Military Music Festival

When the drums roll and the horns sound in the Graz City Hall, it's that time again: The Military Music Festival 2026 brings musical diversity from all over Austria to Styria on May 22. Military bands from several federal states will showcase their skills, ranging from classical marches to modern wind orchestra sounds. The evening before, there will be a public dress rehearsal.

Before the actual concert, the audience can enjoy a plaza concert and interactive stations in the entrance area. Here, the first melodies can be savored in a relaxed atmosphere, accompanied by culinary delights from the region. This makes the evening a true feast for all the senses.

On the official concert evening, May 22, there will also be a dedicated festival area in the open-air arena, where attendees can follow the concert on a large screen with excellent acoustics in a fantastic live atmosphere. The concert will be recorded live at the City Hall for a TV broadcast that will air in August on ORF II. Therefore, no entertainment or the bringing of drinks and food is allowed during the show.

The event is free to attend, and donations will be collected for a good cause: in support of the "Light into Darkness" initiative. Thus, the festival combines musical enjoyment with lived solidarity.

Program: The successful Styrian pop-rock band Ewald Pfleger & Schick Sisters (including Opus Band) will perform newly interpreted Austropop classics, along with Willi Gabalier, who creates impressive dance and light images with his artistic choreography, and Jonas Lazarus and Wolfgang Niegelhell, who provide remarkable impulses with their extraordinary life paths and musical contributions. The Trachtenmusikkapelle Ottendorf and the Marktmusikkapelle Bad Waltersdorf will complement the program, two traditional ensembles of the Styrian music landscape.

Details of the program: Supported by tradition, precision, and passion, the special role of military music in Austria's cultural landscape is showcased here. Graz once again becomes a stage for an extraordinary interplay of music and community, in the spirit of the Graz experience region.