As Vienna gears up to host the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, Austrian broadcaster ORF, through its radio station Ö3, is set to deliver a breathtaking pre-event spectacle. A massive drone show featuring 3,000 drones will light up the sky over the iconic Schönbrunn Palace, marking a spectacular start to the ESC season in the Austrian capital.
A Dazzling Pre-Eurovision Event
Hitradio Ö3 is bringing one of Europe’s largest drone shows to Vienna, scheduled for Monday, April 27, 2026. This monumental event is touted as the first major highlight leading up to the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, which Vienna is proudly hosting.
The show will feature an impressive fleet of 3,000 drones, meticulously choreographed to create stunning visual displays above the historic Schönbrunn Palace. Among the aerial artistry, the drones will reportedly depict images of Austria’s three Eurovision Song Contest winners: Udo Jürgens, Conchita Wurst, and JJ, who secured Austria’s victory in 2025, bringing the contest to Vienna.
Michael Krön (Executive Producer ESC 2026) says:
I am extremely pleased that the ESC event team, together with Ö3 and Cyberdrone, can bring this extraordinary event to Vienna. With the Eurovision drone show, we are making a spectacular statement and making the Song Contest visible in the sky above Vienna. I can hardly imagine a more magical opening than 3,000 illuminated drones above Schönbrunn Palace.
Musical Accompaniment and Free Entry
The Eurovision Drone Show will be musically curated by Dorothee Freiberger. Attendees can expect to hear not only famous Eurovision winning songs but also the newly composed title music for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. Ö3, as a media partner, will further enhance the atmosphere with a DJ set before the show begins.
Michael Krön, Executive Producer of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, expressed his excitement, stating that the drone show will be a spectacular sign, making the Song Contest visible in the sky over Vienna and providing a magical prelude.
Entry to this grand event is free, operating on a ‘first come, first served’ basis at the Spring Market located in the Ehrenhof of Schönbrunn Palace. The show is expected to commence around 21:30 CET, with gates opening at 20:00 CET. In case of adverse weather conditions or strong winds, the show will be postponed to Tuesday, April 28, 2026.
Vienna is set to host the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, with the Semi-Finals on May 12 and 14, and the Grand Final on May 16, 2026, at the Wiener Stadthalle.
