World Bodypainting Festival in Klagenfurt
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The World Bodypainting Festival (WBF) is a bodypainting festival and competition. The festival used to be held in Pörtschach on lake Wörthersee, but since 2017 it has taken place in Klagenfurt. It is attended by artists from 50 nations and attracts over 30,000 spectators.
It consists of a preparatory week followed by 3 main days of the festival/competition. The preparatory week consists of workshops and side events.
The World Bodypainting Festival has been taking place since 1998, forming a part of the art and cultural scene and the festival season of the southern region of Austria.
+ More information > Wikipedia • Wikivoyage
+ TOURIST INFORMATION > AUSTRIA > CARINTHIA > KLAGENFURT
The workshops offer many educational programs and lessons by leading artists in brush & sponge, airbrush, special effects, beauty make-up, head dressing including colour theory and history. All workshops are run and handled under the WB Academy and are also scheduled throughout the year in various cities worldwide.
Side events include parties such as the surreal Costume Ball (Body Circus) with international DJs and musical stage performances. Also included are exhibitions, gatherings, meeting points and industry discussions.
The three main days are open to the general public in a park also known as “Bodypaint City” where the World, Special and Amateur Awards are held. The festival is open to both adults and children and is considered a family-friendly environment.
Hiring a bicycle is recommended if you wish to travel to Klagenfurt’s beach, on the shore of the Wörthersee in the Western outskirts of the city. There is a cycle path along the Lendkanal (map), taking you from Heiligengeistplatz (take the underpass) to the beach and continuing along the northern shore of the Wörthersee all the way to Velden (map). Bikes can be hired at Neuer Platz.
Hochosterwitz Castle (map). One of the most impressive medieval castles in Austria, dating back to the 9th century, is 20 km outside of town. This rock castle stands on a dolomite rock towering 175 m above everything else, and is considered a landmark for the entire Carinthia state.
STW.at – public transport in the city of Klagenfurt and the suburbs.
TRANSPORT & BUS TIMETABLES (visitklagenfurt.at)
+ Getting There & Around (austria.info)
BUS > Eurolines Austria – is the largest operator and organizer of bus travel in Austria though many services are not included in their schedules. Flixbus – the biggest fish in the German Intercity Bus pond and now a major player in most of Europe serves a couple of international routes through and into Austria.
RAIL > Klagenfurt Hauptbahnhof (map) is located at a railway gateway to Italy, Slovenia and Germany, it can be easily reached from any bigger Austrian city. There are hourly connections to Vienna, Graz and neighbouring Villach.
Tickets can be purchased from certain locations to Austria via the ÖBB website. The only competitor to ÖBB is WestBahn on the Salzburg-Linz-Vienna line (the company shares the name of the line it runs on). Vienna is the largest railway hub but day and night trains from most Central European countries travel to many stops across Austria. (*Rail travel in Europe)
AIRPORTS > Flughafen Klagenfurt. The most important international airport is Vienna airport. + St. Gallen-Altenrhein Airport • Friedrichshafen.
WATERWAYS > –