Two years without festivals, concerts, markets and fairs means this year is going to be a big summer party and there is a plethora of festivals to choose from all around the country. Is the weather going to be sunny during the summer holidays? Maybe, maybe not. Let’s hope so, but what is more important is where can we reacquaint ourselves with the magic of a festival. Switzerland loves festivals, and the weather doesn’t mean a cancellation, so best be prepared with your hat, sunscreen and raincoat. Don’t miss out on these much-loved festivals for varying ages and tastes. And, they have already started this month.
June
Greenfield Festival ~ 8 – 10 June ~ Interlaken: This festival has just finished so mark it in your calendar for next year. Rock music was back at Interlaken. This year featured Volbeat, Korn, Billy Talent, Rise Against, Bring Me the Horizon, The Offspring and many others so you know what kind of bands you can expect. With a view of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau you are in the heart of the Bernese Alps.
Festi’Neuch ~ 9 – 12 June ~ Neuenberg/Neuchâtel: Also just finished and for next year’s calendar – this is an electronic and hip-hop festival in Neuenberg, near Lausanne. The festival finished on Sunday so another one that could be saved for next year. The website is only in French.
Circus Knie ~ 10 – 19 June ~ Basel: Circus Knie is world-renowned and has returned with a new show pairing well-known Swiss singer, Bastian Baker, and comedians, Ursus & Nadeschkin. Maycol Knie Jr., who is only four years old, makes his ring debut. One specialty act is Extreme Light Dance Crew from the Ukraine and Russia. There are many other incredible international performers and of course, the beautiful horses. There are no longer wild animals performing in the ring. The Knie family promise to provide a show that is like a kaleidiscope – colourful and atmospheric. The website is in German and French. FYI, the circus is touring through Switzerland and will be in Lucerne 10 – 31 December.
Rock the Ring ~ 16 – 18 June ~ Hinwil: Featuring The Hives, Foreigner, Bush, Alice Cooper and other national and international rock legends, it is going to get really loud again in Hinwil. It is the seventh time the festival has been held in the Zürich Oberland and again offers a packed agenda for rock music fans. There is plenty of information on the website in German including tickets – single day or three day passes, camping, arrival with train, bus, shuttlebus and parking. Food and drinks are not to be brought on to the site.
B-Sides Festival 2022 ~ 16 – 18 June ~ Sonnenberg, Kriens: The B-Sides Festival has a wide musical range of indie and alternative music with special guest Tirzah headlining. The festival was founded in 2005 and apart from music there are varying artistic projects, children’s programmes, workshops and DJ sets. Sustainability is a key theme including not only the environment and nature but equality and community advocating inclusion, openness, diversity and the courage to try something new. There is a PDF available to download in English.
Openair Rock am Weier ~ 17 – 18 June ~ Wil: This is the 20th Anniversary of Rock am Weier and it continues to be a free festival. The aim of the festival is to ‘enrich the cultural life of the city of Wil’, with a multifaceted lineup and program. There will be local artists performing on the “Start ramp”, young artists will perform at the ‘Kids on Stage’ to experience performing on a stage and there will also be events like face painting for the youngest. There will be national and local artists including Ilira, Marc Amacher, Sam Himself or PALKO!MUSKI as the main Swiss acts. In addition, there will be food and market stalls to invite everyone to linger.
Jodlerfest Andermatt ~ 17 – 19 June ~ Andermatt: The 64th Jodlerfest in Andermatt welcomes yodellers, alphorn blowers, flag wavers, friends of the tradition and guests from near and far to the Central Switzerland Swiss Yodelling Festival. Admission will be Fr. 15 on Friday, Fr. 25 on Saturday or Fr. 35 for both days. There is also a festival guide available for Fr. 10. There is a pre-reservation system for parking and there will be shuttle buses from Hauptplatz Fluelen and Sedrun/Disentis and from Overalpstrasse parking when required. On Sunday, the festival will culminate in a grand and colourful procession through the picturesque rustic village.
Stadtfest Luzern ~ 24 – 25 June ~ Luzern: The motto for the festival is: Vo Lozärn för Lozärn – Entdecke. Fiire. Begägne. A charity event of the ‘Lucerne helps’ foundation that supports the social and cultural institutions, projects and services that directly benefit the people of Lucerne Canton. Festival badges are available for purchase and the funds support the five foundations that have been chosen this year: Arcoiris Day Care Association, Lucerne; House for Mother and Child, Hergiswil; ZwüscheHalt Luzern, Lucerne; Rodtegg/Neubad Foundation, Lucerne; Verein kirchliche. Gassenarbeit, Lucerne. Gold and silver badges can be purchased online and blue and white badges will be available at the festival. The gold and silver badges go into a raffle that will be drawn at the end of the festival.
Kulturfestival St. Gallen ~ 29 June – 23 July ~ St. Gallen: The St. Gallen Culture Festival has returned and will be in the courtyard of the Historical and Ethnological Museum. The festival includes international and national acts from the genres of Afro-folk, hip-hop, rap, electro, Balkan, pop, rock, indie and reggae. Additionally, there will be opera on the outdoor stage with in-house orchestra, concerts, dances and more. Seasonal, regional and organic food is sourced whenever possible for the daily barbecue menu, various stir-fry dishes, different salads and vegetarian cuisine and various delicacies from the countries and regions represented in the programme. Headliners include The Dead South from Canada (sold out), Cari Cari from Austria and KT Gorique from Switzerland. Single day tickets can be bought or four and seven day passes are available.
Out In The Green ~ 29 June ~ Frauenfeld: After cancelling shows in 2019 and 2020, Metallica is back and will perform their only Swiss show at Out In The Green Presents: Frauenfeld Rocks. A metal and hard rock festival, OITG 2.0 is returning after a 20 year break and will come back as loud as ever but as a one-day festival, and not the three-day festival with camping, as previously. There are an additional five huge bands: Five Finger Death Punch, Sabaton, Eluveitie, Fever333 and Chaoseum, a wide range of food stalls and two large panoramic stages. Extra trains will be running to Frauenfeld and there will be Shuttlebuses from the station.
Openair St. Gallen ~ 30 June – 3 July ~ St. Gallen: Openair St. Gallen has had some major world acts since its conception in 1977 and this year will be no exception. The headlining acts are Muse, Annenmaykantereit, Deichkind, Marteria, Alan Walker, Kummer and many more. As one of Switzerland’s biggest and longest running openairs there is an attendance of more than 110,000 people with the Sitterbühne (stage), named after the river that surrounds the festival site, holding up to 25,000 fans. There is a 50% discount on train tickets when you show your festival pass at the counter and a free shuttle bus from the Lagerstrasse and Breitfeld car parks that pass via Abtwil to the festival site.
