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CULTURE

10 unmissable events in Switzerland this October

From celebrity spotting at Zurich’s film festival to cheese tasting and embracing Irish culture in Fribourg, here are the top events you shouldn’t miss out on this October in Switzerland.

Published: 25 September 2023 15:32 CEST
10 unmissable events in Switzerland this October
The Irish Festival in the beautiful Swiss town of Fribourg is one even not to miss in Switzerland this October. Photo by Patrick Robert Doyle on Unsplash

Zurich Film Festival

Every autumn, the Zurich Film Festival attracts thousands of movie enthusiasts, film stars and media professionals – and this year, you can be one of them. The event is held from September 28th until October 8th and tickets can be purchased in person at Paradeplatz from 12pm to 7pm (except Sundays). Ticket prices start from 26.20 Swiss francs apiece.

Festa d’Autunno

Whether you are a Ticino resident or have always wanted to learn more about the region, we recommend heading to this year’s Festa d’Autunno (autumn festival) in Ticino’s largest city, Lugano.

The festival, which runs from September 29th until October 1st, invites visitors to discover Ticino’s gastronomy, taste exceptional wines and explore Lugano’s shopping district while being serenaded by folklore music. Additionally, Lugano Region will also offer free guided tours for those interested in discovering the history of its city centre.

Herbstmesse (Lozärner Määs)

While on the topic of autumn fairs, Lucerne’s traditional autumn festival is a must-visit if you’re in the area between September 30th and October 15th. The fair will span from the Bahnhofplatz via Europaplatz to Inseli in Lucerne’s city centre and feature over 100 market stalls selling anything from baked goods to clothing items and hand-crafted gifts.

Balade dans Genève en Tram Historique

Ever wondered what it would be like to explore Geneva from the inside of a tram dating back to the 1920s? Well, now’s your chance. On October 1st, visitors will be able to take part in hourly trips across Geneva on one of the city’s historical trams, which will depart from Lancy Gare and head to Cornavin via Carouge, Plainpalais, Bel Air and Place de Neuve.

Irish Festival, Fribourg

“Ireland is coming to Fribourg,” says the website for the town’s inaugral Irish Festival.

“With sixteen cultural events in seven locations over three days, the inaugural Irish Festival Fribourg/Freiburg has something to offer all ages and interests,” it adds.

The event aims to connect Irish and Swiss culture and offers a range of activities to entertain young and old. From October 6th to 8th, visitors can enjoy whiskey tasting, Irish music, watch a documentary about a Belfast primary school and even join in literary discussions at various locations in Fribourg.

Festival director Clare O’Dea says “The programme offers a weekend of discovery and fun to the people of Fribourg and visitors from near and far.”

Zurich Wine Festival

At the Zurich Wine Festival you can enjoy over 350 wines from around the globe and take part in over 15 master classes on the art of winemaking. The festival will be held at the Papiersaal Sihlcity between October 16th and October 22nd.

Tickets to the wine exhibition cost 25 Swiss francs apiece (and allow you to taste as many wines as you wish), while a master class ticket for your chosen session will set you back 49 Swiss francs.

Lausanne Underground Film & Music Festival (LUFF)

The Lausanne Underground Film & Music Festival, which takes place from October 18th to 22nd, promotes innovative films and musical acts that do not benefit from a wide distribution via traditional channels and is one of Lausanne’s most eccentric events.

Käsefest Bern

Cheesemakers from all over the region of Bern will come together for the Käsefest Bern on October 21st to showcase their cheesy treasures at the city’s Waisenhausplatz. In addition to the cheese market, the event will offer musical entertainment, a cheese chalet, food bars and even cow milking.

Basler Herbstmesse

Switzerland’s oldest and largest amusement fair – the Basler Herbstmesse – takes place from October 28th until November 14th. The Basler Herbstmesse is an integral part of the city’s cultural heritage and draws around one million visitors from Switzerland and overseas each year.

Visitors can enjoy a leisurly stroll from Barfüsserplatz to Messeplatz and from Petersplatz to the city’s cathedral while taking in traditional market stalls, exciting rides and many other nostalgic attractions.

Lausanne Marathon

If you’re looking to keep fit while taking in magnificent scenery, then you may want to join 13,600 joggers in the Lausanne Marathon on Sunday, October 29th at 10am. The 30th Lausanne Marathon will see runners jog between Lausanne and La Tour-de-Peilz, passing along the shores of Lake Geneva and through the UNESCO-listed Lavaux vineyards.

The best part? You can choose which type of marathon you’d like to run, be it a full marathon, semi-marathon, 10 kilometres or Nordic walking.

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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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