Parties You Will Never Get Into

Vienna has always been the land of waltzes and balls like the highly prestigious Vienna Opera ball. Another similarly esteemed event is the Life Ball. Europe’s biggest AIDS non-profit event is an extravagant ball. Turning 16 on May 17, 2008, the revelry pegged its motto on futurism, billing it “Planet Life Ball.”

Otherworldly love was indeed the order of 2008’s event. Still the world’s only AIDS charity event held in a government building, Life Ball featured the Vienna City Hall in space-age décor, belying the building’s neo-Gothic facade. A galaxy of international stars attended the event, too.

Like every other year, Life Ball opened with a waltz, Strauss’ “G’schichten aus dem Wiener Wald.” Then in front of over 40,000 spectators, models and celebrities sashayed on the gigantic Red Ribbon-shaped runway, including X-Men actor Alan Cumming, Peaches Geldof, Lydia Hearst, and Academy Award winner Stefan Ruzowitzky. Agent Provocateur, UK’s lingerie brand, provided the skimpy clothes.

Blondie legend Debbie Harry, Jodie Watley, and the The Feeling belted their hits to the massive audience, while Chicks On Speed sang the official 2008 Life Ball anthem.

Other stars who peppered the opening program included amfAR chair and actress Sharon Stone and supermodel Linda Evangelista. Meanwhile, Kim Cattrall of Sex And The City presented the Swarovski-studded “Crystal of Hope” to CARE.

Over 4,000 partygoers thronged inside the city hall for the actual ball. Perfectprops, Section.d, and Pneumocell transformed the political building into a space vessel of sorts.

Inside, merrymakers played at a special lounge sponsored by Poker-Stars.de, with proceeds going to AIDS charities. Patricia Field, Sophie Ellis-Baxtor, and other stars partied the night away at the “Festsaal,” the VIP section that was illumined by sophisticated pillars of the light.

Guests packed the titanic dancefloor, Arkadenhof, as various DJs played to more crowds at Hof III, Wappensaal, and Stadtsenatssitzungsaal. Revelers enjoyed the world-famous Vienna coffee at the Meinl Coffee Lounge.

Organized annually by AIDS LIFE, Life Ball raised €1.4 million from the 2008 event alone. Since 1993, the yearly party has raised over €10 million.

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