Saalfelden Leogang has established itself not only as a winter and summer tourist destination with a rich cultural heritage, but also as a venue for contemporary artistic events.
In hardly any other Austrian region do we find more diverse cultural programming than in Saalfelden Leogang. While showcasing local heritage and customs, the region is also known for its art shows, concerts on high-mountain pastures, and the International Jazz
Festival, a summer highlight of avant-garde art.
The 36 th International Jazz Festival
Markedly different from run-of-the mill jazz fests, the 36 th Saalfelden International Jazz
Festival will take place from August 27 to 30, 2015. At this event, world-class musicians blend and expand musical genres. Always on the cutting edge, the Saalfelden Jazz
Festival has provided a stage for freethinkers—the most experimental of musicians.
Surrounded by a breath-taking Alpine setting, six stages will host thirty-one concerts over four days.
From Berlin to the Pinzgau region
Scottish artist Robert Montgomery has earned rave reviews for his poetic critique of capitalism, most recently causing a stir in in the Berlin art scene. Montgomery has installed his avant-garde poems in big bright letters all over the world. His shiny slogans stage an irritating intervention into the public space. Messages such as “All palaces are temporary palaces” and “The spectacle of advertising creates images of false beauty so suave and so impossible to attain” give cause for reflection. When asked by an interviewer why he became an artist, Montgomery answered in his customary poetic manner, “I think art just chooses you.” This spring, Montgomery will create an artistic project for Saalfelden Leogang. The development of the installation and the artist’s dialogue with the region can be traced on his blog www.searock-songlines.com.
Mountains in flames
When mystical chains of small bonfires appear on nighttime mountaintops, we know that midsummer’s night—the shortest night of the year—has arrived. Ever since the 14 th century, Pinzgau locals have followed the equinox to celebrate the beginning of summer. Tradition has it that the solstice bonfires ward off evil demons that bring harm to children and livestock and cause diseases and hails. On June 20, 2015, numerous bonfires will be lit in the Leogang Steinberge Mountains, casting a unique mystical spell on the nighttime landscape.

A hairy affair: Moustaches, goatees, beards, and muttonchops
If you think that curlers, body wax, and hairspray are the exclusive domain of women, think again! At the World Beard Championships from October 2 to 4, 2015, about threehundred bearded persons from more than twenty countries will compete in eighteen categories. Leogang was previously the venue for the Beard Olympics in 2005. In 2010, the European Beard and Moustache Championships also took place in town. Last year marked a turning point in the history of the event: for the first time, a comprehensive world champion for all categories failed to emerge. “I am expecting strong competitors with unusual beards in Saalfelden Leogang this year,” says Wilhelm Preuss, the president of the East Bavarian Beard Club. “We will see whose beard grows the fastest.”
Bach on the Roof
This year marks Johann Sebastian Bach’s 330 th birthday. To honor the great composer’s work, the province of Salzburg will host numerous concerts and artistic projects. Entitled
“Bach on the Roof,” Musikum Saalfelden’s concert will focus on the multifaceted aspects of Bach’s work. The performance is free to the public and will take place on the roof terrace of the Saalfelden Congress Building at 7:00 p.m. on May 31, 2015. “This program could also be called ‘A different take on Bach,’” says Barbara Zimmer, director of Musikum Saalfelden. “Not only will we feature original scores of Bach’s music, but we will also showcase a wide variety of interpretations such as ‘Bach & Jazz,’ ‘Bach & Brass,’ and ‘Bach & Folk Music’.” Comprised of 400 teachers and 9,500 students, the Saalfelden
Music Academy draws on the largest musical talent pool in the province of Salzburg.
Historical Tours of Saalfelden Leogang
From May to late October, young and old visitors are invited to take part in exciting tours of the town of Saalfelden and Leogang village. They will discover a late Gothic blacksmith’s shop, an early medieval tower building, and Ritzen Castle & Museum.
Located in Saalfelden, Ritzen is one of four remaining castles in Saalfelden. On the occasion of the museum’s 50 th anniversary, valuable artifacts will be shown in 24 thematic exhibits. This year’s special exhibition on Pinzgau pilgrimages will take place from May to October 2015.
The old mine inspector’s house in Leogang’s Hütten district is home to the Mining and
Gothic Art Museum. Titled “Mining and the White Gold,” its special exhibit traces 3,200 years of mining history. NEXUS, a futuristic art center, stands in stark contrast to these traditional exhibitions. In its shows, lectures, plays, concerts, and readings, the center highlights contemporary art.

Open-air concerts on mountain pastures
Young musical talents will organize a series of five concerts in various genres from June to August 2015. Entitled “Musical Tracks on Asitz Mountain,” this series will take place under the open sky, often until sunset. In addition to organizing concerts on Leogang’s landmark mountain, the organizers are also hosting interactive workshops with the bands.
@lm:KULTUR
Titled “Tradition meets Modernity,” the @lm:KULTUR Program will host weekly cultural and artistic events on high-mountain pastures in Pinzgau from July to September 2015.
@lm:KULTUR includes workshops in a wide variety of media such as acrylic painting as well as musical tidbits such as classical and didgeridoo concerts, and literary readings.
Far removed from everyday stress and noises, the romantic landscape surrounding the rustic cabins is the ideal location for creative and intellectually stimulating events.
The cultural highlights of 2015:
 June 4 to October 31, 2015: Special exhibit “Mining and the White Gold” at
Leogang’s Mining and Gothic Art Museum
 May 9 to November 11, 2015: Robert Montgomery presents “Searock Songlines”

May 7 to October 31, 2015: Museum & Castle Ritzen, special exhibit on “Pinzgau
Pilgrimages”
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May 31, 2015: Bach on the Roof
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June 6, 2015: Light Signs—a photo project by Julian Kirchner

June 20, 2015: “Mountains in Flames,” Midsummer Night bonfires

June 25 to August 13, 2015: “Sound Tracks” on Asitz Mountain (5 concerts on
Thursdays)
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June 25 to August 13, 2015: Leogang Summer “Hoagascht” Festival
 August 5, 8, 9, 12, 15, 16, 2015: “Der Zerbrochene Krug,” play by Heinrich von
Kleist
 August 27 to 30, 2015: Saalfelden International Jazz Festival
 October 2 to 4, 2015: World Beard Championships and 125 th anniversary celebration of the Leogang Band
 July 8 to September 2, 2015: @lm:KULTUR 2015: Ostebeatband (July 8);
Elisabeth Holzschuster (July 15); Die 3 Herren (July 23); Viera Blech (July 29);
Wiener Kammerquintett (August 5); Iris Quartett (August 12); musical hike to mountain pastures (August 15); Sain Mus (August 19); Peter Blaikner (August
26); Irene Bernatzky (September 2).

For further information, please contact:
Saalfelden Leogang Touristik GmbH
Selina Hörl
+43 (0) 6582 70 660-22
Mittergasse 21 a
5760 Saalfelden presse@saalfelden-leogang.at www.saalfelden-leogang.com
Rich in contrast, the tourist destination of Saalfelden Leogang offers a unique blend of pastoral and urban flair, tradition, and innovation. Guests engage in a wide variety of sports and cultural activities, take advantage of shopping opportunities and the region’s conference facilities. Authentic Pinzgau hospitality and top-notch amenities help draw many visitors, who make up 800,000 overnight stays a year.