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Upcoming Holidays and Festivals in Switzerland

Alpabfahrt cow procession, Appenzell, Switzerland
Cow processions fill the streets of alpine regions (such as Appenzell) in spring and fall.
  • Before planning a trip around a festival, verify the festival dates on the festival's website or with a local tourist information office. Weather-dependent events such as outdoor alpine festivals are often rescheduled on short notice when the forecast looks iffy; in most cases the events are then postponed exactly one week. For more information about these and other events, visit the official tourism site for Switzerland.
  • This list includes major festivals in major cities, plus national holidays observed throughout Switzerland. Many sights and banks close down on national holidays — keep it in mind when planning your itinerary. Note that this isn't a complete list; holidays can strike without warning.
  • See upcoming holidays and festivals across Europe

2023

January 1:  New Year's Day (closures)

January 2:  Berchtold's Day (Berchtoldstag; some closures), Harder-Potschete parade, Interlaken

January 6:  Epiphany (closures in some areas)

January–March:  Horn sled races, alpine areas

January 13:  Silvesterchlausen, Appenzell (medieval masked procession)

January 13–15:  Lauberhorn ski race, Wengen

January 16–21:  World Snow Festival, Grindelwald

January 18–23:  Inferno ski race, Mürren

January 21–29:  International Hot Air Balloon Festival, Château-d'Oex

February 5, 12 & 19:  White Turf, St. Moritz (horse races across frozen lake)

Late February–March 2:  Chalandamarz, across Graubünden (traditional costumes, processions, bells and whips to chase away winter)

Late February–early March:  Fasnacht (Carnival; especially big deal in Luzern, Zürich, Bern, and Basel)

March 1:  Republic Day, Neuchâtel (closures)

March 12:  Engadin Ski Marathon (huge cross-country ski race that runs through St. Moritz and Samedan)

March 19:  St. Joseph's Day (Josefstag; closures in some areas)

Late March–late May:  International Jazz Festival Bern

March 31–April 2:  Lucerne Spring Festival (orchestral concerts)

April 1–May 14:  Tulip Festival, Morges (Lake Geneva)

April 2—23:  Interlaken Classic Music Festival

April 7:  Good Friday (Karfreitag / Vendredi saint; closures in most areas)

April 9–10:  Easter Sunday and Monday (Oster / Pâques and Ostermontag / Lundi de Pâques; closures in most of country)

April 14–17:  Sechseläuten, Zürich (springtime festival culminating with burning of a snowman on Monday)

April 30:  Appenzell Landsgemeinde (open-air parliament with public selection of delegates)

May 1:  Labor Day (Tag der Arbeit / Fête du Travail; closures in many areas)

May 4–6:  Appenzell A Cappella Festival

May 7:  Gruyères Cheese Festival

May/June/July:  Alpine cattle ascent (Alp- or Almaufzug, Alp- or Almauffahrt / Estive; cow processions through alpine villages; especially big in Engstligenalp and Appenzell; dates vary by year and location)

May 18:  Ascension (Christi Himmelfahrt / l'Ascension; processions, closures)

May 27–29:  Street Artists Festival, Ascona (near Locarno)

May 28 & 29:  Pentecost (Pfingsten / Pentecôte) and Whit Monday (Pfingstmontag / Lundi de Pentecôte; closures in most of country)

June 8:  Corpus Christi (Fronleichnam / Fête-Dieu; closures in most areas)

June 21:  Fête de la Musique, Lausanne (wide range of music performances in streets and squares)

June 16–18:  National Yodel Festival (Eidgenössisches Jodlerfest), Zug

June 23–25:  Fête de la Musique, Geneva (wide range of music performances in streets and squares)

Late June–late August:  Tellspiele, Interlaken (William Tell performances in open-air theater, mostly on Saturdays and Thursdays)

June 29:  Sts. Peter and Paul's Day (closures in Graubünden and Ticino)

June 30–July 2 (likely):  Rosenfest, Weggis (fireworks, music, parades; Lake Lucerne)

June 30–July 15:  Montreux Jazz Festival

July 4–9 (likely):  Lausanne City Festival

July 9:  Rigi Schwinget (alpine festival with wrestling and traditional music atop Mt. Rigi; reschedules for a week later in the event of rain)

July 12–16:  Gurten Festival, Bern (open-air rock festival)

July 14–30:  Verbier Festival (classical music, near Martigny)

July 14–September 2:  Menuhin Festival, Gstaad (classical music)

July 17–23:  Paléo Festival, Nyon (huge indie rock, world music festival near Geneva)

July 21–23:  International Alphorn Festival (Festival de Cor des Alpes), Nendaz (Valais)

July 23:  National Costume Festival (traditional dress from around Switzerland), atop Männlichen peak (Berner Oberland)

Late July (likely):  Blue Balls Music Festival, Luzern (blues/jazz/soul/funk/rock/pop/world music)

July 28–30 (likely):  Interlaken International Street Artists Festival (Glauklerfest)

July 31:  Rhine Falls fireworks on the eve of Swiss National Day, Schaffhausen; also Big Bang Lake Festival, Biel / Bienne (fireworks; street fair)

August 1:  Swiss National Day (parades and fireworks with biggest celebrations at Rütli meadow on Lake Lucerne; closures)

August 2–12:  Locarno International Film Festival

August 8–September 10:  Lucerne Festival in Summer (classical music)

August 10–12:  Buskers Bern

August 11–13:  Appenzeller Ländlerfest (folk music)

August 12:  Street Parade, Zürich (city-wide rave)

August 12–13:  Zermatt Folklore Festival

August 15:  Assumption (Mariä Himmelfahrt / l'Assomption de Marie; closures in most areas)

August 20:  Schwägalp-Schwinget (Swiss-wrestling competition in alpine setting), Appenzell

August 26 (likely):  Estival Jazz, Lugano (free open-air festival)

September 7:  Jeune Genevois (Thanksgiving in Geneva)

September 9–11:  Knabenschiessen, Zürich (shooting competition / carnival)

September 17:  Federal Thanksgiving Day (Eidgenössischer Dank-, Buss- und Bettag / Jeûne fédéral, closures everywhere but Geneva; following Monday also holiday in and around Lausanne)

September 24:  Wengen Chästeilet (cheese festival)

September/October:  Alpine cattle descent (Alp- or Almabfahrt, or Alp-or Almabtrieb / désalpe; cow processions through alpine villages and especially festive in Appenzell; dates vary by year and location)

September 29–October 1 (likely):  Festa d'Autunno, Lugano (food and wine harvest festival)

October 6–7 (likely):  Vernier sur Rock (rock/punk/reggae festival near Geneva)

November 1:  All Saints' Day (Allerheiligen / La Toussaint; closures in most areas)

November 3–12:  Geneva International Film Festival

November 27:  Zibelemärit, Bern (traditional onion-market fair)

December:  Christmas markets across Switzerland

December 6:  St. Nikolaus Day (visits from Samichlaus; mainly in German-speaking areas)

December 8:  Immaculate Conception (Mariä Empfängnis / Immaculée Conception; closures in some areas)

December 10–12:  Fête de l'Escalade (torchlight parade with period costumes, commemorating the city's escape from capture in 1602)

December 24:  Christmas Eve (Heilige Abend / Noël, when the Swiss celebrate Christmas; closures in afternoon and evening)

December 25:  Christmas Day (closures)

December 26:  St. Steven's Day (closures in most areas)

December 31:  New Year's Eve, also Restoration Day in Geneva and Silvesterchlausen medieval procession in Appenzell (closures)