For the 121st time, the sweet ball night of the Viennese confectioners and bakers and is on the doorstep of Vienna’s Hofburg. Because the old imperial ballroom in the heart of the city will transform into Vienna's sweetest ballroom on 11 January 2024. Every year - interrupted by two pandemic years of pause - over 3,000 visitors flock to the lavish halls, in which the ZuckerBäckerball will now take place for the twelfth time.
The fact that such a vast amount of people did not want to miss our ball is was surprising, even for the organizer. All ball tickets sold out as early as never before! Once more this year, the organisers of Verein Förderung des Lebensmittelgewerbes, will once again ensure that the ball night will be unforgettable and filled with wonderful ideas and numerous delicacies.
In addition to atmospheric ballroom dancing, the 121st ZuckerBäckerball offers a colourful potpourri of entertaining program highlights - as well as numerous cakes and sweet temptations for all ball guests.
MUSICAL PROGRAMME
Two orchestras will provide music in the ballroom “Festsaal”, from 9:45 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.: the renowned Viennese ball orchestra Wolfgang Steubl offers a wide repertoire of classical dance music. Alternating with Wolfgang Steubl Big Band, who will provide lively variety on the dance floor.
In addition, the MA Allstars will provide excitement that encourages dancing with soul classics, disco hits, and modern club sounds from 10:00 pm to 4:00 am in the the ceremonial hall “Zeremoniensaal”.
Meanwhile, in the Caribbean Lounge in “Forum”, powerful, hot Latino rhythms from Carla Natascha & Band will make hips swing from 10:00 pm to 4:00 am. As a visual treat, two live Latin dance shows will take place at 11:30 pm and 1:00 am.
Starting at 10:00 pm our Hitradio Ö3 Ball-Disco will rock Hofburg’s “Gartensaal” until the early hours of the morning.
BALL PROGRAMME
20:00 – Doors open
21:00 – Grand opening of the ball in the banquet hall (Festsaal). Spectator places are limited; therefore the entire opening will be live streamed onto a large screen in the ceremonial hall (Zeremoniensaal)
For the seventh time in a row the ball 2024 will be opened by "Vereinigung Wiener Staatsopernballett", ballet professionals from the Vienna State Opera. Solo dancers Irina Tsymbal and Mihail Sosnovshi will dance to "Gold and Silber" (op. 79) by Franz Lehár, choreographed by Lukas Gaudernak.
A performance by awarding-winning star guest, opera singer Herbert Lippert. The successful tenor and painter will receive this year’s Celebrity Cake (Prominententorte).
The opening will be completed by the opening committee of the Wiener Tanzschulen (Viennese Dance Schools) who will perform a dance to Josef Strauss Son’s “Wiener Jubel-Gruß-Marsch” under the direction of Richard Fränzl and Eddy Franzen.
21:45 – Alles Walzer! (Everybody waltz!) - The dance floor will open to all guests.
23:15 – "HEINDL Praline Rain of Delights": Lucky balloons, each filled with a voucher from confectioner Heindl will come flying down from the roof. Those lucky enough to catch one can pick up a sweet treat in “Entreezimmer” on first floor.
23:50 – Midnight Quadrille under the direction of Richard Fränzl and Eddy Franzen. After that, the Celebrity Cake will be presented, followed by the prize giving ceremony for the Zuckerbäcker Awards for the most artful cake design.
1:30 – “Julius Meinl Coffe Cocktail Rain”: snatch a prize – each balloon filled with a prize voucher wins either one of 50 Meinl Coffee Cocktails or even three Meinl coffee capsule machines. Cocktail prizes can be picked up at the Meinl Café at Trabantenstube, the coffee machines are to be fetched at Entréezimmer on first floor.
2:30 – “NIEMETZ Lucky Balloon Shower”: every balloon wins and can be exchanged into a sweet surprise from Niemetz confectionery. Those lucky enough to catch one can be pick up their prize in ”Entreezimmer” on first floor.
5:00 – Final dance
SUPPORTING PROGRAMME
Rittersaal (The Knight’s Hall) - Baking demonstration in our Show Bakery
Trabantenstube - Meinl Café: sweeten your ball evening with a Meinl Coffee Cocktail.
Entreezimmer - Prize pick-up for balloon showers, sweet pastry heaven, cake guarantees and the gift for all the ball's ladies
Seitengalerie (Side Gallery) - Karin van Vliet - Styling corner
Seitengalerie (Side Gallery) - Point of sale for the “Grand Raffle” – every lottery ticket wins!
Hall/Foyer - Cake display of the ZuckerBäcker Awards
Cast your eyes on the fanciful cake creations of the participants
Hall/Foyer - Sample freshly baked bread straight from the oven from the master baker
Gardehalle I - “Süße Versuchung” - Sweet temptation: Various small treats are waiting to be tasted! The proceeds will be donated to Österreichische Kinderdörfer - a local children’s village charity.
Hofburg Gallerie - Ball buffet
Schatzkammersaal (Treasure room) - Delicacies in the “Heuriger” of the Viennese Butchers (from 0:00 to 04:00 am)
Zeremoniensaal (Ceremonial hall) - at 11:15 pm “Sweet AUER candy heaven”: Numerous delicious prizes will slowly be dropping from the ceiling of the hall. Those lucky enough to catch one can pick up a sweet treat in “Entreezimmer” on first floor.
CAKE GUARANTEE
Your pre-ordered cake can be picked up from in “Entreezimmer” on first floor until 4:00 a.m., preferably when leaving Hofburg.
“RIESENTOMBOLA” - GRAND RAFFLE - EACH LOTTERY TICKET WINS!
This year, the ZuckerBäckerball has, once again, cakes and sweets to give away. A part of the raffle proceeds will be donated to SOS-Kinderdorf Österreich.
Points of sale
At the entrance to the stairs, lower plateau (ground floor)
At the “Platzl” (mezzanine/half floor up)
At Seitengalerie (Side Gallery) halfway to the ceremonial hall “Zeremoniensaal“ on first floor
Issuing of the raffle prizes
Passageraum + Gardehalle I
Please collect your raffle prize winnings until 04:00 am.
DAMENSPENDE - A GIFT FOR ALL THE BALL'S LADIES
In exchange for the red coin received upon arrival, all female ball guests can pick up a free gift in “Entreezimmer” on first floor between 10:00 pm and 04.00 am.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Ticket information
Upon leaving the Hofburg your ball ticket loses validity.
Smoking
Smoking is strictly prohibited in all rooms of the Hofburg - except for the outdoor area before the main entrance from Heldenplatz (see layout of the Hofburg here). We kindly ask all ball guests to adhere to this policy and to comply with the instructions of the security personnel. The smoking ban also applies to the use of e-cigarettes.
Video recording and images
By attending this event, each event guest (i.e. the ticker holder) hereby gives consent and permission that any image recordings made of them during or in connection with the event may be used by the organisers “Verein Förderung des Lebensmittelgewerbes” without any form of compensation, without temporal or spatial restriction, by means of any current or future technical process.
Please find the layout of Vienna’s Hofburg.