Vienna - Vienna is abuzz with rumour ahead of Saturday's Life Ball, wondering who from the long list of international celebrities who announced their attendance would party at the exuberant AIDS charity event. Hollywood star Sharon Stone, supermodel Linda Evangelista and TV actress Rose McGowan confirmed that they would join the extravagantly costumed crowd at Vienna's city hall on Saturday evening.
Sex-in-the-City star Kim Cattrall, who is touring Europe to promote the new film based on the hit series, is also expected to attend.
Still unconfirmed is a visit by music superstar Mariah Carey. Her management plans to announce a definite decision only hours before the ball on Saturday, ball organizers said.
British singer Kelly Osbourne and model Kate Moss also announced their plans to participate in the event, which last year produced more than 1 million euros (1.55 million dollars) for HIV/AIDS charities, but also gained a reputation for being Austria's party of the year.
Osbourne cancelled a visit to last year's ball at the last second.
Thousands of guests, many of them dressed in costumes adhering to an annually redefined dress code, are expected to mingle in the neo- Gothic city hall and at a fashion show held at the huge square in front.
On Friday, the first plane from New York, carrying transgender icon Amanda Lepore, actor Alan Cumming and singer Debbie Harry touched down in Vienna.
Around 45,000 people are expected to watch this year's fashion show with designers from lingerie label Agent Provocateur.
The 4,000 tickets for the ball proper are usually sold out within minutes, even 16 years after the first event.
