We Vorarlbergers are known to be somewhat reserved when it comes to making new friends. However, we are very active and passionate in our clubs, volunteer work, and hobbies. Enthusiasm for a particular activity connects people. Here are some suggestions on where you can best get to know us:
SPORTS
Volleyball, Paragliding, or Judo? Would you like to learn a new sport or deepen your skills in an existing one?
You can make contacts through a sports club or at a sports venue. ASVÖ lists around 675 clubs with over 122,100 active members in Vorarlberg. You can search for sports and find your club in their database: asvoe-vbg.at. Most clubs welcome new members and offer trial sessions.
➡️In our blog post Johannes Oelz offers insights into the Tennis Club Dornbirn.
https://www.chancenland.at/en/news/game-set-and-match/
For instance, did you know that Vorarlberg has three baseball clubs?
The Dornbirn Indians, the Feldkirch Cardinals, and the Hard Bulls play on their own baseball fields and often compete against each other. The Indians are one of the teams with the most appearances in Austria’s top baseball league and were last Austrian national champions in 2019. Try this exciting sport; children from 5 years old can join the trial training. More at baseballvorarlberg.at.
Photo (c)Manuela de Pretis, WISTO and Stefan Kothner, Silvretta Montafon
Nine clubs across the country specialize in triathlon, training their endurance and technique in swimming, running, and cycling year-round. They participate in competitions together and motivate each other to achieve top performances. In Vorarlberg, there are events like the Skinfit Jannersee Triathlon and the Raiffeisen Triathlon Bregenz. Triathlon, with its three sports and broad spectrum of training, is very healthy and varied and a great foundation for other sports. More information at triathlon-vorarlberg.at.
➡️In our blog post Michael Sohm talks about his Triathlon Club Trigantium Bregenz.
https://www.chancenland.at/en/news/on-water-land-and-bike/
There are also many hobby clubs, which you can find, for example, in your local Gemeindeblatt or by asking around. Information about clubs and hobby groups can also be found at sports venues: visit skate halls, squash courts, bouldering halls, or bike parks depending on your passion.
➡️In our blog post Malcolm Schneider offers insights into EFAC Hohenems with RC Racing Fun.
https://www.chancenland.at/en/news/rc-racing-fun-in-hohenems/
MUSIC
Do you play an instrument, love to sing, or enjoy dancing?
Maybe a choir, a dance group, playing in a band, or a music ensemble is the right place for you to make new acquaintances.
There are 18 music schools in Vorarlberg where you can learn and perfect instruments. More at musikschulwerk-vorarlberg.at.
The Vorarlberg Brass Music Association (VBV) unites around 130 member clubs and orchestras. Almost every community in Vorarlberg has a brass band that welcomes new members. In addition to weekly rehearsals, brass bands also organize concerts, accompany festivals musically, and take trips. More at vbv-blasmusik.at.
➡️In our blog post Julia Kilga talks about being part of Musikverein Dornbirn Rohrbach
https://www.chancenland.at/en/news/music-connects/
The Vorarlberg Choir Association counts 108 choirs with 3,211 singers throughout the country, including 8 women’s choirs and 23 children’s/youth choirs. More at chorverbandvlbg.at.
From the Hip Hop dance club One Step Ahead (onestepaheadcrew.com) in Rankweil to the Swing & Dance dance sport club (tanzsportclub-feldkirch.at) in Feldkirch to the dance club in Bürs, there are many different dance clubs in Vorarlberg. Just Google your favorite style and location if you’re interested.
Photo (c)Andreas Haller, Montafon Tourismus and Matthias Rhomberg, poolbar Festival
There are also bands of all styles and compositions. The jazz seminar in Dornbirn offers special band workshops where you can work on pieces together, experiment, arrange, and rehearse until stage-ready. More at musikschule.dornbirn.at/jazzseminar.
Special instruments also have their place in Vorarlberg. Mathias Meusburger offers an open workshop for playing the handpan/hang every Monday evening in Lauterach. This Swiss-invented instrument, with its gentle, rhythmic sounds, is even popular on the beaches of Bali today. More details at mathiasmeusburger.com.
Engage as a volunteer at events or festivals, such as the Szene-Open Air in Lustenau or the Poolbar Festival in Feldkirch. The latter takes place for six weeks in summer in and around an old indoor swimming pool, offering concerts and formats from different musical genres.
VOLUNTEERING
Want to help others in your spare time? Maybe volunteering is for you?
Water Rescue Vorarlberg (Wasserrettung)
The Water Rescue Vorarlberg counts over 1,200 volunteers. They recruit newcomers, train children, teenagers, and adults as lifeguards, organize trips and festivals for a vibrant club life, and staff important service positions in pools, vehicles, and on boats. In the Vorarlberg Oberland, the focus is on diving and whitewater, in the Unterland and on Lake Constance on nautical skills and swimming training. Find out how to become a member at wasserrettung-vorarlberg.at.
Photo (c)Bergrettung Vorarlberg and Manuela de Pretis, WISTO
Mountain Rescue Vorarlberg (Bergrettung)
The Mountain Rescue Vorarlberg’s task is to help all those who are injured, missing, or otherwise in need, to search for them, care for them, and rescue them. The approximately 1,400 active members take on rescue tasks in impassable terrain, away from roads and paths. They ensure rescue services in winter sports, climbing, and hiking areas. In addition to emergency medical care, solving the technical problems of transporting patients in the terrain is crucial. The Mountain Rescue also has an avalanche and search dog team. More at bergrettung-vorarlberg.at.
➡️See our blog post, where Lisa Muster talks about her membership at Bergrettung Vorarlberg.
https://www.chancenland.at/en/news/lisa-about-the-mountain-rescue-vorarlberg/
Volunteer Fire Brigade (Freiwillige Feuerwehr)
According to the state association, there are 120 volunteer fire brigades in Vorarlberg, including 25 company fire brigades, with a total of around 7,600 members. Membership in a fire brigade includes competitions, events, training, excursions, and of course, responding to emergencies. More at lfv-vorarlberg.at.
Red Cross (Rotes Kreuz)
You can also volunteer with the Red Cross and take on emergency services. The range of tasks is broad and varied: from patient transport to emergency missions at accidents involving life and death. More at roteskreuz.at.
Nature Friends (Naturfreunde)
Membership with the Nature Friends offers many discounts, e.g., in climbing halls, for overnight stays in mountain huts, and the opportunity to train as an instructor or specialize in certain technical fields. Depending on the locality, Nature Friends take on different tasks, such as maintaining hiking trails, mountain huts, or organizing the traditional Funken and Midsummer fires. More at mitgliedschaft.naturfreunde.at.
➡️See our blog post, where Barbara Nöken gives insights into Nature Friends Vorarlberg.
Funken and Carnival Guilds (Funken- und Fasnatzunft)
Many communities in Vorarlberg have their own clubs for building the traditional Funken fire and organizing carnival parades. Here you can be creative and engage in a fun atmosphere. More at vvf.at.
Scouts (Pfadfinder)
Do you love spending day and night in nature and want to share your enthusiasm with children and teenagers? Then scouting might be right for you. Engage in one of the 20 scouting clubs in Vorarlberg. Find them at pfadfinden.at.
Platform for Digital Initiatives
In Dornbirn, the Platform for Digital Initiatives is very active and offers a wide range of events and projects where everyone can get involved. According to their statement,
“the Platform for Digital Initiatives (DI) is an organization of engaged people who deal with new technologies, concepts, and trends. We envision a world where everyone can use digitalization. We encourage interested people from all fields to exchange ideas, implement them, and create something new together. We want to strengthen this #make-it culture because it spreads good vibes, is useful, and conveys self-efficacy – a resource that benefits both people and regions. In the spirit of a grassroots movement, everyone can help shape the club’s activities.”
More at digitaleinitiativen.at.
Caritas Vorarlberg
Nearly one thousand volunteers are active in various fields of Caritas Vorarlberg: whether in Lerncafés (learning cafés for pupils), as social or integration mentors, as reading partners, in work with people with disabilities, in hospice work, in carla shops and retail parks, or abroad, the range of possible fields is diverse at Caritas.
The volunteer exchange provides easy access to this voluntary engagement: whether spontaneous, digital, or regular help, the filter helps you find the opportunity that suits you. By entering one or more postal codes, fields of activity, or available weekdays, you can narrow down the search results. Multiple selections are possible.
➡️See our blog post, where Helmut Loitz talks about his engagement at the Lerncafé Lauterach.
CREATIVITY
Do you love handicrafts, art, or crafting?
Throughout the country, there are various groups that meet to be creative together or exchange ideas. The adult education centers (Volkshochschulen) in the country offer courses in various topics as an entry point to meet like-minded people.
In the Gute Stube in Andelsbuch, you can try out the material clay and create beautiful things.
“In the open pottery studio, there are two top-loading kilns with a capacity of 60 liters and 275 liters, a ceramic wheel, storage shelves, plaster molds for bowls in various sizes, tools, space, workspaces, professional literature, inspiration, lemonade and coffee, good advice from the studio team, and everything else you need for pottery.” More at stube-online.com.
In the painting studio Fischbach, elementary pedagogue Isabella Außerer lives the philosophy of Arno Stern and offers weekly painting courses for all age groups without any judgment – simply to promote self-esteem.
You can also engage in repair cafes to fix broken electronic devices and promote sustainability.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Learning about a topic close to your heart can also help you meet new friends. Complete a part-time master’s degree at FHV – University of Applied Science (fhv.at), continue your education with an academic program at Schloss Hofen (schlosshofen.at), use the diverse courses at WIFI (vlbg.wifi.at – open to all educational levels), or learn a new language or skill at one of the five adult education centers.
The passion for books can also be a way to make new acquaintances. Connect with like-minded people at one of the country’s 84 public libraries or get involved with the team. The libraries organize readings, lectures, book clubs, and much more.
Photo (c) Vlada Karpovich, Pexels and Manuela de Pretis
At the Dornbirn City Library, the Silent Book Club and the English Book Club take place regularly. For two hours, participants read together, exchange ideas, discuss, and get inspired. Additionally, a creative round is held at the city library every two weeks. Anyone can bring started handicraft pieces and available knitting and crochet tools, teach others something, watch, and engage in conversation.
Enjoy finding new hobbies and expanding your circle of friends!