To understand the reasons behind the cancellation of our participation in Aufsteirern 2026, we requested a statement from both the organizer, iVents Kulturagentur, and the office of Governor and Commissioner for Popular Culture Mario Kunasek.
Governor Blames the Organizer
“According to the office of Governor and Commissioner for Popular Culture Mario Kunasek (FPÖ), they had nothing to do with the cancellation of the Pantherinnen’s booth; that is a matter for the organizers. Last year, however, the decision regarding the booth was very much made at the highest levels…”
Source: Kleinen Zeitung, July 21, 2026
Organizer iVents Cites the Principle of Annual Rotation
The iVents cultural agency explains the cancellation as follows: “In the social and charitable sector, booth space at the Aufsteirern festival is allocated according to a principle of annual rotation. For the upcoming edition, this opportunity is reserved for a social therapy center that makes an important contribution to society through its work for and with people with disabilities.
This social or charitable sector thus complements the Aufsteirern festival but is not central to its folk cultural focus.
We are convinced that our decision is understandable and remain committed to respectful cooperation.”
RosaLila PantherInnen: The reasoning is not convincing
For us, this line of reasoning raises questions: “We received explicit praise for our work not only from last year’s guests but also from the event organizer, iVents. Particular mention was made of the beautiful pink dirndls, the floral decorations, the well-organized logistics, and the consistently positive atmosphere.
The suspicion that the funding agency has a say in who is allowed to participate hangs over the city center.
It should also be noted that, according to the Aufsteirern app, the booth will go to the Slovenian Tourism Association, and the aforementioned social organization will be represented only by a small sales stand,” explains Joe Niedermayer of the RosaLila PantherInnen.
The varying explanations leave it unclear how the decision was actually reached. From the RosaLila PantherInnen’s perspective, transparent and clear communication would be in the interest of all parties involved.
