“I’ve got it on oamoi, it just has to be that I’m there!” Even if he initially hesitated to go to Vienna, for Karl Freund from the Innviertel region of Lambrechten – the retired farmer had commuted to Vienna for many years as a member of the National Council – it is still part of the process to attend the Upper Austrian Ball in Vienna.
Around 2,800 guests spent a lively night at the Vienna City Hall on Saturday evening, and the Innviertel presented itself in the best of party moods. “In Vienna we are showing how Upper Austrians can celebrate,” said visitor Jutta Sperk.
Video: That was the Upper Austrian ball in 2022
The guests of honor were enthusiastically received by the music club Eggerding (district Schärding) – on Saturday evening in Vienna the Innviertler set the pace. You have taken on the patronage of the 119th edition of this traditional ball.
“There was a bit of nervousness, but also pride that we were allowed to show the VIPs how well we play,” said musician Elisabeth Hauer after the performance. The Aspacher Tridoppler Musi also took the opportunity to perform a few of their Gstanzl.
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“They all make this ball a celebration and make it shine,” said Othmar Thann, chairman of the Upper Austrian Association in Vienna, towards the 2,800 guests at the opening. The ball could not take place for two years due to the pandemic, so the joy of the club and the guests was correspondingly great this year, and the atmosphere was exuberant throughout the evening.
“We need to celebrate together, and it is a great pleasure that we can do this together with the Viennese in the town hall again today,” said Governor Thomas Stelzer. The ball should be a sign of joie de vivre and solidarity, and in cooperation with the Red Cross people in Ukraine will therefore also be supported.
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10,000 euros for Ukraine
A picture by the artist Enrique Fuentes, artist in residence at the Schütz Art Museum in Engelhartszell, was auctioned off on the night of the ball for this purpose, and the proceeds from the ball raffle will also be donated to the Ukraine. The sum was rounded up to 10,000 euros and handed over to the Red Cross for the purchase of ambulances in Ukraine.
The head of the town hall, Vienna’s mayor Michael Ludwig, emphasized that the Viennese also had the opportunity to get to know the beauty of Upper Austria on this evening and enthused about a “wonderful breed of people”. He made no secret of his passion for Upper Austria: “I’ve already booked my next vacation there.”
People danced and celebrated in the various rooms in the town hall until the early hours of the morning, and there was something for every musical taste: from the Linz musical ensemble to SaxRoyal, DJ Rodrigezz, the Upper Austrian military band, the Woodstock-der-Blasmusik-Tanzorchester, and d’mehrnblechan to the Eggerdinger Tanzlmusi. The big highlight: the Folkshilfe midnight show, where the Upper Austrian band performed a best-of of their greatest hits.
Source: Nachrichten
