I will be the first one to admit it: Austria does not immediately spring to mind as a summertime destination. Yes, the cities Vienna, Innsbruck, and Graz are gorgeous year-round, and who doesn’t like the idea of a stroll, or roll, in an Alpine meadow? But let’s face it, when you think of Austria, you think of skiing.
No more. On the placid shores of Lake Wörthersee in Austria’s province of Carinthia stands the town of Velden am Wörthersee, whose small size belies the fact it, as site of the Pink Lake Festival (August 23-25), is actually a well known, if rural, stop on Europe’s summer Pride Season. Have no doubt that as Pride events go, this one is seriously laid back, more the equivalent of an informal backyard shindig with the locals than a circuit party extravaganza with a cast of thousands. This is one of those “get there before the tourists do” events on the European Pride Calendar.
That being said, be prepared for an international crowd: The Pink Lake Festival regularly pulls in crowds from both West and East Europe, hosting folks from Switzerland, Germany, Italy, and the UK, and is so deep in Austria’s south that for boys in Slovenia and Croatia, Velden is a day trip.
Consider the four-star Hotel Villa Bulfon the epicenter for the fun. A time warp to 15thCentury imperial Europe with a private beach on Lake Wörthersee, the Bulfon and its Pago Beach Club are where things rev up on August 23, albeit with a distinctly Alpine twist. If you’ve got a fetish for Lederhosen and Dirndls, are you ever in the right place. The Almdudler Folkwear Party puts a hard gay spin on all your Hansel (and Gretel) fantasies — and be honest, aren’t you even just a little titillated at the idea of a horny Hansel? Better brush up on your yodeling skills…
On August 24, the party heads out across the water with the TROJKA Pink Boat Cruise Party. And while the stately lakeside landscape overlooked by the Alps is majestic indeed, chances are the onboard fleshscape-with-thumping-music-accompaniment will hold your attention, among other things, a little more firmly. Hands off the crew. At least until you’re back at port.
Things end with a Mediterranean bang at the rollicking Casino Velden, which practically put the town on the map. On August 25, DJs Mark Neo and Eduardo de la Torre import the sounds of Ibiza, giving a techno shot in the arm to Velden’s mountain-man charm.
For more information, go to http://www.pinklake.at/en/. Steele Luxury Travel has a strong relationship with Austrian Airlines to save you money on your next flight to Austria. Contact us at 646-688-2274 or email us at [email protected]. Live Your Indulgence, in a Pink Lake.
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