Narzissenfest (Daffodil Festival)

Name: Narzissenfest (Daffodil Festival)
Start: 2025-05-28
End: 2025-05-31
Location: Altaussee

Austria’s Alpine Villages in Bloom and Celebration

2023/05/31 - 2023/06/03

As spring turns to early summer, the quiet valleys of Austria’s Ausseerland–Salzkammergut region burst into vibrant life for the Narzissenfest (Daffodil Festival). Held over four days from late May to early June each year, this is Austria’s largest flower festival, drawing tens of thousands of visitors-families, flower lovers, and cultural explorers alike.

Set in the towns of Bad Aussee, Altaussee, and Grundlsee, the festival is perfect for anyone wanting to experience the magic of spring, the beauty of wild daffodils, and generations-old local traditions.

Main Attractions

Giant Floral Sculptures and the Lake Parade

The festival’s highlight is the parade of enormous floral sculptures, crafted from hundreds of thousands of hand-picked wild daffodils. Imaginative creations-dragons, dinosaurs, swans, and more-fill the village streets in the morning, then float serenely across Lake Altaussee or Lake Grundlsee in the afternoon, accompanied by brass bands and folk music. The sight of these flower-covered figures reflected on the lake, with the Alps as a backdrop, is truly breathtaking.

Other highlights include the crowning of the Daffodil Queen and Princesses, children’s May dances, a classic car rally, open-air concerts, traditional music and dance, and the magical “Narzissennacht” (Daffodil Night) with magic shows and more.

Vivid Tracht Costumes and Floral Decorations

Locals don traditional Austrian “Tracht”-colorful dirndls, lederhosen, and feathered hats-adding even more festivity to the scene. The sweet, fresh scent of daffodils drifts through the streets, which are adorned with flower crowns, garlands, and intricate decorations. The Daffodil Queen, wearing a floral tiara, appears with her princesses as the festival’s living symbols.

Hearty Regional Cuisine and Sweets

Festival stalls and restaurants serve up Styrian specialties: crispy schnitzel, juicy sausages, fresh-baked pretzels, and delicate pastries dusted with powdered sugar. The aromas of roast meats and sweet cakes mingle with the scent of flowers, and local wines and schnapps are poured generously. Enjoying apple strudel and coffee at a lakeside café, with mountain air and festival music, is a true highlight.

Cultural and Historical Background

Narzissenfest began in 1960, inspired by an idea from Mariazell and the region’s abundance of wild daffodils. The first festival, held May 28–29, 1960, aimed to boost the local economy and showcase the area’s natural beauty, organized by the tourism board. Schoolchildren, traditional costume groups, and bands participated, with flower-adorned cars and giant sculptures parading through town. The crowning of the Daffodil Queen and two princesses has been a tradition since that very first year.

In 1963, the lake parade was added, with floats gliding across both Lake Grundlsee and Lake Altaussee. By the 1970s, visitor numbers surpassed 20,000, and an organizing committee was formed. In 1983, TV coverage drew a record 25,000 attendees. Despite challenges-such as flooding in 2013 and cancellations during the 2020–21 pandemic-the festival has evolved with the times, changing parade formats and venues as needed.

The festival celebrates the arrival of spring, the bounty of nature, and the unity of the region. Thousands of volunteers help with preparations, and local families and groups compete to create the most stunning floral sculptures. Through the queen’s election, flower picking, and the lake parade, Narzissenfest fosters pride and connection across generations. More than just a flower festival, it is a cherished symbol of “the joy of living with nature” and “the continuity of local culture” for the people of Ausseerland.

Participant Voices

We arrived early Sunday morning to find the whole town already in festival mode. The scent of daffodils and the sound of brass bands filled the air, and children were thrilled by the giant floral sculptures. This year, there were floats shaped like owls and dragons, each made from thousands of flowers. We followed the parade to the lakeshore and watched as the floats were loaded onto boats and drifted across the water-a truly magical sight.

Fun Facts

Every year, around 300,000 wild daffodils are hand-picked for the floats.
The Daffodil Queen and Princesses are chosen from local young women and represent the region for a year.
Picking daffodils actually encourages the plants to bloom even more vigorously the following year.

Festival Dates

The Narzissenfest (Daffodil Festival) takes place annually in late May to early June in the Ausseerland–Salzkammergut region of Austria, rotating between Bad Aussee, Altaussee, and Grundlsee. For details, visit the official website: www.narzissenfest.at