May Day 2025 in Austria

The 1st of May is well-known around the world as Labour Day. This day is often celebrated with parades or processions and waving flags. However, if you're not a fan of this movement from the 1970s, you can try something else. More traditional celebrations of Maypole can be found in the countryside of Austria. There you can become a part of an old tradition called Maibaum. People decorate a wooden pole, carry it through the village or town, and erect it in a specially prepared place. Locals then sing and dance in traditional costumes around the pole with flowers and colorful ribbons to celebrate Spring.

Salzburg is a good destination to visit on May 1st since maypoles are erected at different locations around the city. Aigen is a small village in the Salzburg area where you can see traditional dances, folk costumes, maypole climbers, and maypole thieves. In Tirol Region, the Maypole festival in Jungholz is especially famous not just for its entertainment, but for delicious local food and beer.

One more interesting fact about the 1st of May in Austria is the night before which is called Philippinacht. On that night, ​young men collect everything lost and untidy to be sorted and returned. The next day people get back their lost things but should pay a "fine."