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10 unmissable events in Switzerland in July 2023

From free access to the Federal Palace to Switzerland’s biggest music festivals, and enticing water shows to city runs, here are all the events you shouldn’t miss this July in Switzerland.

Published: 21 June 2023 16:16 CEST
Freddie Mercury Montreux
Freddie Mercury statue in Montreux, Switzerland. Image by Yves from Pixabay

Zuger Seefest

The canton of Zug’s largest festival with some 20,000 visitors each year, takes place on Saturday, July 1st.

Though this year’s iconic Zuger Seefest will not feature an air show nor fireworks, visitors will instead be able to enjoy the ZugMAGIC, a magic water show on Lake Zug in addition to the usual programme featuring live music, refreshing drinks, and unique atmosphere.

Federal Palace

This year, Switzerland celebrates 175 years since it signed the first modern Swiss constitution in 1848. To commemorate this, visitors will have the unique opportunity to peek behind the curtains of the Swiss Parliament on July 1st and 2nd July for free.

Openair Frauenfeld

Summer is the season for music festivals in Switzerland and the Openair Frauenfeld 2023 promises to deliver a musical act for every hip-hop taste. The festival takes place from Thursday, July 6th, through to Saturday, July 8th, with headliners such as Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, Wizkid and Stormzy.

Montreux Jazz Festival

Switzerland’s iconic jazz festival returns to Montreux from June 30th through to July 15th with acts such as Seal, Sam Smith, and Juliette Armanet. The programme of the festival’s free stages features more than 400 concerts, DJ sets, and activities.

During the festival, a box office, located at the entrance hall of the Music and Convention Center (2M2C), floor B4, will be open every day from 4 pm until the end of the concerts.

Paléo Festival

While you’re in French-speaking Switzerland, we suggest extending your festival stay for another week as Nyon’s Paléo Festival – the country’s biggest open-air festival – will be well worth your time and money. It takes place from June 30th to July 15th.

Every year, around 250,000 festival goers flock to the six-day music event to rock out to more than 300 concerts across seven stages and browse its 150 stalls and bars.

BernPride and EuroGames

Bern’s annual Pride Festival will be held on July 29th, but it is far from the only Pride highlight in Switzerland’s capital city.

If you’re in Bern hoping to wave your rainbow flags even sooner, then we have good news. The city will launch the EuroGames, the largest queer sports event in Europe, from July 26th until July 29th, and you can even take part in the 5K/10K PrideRun – if you can handle the heat, that is.

POLLEN Festival

Sion’s POLLEN Festival takes place on not one, but two summer weekends in front of the Théâtre de Valère. Visitors can head to Sion’s Old Town on July 1st and 2nd, and between July 6th to July 9th to enjoy a diverse programme combining music, performing arts, and visual arts.

Züri Fäscht

Following a three-year break, the Züri Fäscht is back to take over the city in full force. This summer, the festival, which attracts around two million visitors take over the streets along the River Limmat and around the lake basin, will take place from July 7th through to July 9th 2023. The event features the very Swiss Chilbi, a multitude of food stalls, music and fireworks.

Sommerfest Iseltwald

Iseltwald is often referred to as the pearl of Lake Brienz, and rightfully so. The fishing village is located on the left bank of the river and is one of the smallest communities in the canton of Bern.

The quaint Swiss village was recently forced to limit the number of tourists after fans of a South Korean Netflix hit show flocked to the region in droves sparking a backlash from locals.

So, if you are among the horde of visitors headed to the village for its annual Sommerfest between July 7th and July 9th, make sure to read our article on the steps you need to take in order to be permitted ‘entry’ to the village:

Swiss village forced to restrict visitor numbers after Netflix success

Swiss National Day

While August 1st marks Switzerland’s National Day, festivities to celebrate the day usually start across Swiss villages, towns, and cities on July 31st. For instance, Basel kicks off its annual Swiss National Day celebrations with a must-visit festival on the Rhine from 5pm on July 31st.

You can find similar events in other cities by browsing MySwitzerland’s events page, or simply checking in with your local municipality for any regional festivities on the day.

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CULTURE

What’s on: 10 unmissable events in Switzerland this June

From line dancing to fine art, from mountain runs to lakeside jazz, June in Switzerland has got something for everyone. 

Published: 17 May 2024 08:48 CEST
What's on: 10 unmissable events in Switzerland this June

Here are ten of the best events you can enjoy across the country taking place next month. 

Street Food Festival Locarno

While the Street Food Festival Locarno begins May 30, it does run through June 1. 

The festival will feature 50 food stalls offering freshly prepared delicacies from 30 countries, as well as several bars where you’ll be able to enjoy gin and beer tasting to your heart’s content. 

Unsure about exotic delicacies? Try before you buy with free samples! 

Luna Park Lausanne

Every year, Lausanne’s Bellerive area welcomes children and their parents for a few weeks of festival fun as it plays host to the travelling Luna Park, Switzerland’s largest amusement park. 

Before the park heads to Payerne, it delights visitors in Lausanne with a rollercoaster, various rides, carnival games and a number of food stands.

Similar to Locarno’s Street Food Festival, the fun begins May 8 and runs until June 9. Entry is free, but you’ll need to pay for rides. 

Wine Festival

On June 3, the Casa del Vino Weinfestival in Zurich invites wine connoisseurs and casual enthusiasts to taste a colourful bouquet of top wines while getting to know more about the winemakers behind the fancy labels. 

This year, there’s a focus on Spanish wines, with some of the giants of the wine industry sharing their wares in the Kaufleuten-Saal. 

Advance tickets are 20 CHF and tickets at the day are 30 CHF.  Salud! 

Niesen Stairway Run

This year, the Niesen Stairway Run is celebrating its 21st anniversary and while you can no longer register for the individual run, you can still partake in the relay race on June 7. The run will see runners climb up 11,674 steps to the Red Bull X-Alps 2024 Turnpoint Niesen in the Bernese Oberland, also known as the Swiss Pyramide.

Note that though the run is a modest 3.4 kilometres long, you will be climbing an impressive 1,669 metres of altitude but fear not, the spectacular view is well worth the (arduous) journey.

Tour de Suisse

If you’re not looking to break a sweat yourself but are in the mood for a sporting event nonetheless, you can join other spectators at 14 host cities across Switzerland for this year’s Tour de Suisse, which takes place from June 9 to 18. 

You can also follow the tour’s route online from the comfort of your sofa.

Art Basel

From June 13 -16 Basel’s leading art fair will be showcasing art of the 20th and 21st centuries across 200 selected galleries from around the globe. Prior to attending the event, which also exhibits in Miami Beach and Hong Kong, you will need to secure a ticket (from 35 francs).

If you’re not in the Basel area this June, you can also join the event online on the same dates.

Zurich Pride Festival

Zurich’s annual Pride Festival will be held once again in the city’s Kasernenareal and the Zeughaushof on June 15. The festival sites can be reached from Zurich’s main station on foot in just under ten minutes and entry to the event is free – but there’s another perk.

Festivalgoers attending the event on the second day can use the Regenbogenhaus – packed with mirrors and changing rooms – from 12 pm to 2 pm as their very own styling room. The building will later transform into an oasis of calm between 2 pm and 5 pm for those in need of some downtime after a day’s celebration,

International Trucker & Country Festival

Between June 28 and June 30, the resort town of Interlaken is overrun by would-be cowboys and girls as it rings in its annual International Trucker & Country Festival chock-full of music and entertainment for the 29th time. Daily tickets can be purchased on the festival’s website for 35 francs, or if you’re not quite ready to get out of your cowboy boots, a 3-day festival pass will cost you 139 francs.

Montreux Jazz Festival

Switzerland’s iconic jazz festival returns to Montreux from July 5 July 20 with acts such as Tyla, Raye, Sting and Lenny Kravitz. The programme of the festival’s free stages, which will feature more than 400 concerts, DJ sets, and activities, will be revealed on June 1st.

During the festival, a box office, located at the entrance hall of the Music and Convention Center (2M2C), floor B4, will be open every day from 4 pm until the end of the concerts.

Freiheit at Schloss Burgdorf

Want a decidedly different experience of Swiss history? Starting June 16, visitors to the Museum Schloss Burgdorf, near Bern, will be able to listen to local brass, folk and instrumental  bands perform six important songs from Swiss history that revolve around the concept of freedom in a new exhibition, and reflect on how they have made real difference in the lives of generations of Swiss citizens. Admission is included in the cost of museum entry – a place which, in itself, tells an amazing story of Switzerland’s past. 

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