A YEAR OF FESTIVALS Spring begins with the riotous colour of carnival, probably the only occasion the Swiss truly let their hair down. The biggest is in Basel, where it’s a threeday holiday, starting with the pre-dawn ceremony on the Monday after Ash Wednesday. Many other towns celebrate in style, including Lucerne, Bern, Sion and Bellinzona. Summer is a time to relax and enjoy the lakes and mountains, so there are fewer festivals. But there is one big public holiday: 1 August, or Swiss National Day, which is marked by barbecues and fireworks. Autumn hosts the most famous of Swiss traditions, the return of the cows from the mountains. In many villages this is cause for celebration, with flower-bedecked cows being herded home to applauding crowds. This alpine descent of the cows can be found all over the country but popular ones are in Charmey (FR) and Schüpfheim (LU). Winter sees all manner of weird and wonderful events, mostly aimed at warding off evil spirits or celebrating the turn of the year.Wrap up warm and enjoy the spectacles of fire, ice and some really freaky costumes. 186 The Expert Guide Switzerland
FESTIVAL CALENDAR January Silvesterchlausen Urnäsch (AR)
Masked men in elaborate costumes celebrate the old New Year’s Eve (pictured)
Epiphany Nationwide
The feast of the Three Kings is marked with a special cake, made for sharing
Vogel Gryff Basel
A griffin, a lion and a wildman of the woods dance through Klein Basel
Carnival time (February-March) Hom Strom Scuol (GR)
Burning a giant straw man on the first Saturday in February to bring good harvests
Chienbäse Liestal (BL)
Procession of flaming carriages and torches through the old town (pictured)
Fasnacht Lucerne
The largest Catholic carnival begins on schmutziger Donnerstag just before Lent
Fasnacht Basel
The ‘three most beautiful days’, starting with Morgestraich at 4am Monday morning (pictured)
Tschäggättä Lötschental (VS)
Huge hairy beasts with scary carved faces roam around the villages
Chalandamarz Graubünden
Small children ring giant cowbells to scare away the evil spirits of winter (pictured)
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Easter Les Pleureuses Romont (FR)
20 wailing women veiled in black mark the Crucifixion of Christ on Good Friday (pictured)
Le Surrexit Estavayer-le-Lac (FR)
50 singing men walk through town at midnight to greet the start of Easter Sunday
Eierläset Cantons Aargau, Basel-Landschaft and Solothurn
Many villages hold egg races between two teams: one for winter, one for spring
Sechseläuten Zurich
The start of spring with the burning of the Böögg, or giant snowman (pictured)
April
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May–June Combat de Reines Aproz (VS)
Final of the Hérens cow fighting competition to decide the ‘queen of queens’ (pictured)
Maibär Bad Ragaz (SG)
The end of winter with a giant flower-and-foliage ‘bear’ sacrificed for spring
Herrgottstag Düdingen (FR) & Appenzell
Procession with military guards and women in elaborate dresses for Corpus Christi
July–August Alphorn Festival Nendaz (VS)
Annual competition with over 100 players and folklore festivities on the side (pictured)
Swiss National Day Nationwide
Grilling cervelats speared onto sticks and watching the fireworks
Marché-Concours Saignelégier (JU)
Equine extravaganza with Freiberger horses and a grand procession
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September Chästeilet Various alpine villages
The division of the summer’s cheese between the dairy farmers (pictured)
Fête des vendanges Neuchâtel
Costumes, bands and parades to celebrate the successful wine harvest
Knabenschiessen Zurich
Shooting competition for teenagers and a funfair for everyone
September–October Alpabfahrt/désalpe Various alpine villages
When the cows come home from their summer holidays in the mountains (pictured)
La Bénichon Canton Fribourg
Harvest festival meets gourmet feast of eating and drinking
Älplerchibli Cantons Nidwalden and Obwalden
Communal eating, dancing and flag-throwing to mark the end of summer
Castagnata Ascona (TI)
Chestnuts galore: over 2000kg roasted or in jams, breads and cakes (pictured)
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November Gansabhauet Sursee (LU)
A form of pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey using a sword, a dead goose and a sun mask
Rüeblimärt Aarau
In celebration of Aargau’s signature vegetable – the carrot
Zibelemärit Bern
Everything you can possibly do to or with an onion (pictured left and above)
Samichlaus Nationwide
The Swiss St Nick has gifts for good kids but his evil sidekick punishes bad ones
L’Escalade Geneva
The victory over the Savoyards commemorated with chocolate cauldrons (pictured)
Klausjagen Küssnacht am Rigi (LU)
Vast paper head-dresses lit by candles and carried through town (pictured)
Silvesterchläuse Urnäsch (AR)
Masked men in elaborate costumes celebrate the new New Year’s Eve
December
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