets (Christkindlmärkte), mulled wine, and lights. Uniquely, shops are legally allowed to open for Christmas shopping on this day. People often combine church, family time and a stroll through the wintery old town.

Christmas Eve (Heiligabend, 24 December) is not a statutory public holiday in Austria, but many offices and shops close around 1:00 PM and some collective agreements treat it as a half-day. Families prepare the evening meal, decorate trees, and attend church services.

Christmas Day (Christtag, 25 December) is celebrated mostly in the family circle. Since Austrians exchange gifts on Christmas Eve (Heiliger Abend), the 25th is calmer: festive meals, winter walks, and visits to relatives. The Alpine setting and the Advent traditions make it an especially atmospheric time.

St. Stephen’s Day (Stefanitag, 26 December) extends the Christmas festivities. Many people visit godparents or go for traditional ‘Stefani’ rides in rural areas. It is also a popular day for winter sports, as families head to the mountains after the holiday meals.

New Year’s Eve (Silvester, 31 December) is not a statutory public holiday, but many businesses close around 1:00 PM and some workplaces treat it as a half-day. The evening is celebrated with fireworks, punch, and gatherings in town squares.