Fun Events in October

October is right around the corner and the autumn colors are getting deeper here in Switzerland. Making every hike extremely colorful while each day is getting cozier than the other. So like every month, I got your back when it comes to the different fun events around the country.

Here is your list with all the upcoming events:

1st of October

Elm: The Alpine festival takes place for the third time in the village of Elm. In the streets and alleys of the village that was awarded the Wakker Prize in 1981! The cows parade is expected around 14:30 but I recommend being there in advance as the time is very approximate.

Mürren: The “CHÄSTEILET” – A cheese event in the magical region of the Bernese Oberland.

Elm: The people of the Alps present their Glarner Alpine cheese at the stands along with bells and cows parades.

Flumserberg: Around 30 alpine cheese producers put themselves to the critical palate of the visitors at the alpine cheese award ceremony.

Döttingen: The last day if the Harvest Festival in Döttingen. With wine tasting stands and live music. The big procession will take place around 14:00.

Switzerland: The Swiss Castle day is taking place in a variety of castles around Switzerland. This year it is dedicated to animals and mythical creatures.

Ballenberg: The open air museum invites you to enjoy the Ticino ambience. Celebrating in their “grotti”, as the Ticinese have done since days gone by: with risotto, polenta, luganighe, boccalino and “bella musica ticinese”.

Hallau: The last day of the autumn festival is taking place on the 1st of October. With live music, a fair, kids activities and a big procession at 14:00. Price: 15 CHF.

Lucerne: Autumn Fair – Every autumn, the traditional autumn fair (Lozärner Määs) takes place from Bahnhofplatz via Europaplatz to Inseli in Lucerne. with over 100 wooden market huts. When: 30.09- 15.10.

Zurich: Zurich Film Festival- Every fall, tens of thousands of film fans and media and film professionals attend the Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) for eleven days to see one of the approximately 160 films. When: 28.09-0810.

Lugano: The FIT Festival- Ten days of theatre, performance and dance, devoted to innovation and hybridization of languages, and to anti-conventional artistic forms. When: 29.09- 08.10.

Weinfelden: The Wega is the highlight of the Thurgau autumn and offers a colorful variety of exhibition booths and a rich entertainment program. When: 28.09-02.10.

5th of October

Grindelwald: Goat show in Grindelwald, on the Baerplatz starting around 12:00.

Zurich: The Oktoberfest at the Bauschänzli with Sunday morning pints. If you wish to celebrate like in Bavaria – with chicken, pork knuckles and pretzels, live music and plenty of beer. When: 05.10-04.11.

6th of October

Cheyres: A Wine Festival – the wine-making village of Cheyres will be transformed into one large open-air party venue. There will be bars, music, dancing and lots of fun for everyone. When: 06.10-08.10.

Gstaad: The beautiful village invites you to 2 days of Oktoberfest with beer, delicious food and live music.

Lausanne: The International Festival of Oriental Dances returns to the Casino de Montbenon from October 6 to 8, 2023 for its 12th edition.

7th of October

Seewis: Invites you to 2 days of culture, entertainment and culinary delights. The parade will take place on Saturday around 11:30.

Huttwil: The Huttwil Cheese Market is a presentation platform for the diversity of Swiss cheese. More than 30 cheese dairies and exhibitors with complementary offers await cheese lovers each year.

Payerne: Every first weekend of October horse-drawn wagons make their way from the vineyards of Lavaux to Payerne, bearing a precious liquid cargo, the first pressings of the freshly harvested grapes. On Saturday on the Market Square there is an autumn market with local products, musical entertainment, donkey rides, an exhibition of small animals and a pumpkin cutting and decorating workshop.

Baar: The 8th Zug Truffle Market will take place in Baar with fresh Swiss Burgundy truffles and other truffle specialties. Like truffle risotto and delicious grilled truffle sausages. When: 09:00-16:00.

Ascona: The autumn festival is an opportunity to breathe in the atmosphere of Ticino as it once was, with its customs, trades and traditions.

Cazis: The Graubünden Yodeling Day is an annual event all about culture and customs. With around 200 yodelers from Graubünden and guest cantons , numerous flag wavers, büchel and alphorn players.

Brusio: In mid-October, Valposchiavo celebrates “Settimana della castagna”, the chestnut week. From 7th to 15th October 2023 is all about the chestnut and tasty gastronomic experiences, guided tours of the chestnut elves and hot chestnuts are on the program.

8th of October

Fribourg: FriScènes is Fribourg’s International Festival of Theatre. It has been designed to be a space of creativity that wants to give the opportunity to amateurs to confront themselves to the professional world of the theater. When: 08.10-15.10.

Bruzella: Every year, in mid-October, and always in a different town in the Muggio Valley, the Chestnut Festival is taking place.

11th of October

Saas-Fee: Autumn Festival-  the village centre of Saas-Fee is transformed into a large festival area with games and shows for the whole family.

12th of October

St. Gallen: OLMA- Switzerland’s largest public fair- with over 300,000 visitors annually. Among the highlights are the “Säuli” piglets race and procession by the guest canton. When: 12.10-22.10.

Châtel-St-Denis: The “Bénichon” of Châtel-St-Denis is a traditional popular and gastronomical festival that commemorates the end of the harvest, the descent of the cows to their winter pastures and the begin of the winter time. When: 12.10-15.10.

13th of October

Romainmôtier: The authentic, lively “Les Sonnailles” of Romainmôtier is a meeting point for ranchers and Swiss cowbell lovers. “Les Sonnailles” takes place in Champbaillard, above the famous abbey church and the medieval village of Romainmôtier. With around 15,000 visitors!

Bern: Bern’s wine fair will open its new doors from October 13th to 22nd, 2023.

14th of October

Lenk im Simmental: an Alpine festival with beautifully decorated cows and local market.

Melchtal: The Älplerchilbi is a centuries-old alpine festival where farmers come together after a rich alpine summer to have fun with food, music and dancing. When: 14.10-15.10. The procession will take place at 13:30.

Fully: Chestnut Festival- the Fête de la Châtaigne open-air market is one of the biggest of its kind in Switzerland. A skilful blend of gastronomy, crafts, local produce, nature and culture, with over 300 exhibitors livening up the streets of Fully on the second weekend in October. When: 14.10-15.10.

Bellinzona: Bellinzona’s town Centre will host numerous stalls displaying alpine cheeses from Ticino and Mesolcina.

Lucerne: The Lucerne Cheese Festival is the largest cheese market in Central Switzerland.

Lugano: International Puppet Festival- Marionettes and other wooden actors will perform at Teatro Foce, Lugano, from 14 October to 5 November. 

15th of October

Stans: Alpine fair in the beautiful little capital of canton Nidwalden.

Brugg: At the Vindonissapark Festival you will experience the fascinating world of the Romans and Habsburgs. This year is all about health and wellness. The Vindonissa Legionnaires’ Trail in Windisch, the Vindonissa Museum in Brugg and Habsburg Castle offer attractions for the whole family.

19th of October

Moghegno: The loading of the grà – takes place in mid-October  and involves weighing and recording the chestnuts that are moved from their owners to the grà before they are placed on the lattice on the top floor of the small stone structure.

Baden: The Oktoberfest Baden is one of the largest Oktoberfests in Switzerland.

20th of October

Twann: A Wine Festival – The “Trüelete” is the largest and best-known grape festival on Lake Biel. With Local wines and culinary specialties, a wine fountain, kids activities and a small Luna Park. When: 20-22.10.

21st of October

Bern: An absolute “must” – a visit to the cheese festival in Bern! The cheese makers from the region proudly present their golden yellow treasures from the cheese cellars!

Zwischenflüh: the traditional autumn cattle show – The highlight is the big procession with the decorated cows, which are brought home to their stalls.

Stans: Discover the Nidwaldner GenussMarkt in Spittelgasse near the village square in Stans.

Bremgarten: Grinding, sawing, planing, weaving – these and other ancient crafts are performed in the back alleys of the old town by 70-odd craftspeople in original costumes and using original tools of the trade.

Ramosch: The mountain beer festival with a hike and subsequent festival will take place again in Ramosch in 2023.

22nd of October

Flumserberg: Alpchäsmarkt Flumserberg- Alpine cheese market and cow races!

Greppen: A Chestnut Festival – This market is the largest of its kind in the German speaking part of Switzerland! Enjoy the village fete with live music and entertainment.

26th of October

Wil SG: The Irish Folk Festival is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year under the motto “50 Years living the dream 1974 – 2023”. “Living the dream” is the way people live in Ireland.

Etagnières: Croc’ the Rock remains faithful to its foundations and continues to program emerging or established groups with the aim of discovering the subtleties of the nuances of current rock, outside the commercial circuits.

Bern: Suisse Caravan Salon is the largest and most diverse exhibition in Switzerland for caravanning and camping.

27th of October

Morgins: From October 27th to the 29th, Région Dents du Midi will hold the first-ever Raclette World Championships – bringing together the creme-de-la-creme of local and foreign producers of this emblematic Valais speciality.

Lucerne: The Irish Folk Festival.

28th of October

Appenzell: The mysterious canton invites you to try its variety of cheese and see the making process.

Muotathal: The alpine Cheese market invites you to a large Trychlä (cattle bells) exhibition during the 2 market days in addition to around 40 exhibitors all about alpine cheese and other agricultural products.

Leysin: Leysin Tourism invites you to spend some family time during the Halloween festivities. There will be a parade, shows and games such as tin pyramids, sensation boxes and potato sack races. It’s all there for young and old to enjoy.

Basel: With its centuries-old tradition, the Basel Autumn Fair is part of the living cultural heritage of the city of Basel. As the largest amusement fair in Switzerland and one of the largest city center fairs in Europe. When: 28.10-14.11.

Bonvillars: On the last Saturday in October, the village of Bonvillars near Lake Neuchâtel holds the number one truffle market in Switzerland.

Biel/Bienne: Biel also celebrates Onion Day. Neumarktplatz is already bustling with activity early in the morning.

Basel: the Irish Folk Festival.

So that’s it! I hope that you’ll have the best time and let me know which event speaks to you the most!