Upcoming Holidays and Festivals in Switzerland

Alpabfahrt cow procession, Appenzell — 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

2024

November 1–10: Geneva International Film Festival

November 25: 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)

2025

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 (including the Grosse Scheidegg — Schwarzwaldalp races, near Grindelwald)

January 13: Silvesterchlausen, Appenzell (medieval masked procession)

January 13–18: World Snow Festival, Grindelwald

January 17–19: Lauberhorn ski race, Wengen

January 22–25: Inferno ski race, Mürren

January 25–February 2: International Hot Air Balloon Festival, Château-d'Oex

February 2, 9 & 16: White Turf, St. Moritz (horse races across frozen lake)

Late February–March 1: Chalandamarz, across Graubünden (traditional costumes, processions, bells and whips to chase away winter)

March 1: Republic Day, Neuchâtel (closures)

March 9: Engadin Ski Marathon (huge cross-country ski race that runs through St. Moritz and Samedan)

March 10–12: Fasnacht (Carnival; especially big deal in Luzern, Zürich, Bern, and Basel)

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

March 25–May 31: International Jazz Festival Bern

March 28–May 11: Tulip Festival, Morges (Lake Geneva)

March 30—April 21: Interlaken Classic Music Festival

April 11–13: Lucerne Spring Festival (orchestral concerts)

April 11–14: Sechseläuten, Zürich (springtime festival culminating with burning of a snowman on Monday)

April 18: Good Friday (Karfreitag / Vendredi saint; closures in most areas)

April 20 & 21: Easter Sunday and Monday (Oster / Pâques and Ostermontag / Lundi de Pâques; closures in most of country)

April 27: 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 1–3 (likely): Appenzell A Cappella Festival

May 4: 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 16–18 (likely): Street Artists Festival, Ascona (near Locarno)

May 29: Ascension (Christi Himmelfahrt / l'Ascension; processions, closures)

June 8 & 9: Pentecost (Pfingsten / Pentecôte) and Whit Monday (Pfingstmontag / Lundi de Pentecôte; closures in most of country)

June 19: 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 20–22 (likely): 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)

July 1–6: Lausanne City Festival

July 4–6: Rosenfest, Weggis (fireworks, music, parades; Lake Lucerne)

July 4–19 (likely): Montreux Jazz Festival

July 10–27 (likely): LongLake Festival, Lugano (open-air performances — includes free two-day Estival Jazz program, more eclectic four-day music program, and lots of buskers)

July 13: Rigi Schwinget (alpine festival with wrestling and traditional music atop Mt. Rigi; reschedules for a week later in the event of rain)

July 16–19: Gurten Festival, Bern (open-air rock festival)

July 16–August 3 Verbier Festival (classical music, near Martigny)

July 18–September 6: Menuhin Festival, Gstaad (classical music)

July 22–27: Paléo Festival, Nyon (huge indie rock, world music festival near Geneva)

July 25–27 (likely): Interlaken International Street Artists Festival (Gauklerfest)

July 26–27 (likely): International Alphorn Festival (Festival de Cor des Alpes), Nendaz (Valais)

July 27: National Costume Festival (traditional dress from around Switzerland), atop Männlichen peak (Berner Oberland)

July 31: Rhine Falls fireworks on the eve of Swiss National Day, Schaffhausen

July 31–August 9: Lakelive Festival, Biel / Bienne (wide range of cultural events, nighttime drone show on July 31)

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

August 6–16 (likely): Locarno International Film Festival

August 7–9: Buskers Bern

August 8–10: Appenzeller Ländlerfest (folk music)

August 9: Street Parade, Zürich (city-wide rave)

August 9–10: Zermatt Folklore Festival

August 12–September 14: Lucerne Festival in Summer (classical music)

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

August 17: Schwägalp-Schwinget (Swiss-wrestling competition in alpine setting), Appenzell

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 11: Jeune Genevois (Thanksgiving in Geneva)

September 13–15: Knabenschiessen, Zürich (shooting competition / carnival)

September 21: Federal Thanksgiving Day (Eidgenössischer Dank-, Buss- und Bettag / Jeûne fédéral, closures everywhere but Geneva; following Monday also holiday in and around Lausanne)

September 28: Wengen Chästeilet (cheese festival)

October 3–5 (likely): Festa d'Autunno, Lugano (food and wine harvest festival)

October 31–November 9 (likely): Geneva International Film Festival

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

November 24: Zibelemärit, Bern (traditional onion-market fair)