Graz Entertainment

Graz has a decent nightlife scene with a wide range of different venues where you can enjoy an evening. Everything from raging discos to subdued wine bars are tucked away among the city’s streets. Some restaurants combine dancing and nightclub shows with dinner, so you may be able to spend the whole night at one spot. Cafés often have live music in the evenings as well.

Nightlife

The area around Farbergasse Mehlplatz, referred to locally as the Bermuda Triangle due to the number of partiers who go missing here, is the most happening area of Graz for nightlife. The city’s greatest cluster of bars and restaurants is here and it gets packed almost every night of the week. Graz is a very safe city at night, so feel free to go out and explore.

The most popular type of venue is the local pub, called a beisl. This is where the young and old alike go to meet up, have a drink and make plans. The staff are usually friendly and the atmosphere is warm and pub-like. A beisl is a good place to start your night.

The city also has the Casino Graz, one of the premier nightlife venues. Located in the historic core of town, the casino has a full array of gaming tables and slot machines. Jackets and ties are usually required for men, except in the hot summer months.

Theatre and music

The city puts on a good selection of live music, theatre and dance throughout the year. Many of the cafés and bars in town have music on the weekends, often offering jazz. Performances are not scheduled regularly, but chances are you’ll catch something good if you head over to Das Neue Wist.

The most visible and high profile theatre in Graz is the Opera House. It hosts year-round performances by the resident opera company, which are excellent. Other types of performance are also held here. Phone: +43 01316 8000.

Festivals

Graz has a really interesting calendar of events, many of which focus on music and art. The showcase festivals show just how important Graz is to Europe’s cultural scene.

• The Steierischer Herbst (Styrian Autumn) is a great festival featuring art, music and literature from the region. This arts festival has the reputation for being avant-garde, with everything from mime to jazz (September).
• La Strada is Graz’s international festival for street and figure theatre. For a couple of days, the whole city is turned into a giant stage for street performances, dancing and music (July).
• The International Festival of Contemporary Art brings innovative art pieces from all the fields of contemporary art. The interaction of music, performance, literature and new media makes for an eclectic mix (September).
• Elevate is the nickname of the Schlossberg Festival in Graz. It features four days and nights of contemporary music and political discussion. Workshops are held by well-known artists and activists (October).