Festivals & Events

1. Sechseläuten

   Sechseläuten (Zurich spring festival)

   Usage

   Zürich's spring festival on the third Monday of April, with a guild procession and, in the evening, the burning of the snowman figure Böögg that stands for winter

   Grammar Note

   A noun from sechse (at six o'clock) and läuten (to ring bells)

2. Böögg

   Böögg (snowman figure)

   Usage

   The snowman figure burned at Sechseläuten; the time it takes for its firework-filled head to explode is said to predict the summer weather

   Grammar Note

   The Zürich dialect spelling is the official name

3. Knabenschiessen

   Knabenschiessen (youth shooting contest)

   Usage

   A traditional September event in Zürich, a shooting contest for 12- to 16-year-olds, with a fairground and food stalls

   Grammar Note

   Compound of Knaben (boys) and Schiessen (shooting); the Swiss spelling uses ss

4. Street Parade

   Street Parade (techno parade)

   Usage

   A techno music parade held on a Saturday in August along the Zürich lakefront, with floats and crowds dancing

   Grammar Note

   The English name is used unchanged

5. Züri Fäscht

   Zurich Festival

   Usage

   A big city festival held every few years in early July around the lake and old town, with stages and, at night, fireworks over the lake

   Grammar Note

   The dialect spelling is the official name (Züri = Zürich, Fäscht = festival)

6. Basler Fasnacht

   Basel Carnival

   Usage

   A three-day carnival that starts at 4 a.m. on the Monday after Ash Wednesday with the city lights switched off, with lantern parades, piccolos and drums

   Grammar Note

   Basler is the adjective of Basel; Fasnacht means carnival

7. Luzerner Fasnacht

   Lucerne Carnival

   Usage

   Lucerne's carnival, which begins on Dirty Thursday, with costumed parades and brass bands playing deliberately off-key

   Grammar Note

   Luzerner is the adjective of Luzern

8. Zibelemärit

   Zibelemärit (Bern onion market)

   Usage

   The market held in Bern's old town on the fourth Monday of November, with onion braids, onion tarts and playful confetti fights

   Grammar Note

   In Bernese dialect Zibele means onion and Märit means market

9. Räbechilbi

   Räbechilbi (turnip lantern festival)

   Usage

   A November procession in which children carry lanterns carved from turnips; it is known around Lake Zürich, especially in Richterswil

   Grammar Note

   Compound of Räbe (turnip) and Chilbi (parish fair), in dialect spelling

10. Samichlaus

    Samichlaus (St. Nicholas)

    Usage

    A bearded figure in a red robe who visits children around 6 December and hands out tangerines and nuts

    Grammar Note

    A dialect noun; Chlaus is a short form of Nikolaus

11. Chlausjagen

    Chlausjagen (St. Nicholas bell procession)

    Usage

    A procession in Küssnacht on the evening of 5 December in which men wear huge bells and lit hats, on the eve of St. Nicholas Day

    Grammar Note

    Compound of Chlaus (Nicholas) and Jagen (chasing), in dialect spelling

12. Bundesfeiertag

    Swiss National Day (1 August)

    Usage

    Switzerland's National Day on 1 August, with bonfires, fireworks and flags in the evening

    Grammar Note

    Compound of Bund (confederation) and Feiertag (public holiday)

13. Alpabzug

    Alpabzug (cattle descent from the alp)

    Usage

    An autumn event in which cattle come down from the high pastures to the village, decorated with flowers and large bells

    Grammar Note

    Compound of Alp (high pasture) and Abzug (withdrawal, going down)

14. Eidgenössisches Schwing- und Älplerfest

    Swiss Wrestling and Alpine Festival

    Usage

    A three-yearly national championship of Swiss wrestling that draws tens of thousands of spectators

    Grammar Note

    Schwing- und Älplerfest is a shortened coordination of two compounds linked by und

15. Unspunnenfest

    Unspunnen Festival

    Usage

    A festival of Swiss traditions held irregularly in Interlaken, with folk-costume parades and a stone-throwing contest

    Grammar Note

    Compound of Unspunnen (a castle name) and Fest (festival)

16. Lucerne Festival

    Usage

    A classical music festival held mainly in summer, centred on the KKL Luzern on the lakefront. The festival name is written in English

    Grammar Note

    The English name is used unchanged

17. Zurich Film Festival

    Usage

    An international film festival held in Zürich from late September to early October, with screenings in cinemas across the city

    Grammar Note

    The English name is used, with Zurich spelled without the umlaut

18. Basel Tattoo

    Basel Tattoo (military music show)

    Usage

    A July show of military bands and bagpipes in central Basel, staged in the Kasernenareal in the old town

    Grammar Note

    The English name is used; Tattoo here means a military music show

19. Art Basel

    Usage

    One of the world's leading modern art fairs, held in Basel in June, with museums and galleries across the city taking part

    Grammar Note

    The English name is used

20. Greenfield Festival

    Usage

    A three-day open-air rock and metal festival held in Interlaken in June, surrounded by mountains

    Grammar Note

    The English name is used

21. Jungfrau-Marathon

    Jungfrau Marathon

    Usage

    A mountain marathon in September from Interlaken up to Kleine Scheidegg, with a large climb and fine views along the way

    Grammar Note

    The mountain name Jungfrau joined to Marathon with a hyphen

22. Basler Weihnachtsmarkt

    Basel Christmas Market

    Usage

    From late November through December, stalls fill Münsterplatz and Barfüsserplatz in the old town, selling mulled wine and Läckerli

    Grammar Note

    Compound of Weihnacht (Christmas) and Markt (market)

23. Funkensonntag

    Funkensonntag (bonfire Sunday)

    Usage

    A custom on the first Sunday of Lent in which a tall pile of wood is burned to drive away winter, held in several regions of Switzerland

    Grammar Note

    Compound of Funken (sparks, bonfire) and Sonntag (Sunday)

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