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When thoughts are dancing, feet will not stay still.

Today more than ever, the Concordia press club is committed to keeping journalism free and vibrant. 

Join us for a night of music, dancing and lively conversation:
Welcome to Concordia Ball 2025!
   
   

History

125 Glamorous Nights

Legend has it that Johann Strauss cried bitter tears: Introducing his brand new „Morgenblätter“ (i.e. „Morning Papers“) Waltz at the Concordia Ball 1864, he had suffered a painful defeat against his life-long competitor Jacques Offenbach who stole the show that night, and most of the applause, with another especially composed waltz named „Abendblätter” (i.e. „Evening Papers“).
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Dedicated to the Concordia and premiered in 1864 at the Concordia Ball.
   
  
This really hurt Strauss, the more so because after a splendid premiere on 19 January 1863, Concordia Ball was set to become the ultimate highlight of Vienna’s glittering ball season. The Concordia press club had been founded four years earlier as an independent platform for journalism, tasked with safeguarding the recently achieved right to press freedom and protecting journalists. Ever since then, the Concordia press club has influenced media policies and brought together the community of those who care about journalism, including through the highly respected annual Concordia Ball.  

The influential paper Morgenpost described the Concordia Ball as the „crown of the elite balls“, noting that “Many came to see, and others came to be seen”. Indeed, ministers and diplomats rubbed shoulders with artists and intellectuals, star actors and newspaper editors. Crown Prince Rudolf was a regular visitor, and Vienna’s leading composers wrote dance music especially for the ball: The Strauss brothers premiered more than 40 waltzes at the Concordia Ball, but Franz Lehár, Carl Millöcker, Franz von Suppé and Carl Michael Ziehrer also composed for the popular ball.

This legendary ball survived the end of the monarchy in 1918, only to perish in the following decades, alongside Austria's freedom: It was suspended under the authoritarian governments that preceded World War II and following Austria's annexation into the German Reich in 1938 the Concordia press club had to be dissolved. 

In 1960, Concordia President Rudolf Kalmar found a dedicated supporter in Vienna’s Vice Mayor Hans Mandl, relocated the ball to the spectacular ambience of Vienna’s City Hall and scheduled it as the highlight of the Wiener Festwochen spring festival, in safe distance from the yearly ball event overload during carnival.

The Concordia Ball celebrated an amazing comeback as Vienna’s greatest, loveliest summer ball with guests dancing in the ceremonial hall and, weather permitting, outside in the arcade court. Vienna’s municipal gardening service provided floral decorations of such irresistible beauty that the ball program of 1969 deplored the esteemed guests to at least leave the flower pots in place.

Once again, seeing and being seen was the name of the game: Popular actor Heinz Conrads rode into the hall on a paper mache Pegasus to present the midnight show.
Poet Ernst Jandl reluctantly agreed to at least take part in a books tombola – “if you promise I don’t have to dance!” Chancellor Bruno Kreisky, guest of honor in 1974, when asked to open the ball officially, answered dryly: “What if I say no?”
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Concordia Ball 1974: Chancellor Bruno Kreisky, Mayor Leopold Gratz und Dance Master Willy Fränzl
   
  

The Organiser

Let’s dance for press freedom!

The Concordia press club is the oldest press club in the world. Since 1859, the “Concordia", as it is commonly known, has been working as a non-profit, membership-based organisation to promote quality, independent journalism in Austria.

Concordia stands for independent journalism in the public interest. Already in 1859, its founders stood up in support of press freedom, human rights and the rights of journalists and writers, and saw themselves as the "moral compass" of the profession.

Ever since its creation, the Concordia has been promoting high professional standards in journalism, contributing to discussions about media policy issues, running numerous initiatives and projects to support its members, and serving as a place for exchange and networking.
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Since 1863, the Concordia press club has welcomed to its annual Concordia Ball journalists, editors, publishers, and writers from all over the world, together with all those who value independent journalism, to spend an evening together, talking or dancing, in a grand and unique celebration of press freedom.

Dress Code

At Vienna's oldest traditional ball, we kindly ask our guests to adhere to the dress code:
 
Full-length evening dress or long ball gown; white or black tie; black evening suit with bow tie; gala uniform.
 
The Ball Committee reserves the right to refuse entry to guests who are not dressed in accordance with the dress code. This includes specifically short, calf-length and high-low dresses and skirts as well as pantsuits, jumpsuits, business and day suits, ties, sneakers, flip-flops or boots.

If you don’t have a bow tie, don’t worry! You can purchase one at the entrance.
 

Venue
   
    
The Concordia Ball has been held in Vienna's City Hall since 1960. The festively decorated ceremonial halls provide plenty of room for dancing the night away, or alternatively, the inner courtyard magically transforms into an outdoor dancefloor, where you can also have good talks with a nice cocktail.

Vienna City Hall Address:
Entrance Lichtenfelsgasse 2
1010 Vienna

The Concordia Ball complies with the guidelines of the EcoEvent. We therefore encourage all guests to use environmentally friendly transportation options such as public transport, carsharing or cycling.

Directions to Vienna's City Hall by public transport:
Trams: 1, 71 or D to Rathausplatz/Burgtheater, 2 to Rathaus

For precise timetable inquiries please check Vienna's public transportation website.

Parking around Vienna's City Hall:
Due to the strict parking regulations enforced around the venue, it is recommended that guests arrive by public transport or taxi. Should you wish to arrive by car, there is limited parking available in the town City Hall's underground car park.

Review Concordia Ball 2024

Click here for the 2024 Concordia Ball APA picture gallery photographed by Jana Madzigon and Martin Hörmandinger. ​