These concerns are also shared by the new Town Councillor of the Environment, Isabella Kossina, who opened the festival. Saint Peter apparently also supported the event by bestowing an "integral" water experience on the visitors. The Viennese, however, took it coolly, as the steady run on the offered attractions showed.
The concept developed by the organiser, the Municipal Department for Water Engineering, which presented the element water for all age groups in a playful, sensual and informative way, proved fully successful. Supported by the artist Wolfgang Seierl children could disguise as water beings, invent their own dream ships or experience the qualities of water in a different way.
Young people could get new perspectives of the river Wien from a climbing frame of the Best Adventure Company. "Art to the Riverbed" brought the installations by the architect Siegi Meinhart ("Flussbett" in the riverbed of the Wien), the "Segel" ("sail", an object detached from its usual context) by Nora Bachel, the sound installation "Aquarium" by Miriam Bajtala and the "Underwater Reality TV" by the St. Balbach Art Production. Theatre performances, concerts and the presentation of the Water Prize "Neptun" (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management) rounded off the art programme.
The gastronomical offer at the River Wien Festival, too, was in line with the theme. The best thirst quencher after fish and shellfish dishes available in many places was offered by the Municipal Department of Waterworks, which could demonstrate on this occasion the unique example of Vienna, a city of millions, supplied with excellent high spring drinking water – in cooperation with the Municipal Department of Forestry and of the Environment. (Source: aqua press Int. 03/01)
