August is already here and the temperatures are up there which means, that its time to make the best out of summer!
So between dipping in the lake, floating on the rivers and sunset picnics, I prepared for you a list with all the fun events around Switzerland.
So lets dive into the upcoming events:
1st of August
The Swiss national day is full of fun things you can do. I created a dedicated post for the activities so feel free to check it out.
Zurich: The RundFunk Festival is staying with us till September 7th.
Burgdorf: A Schwingfest- The Emmental Wrestling Festival is taking place on August 1st.
Zweisimmen: A Summer Festival in Zweisimmen with a local market, foodie stands and a musical program. Dates: August 1st-3rd.
Martigny: An Octodure International Folklore Festival- From the countries of Africa to the foothills of the Carpathians, the Andes, the Balkan Peninsula, the Mediterranean islands and the Alpine chain. Dates: July 29th till August 3rd.
Arth-Goldau: Summer steam train trips from Goldau. Where you can experience firsthand Europe’s first mountain railway. Which has been running from Vitznau to Rigi since 1871.
Wädenswil: The Lake Festival Wädenswil combines culinary delights and music at a unique location. Dates: July 31st- August 3rd.
Biel / Bienne – Nidau: A Lakelive Festival from July 31st to August 10th.
Steinhausen: Waldstock – an open air spectacle with musical concerts between August 1st- 3rd.
2nd of August
Schaffhausen: The music festival “Stars in Town” is taking place in Schaffhausen between August 2sn-10th. with different concerts, street food and cozy bars.
St. Moritz: The Summer Horse Show Concours Hippique is taking place from August 1st-4th.
Romanshorn: The Romanshorn summer night festival on the beautiful shores of Lake Constance. Dates: August 2nd-3rd.
Saint-Ursanne: The Piano à Saint-Ursanne is taking place between August 2nd-13th.
3rd of August
Sörenberg: The Swiss wrestling event Bergschwinget is taking place from August 3rd-4th.
Burgdorf: A Schwingfest- The Emmental Wrestling Festival is taking place on August 3rd and 11th.
Anzère: The Vini-Fête- a wine tasting event with more than 100 Crus from the region. A tasting glass cost CHF 20.-
Grindelwald: The Street Festival with bars, live music and activities is taking place till August 14th.
Sonogno: The Verzasca Country Festival dedicated to Country music.
Gondo: The international Gondo Marathon takes place on the first weekend in August.
Klosters: The Klosters Music– offering diverse musical experiences, including baroque music, family concerts and film scores.
4th of August
Männlichen– The big meeting of the Alphorns takes place on the Männlichen in the beautiful mountain landscape of the Bernese Oberland.
Riederalp: The great alpine festival. A chance to experience the Valais Alpine tradition with a big parade.
Arth-Goldau: Summer steam train trips from Goldau. Where you can experience firsthand Europe’s first mountain railway. Which has been running from Vitznau to Rigi since 1871.
6th of August
Basel– The free summer event brings a Mediterranean festival mood to Basel. Performing on a floating stage on the Rhine with a sail-shaped canopy from the 06.08-24.08.
La Chaux-de-Fonds: La Plage- Switzerland’s street arts festival attracts nearly 100,000 spectators over 6 days. Dates: August 6th-11th.
7th of August
Winterthur: The Winterthur Music Festival with daily shows, concerts and cabaret. Dates: August 7th-18th.
Locarno: The Locarno Film Festival is taking place from August 7th to 17th.
Stein am Rhein: NordArt- Theater festival. A funny theater in the unique atmosphere of the picturesque little town of Stein am Rhein. Dates: August 7th- 17th.
8th of August
Bern: The Buskers days in Bern with street artists from all over the world. dates: August 8th-10th.
Zuoz: The 54th Concours Hippique in Zuoz with lite riders and their impressive horses. Dates: August 8th – 11th.
9th of August
Rapperswil: The Lake night festival- a traditional spectacle on Lake Zurich which takes place every 3 years. With air shows of the “Patrouille Suisse”, countless food and bar stands, jugglers, musicians and many other attractions. Dates: August 9th-11th.
Kreuzlingen: The Lake Night Fantastical- a summer highlight on Lake Constance with the largest fireworks display on Lake Constance, DJs, live music, a children’s land, rides and street food. Dates: August 9th-11th.
Chur: The Churer Festival- the largest summer event in southeastern Switzerland and the largest folk festival in Graubünden takes place. Dates: August 9th-11th.
Saignelégier: Marché Concours- A famous horse show with races, country quadrilles and a parade featuring more than 400 horses. Dates: August 9th-11th.
Thun: The Thun Festival- With plenty of Swiss rock and pop music in the open air and countless bars in the alleyways. Dates:09-11.08.
Murten: The City Festival is a party in the old town of Murten. Dates: August 9th-10th.
Champéry: UEC 2024 European MTB Downhill Championships. The best downhill mountain bikers compete at the European Championships in Champéry. Dates: August 9th-11th.
Zofingen: Heitere Open Air- The three-day festival offers a diverse lineup, a relaxed and spacious environment, and a wide variety of food options. Dates: August 9th-11th.
Wengen: The Evening run in Wengen is a sportive event with a great view to the Jungfrau massif.
Brunnen: Water and outdoor sports event- a unique event with lots of sport, music and entertainment. Dates: 09-11.08.
Sierre-Zinal: The Sierre-Zinal Race, also known as the Course des cinq 4000, has often been cited as one of the most magnificent mountain races in the world. Dates: August 9th-10th.
Lichtensteig: The Jazz Days in Lichtensteig in the heart of Toggenburg are taking place between August 9th to 11th.
10th of August
Zurich: The Street Parade- With thousands of electro and techno fans dance around Zurich’s lake basin. The Street Parade is the biggest techno party in the world and an undisputed highlight in Zurich’s event calendar.
Solothurn: The Baroque Days in Solothurn is taking place from August 10th-18th. With scenic performances, noble ladies and shady characters, top-class concerts, fencing demonstrations, culinary specialties and baroque card games.
Appenzell: The Appenzell Ländler Festival- with 273 musicians from over 50 groups playing in 3 festival grounds, 8 pubs and the parish church. Dates: August 10th- 11th.
Düdingen: The Stynlera Festival with musical entertainment and local folk music.
Nyon: The Nyon Triathlon- the largest triathlon in Switzerland, welcomes nearly 2,300 athletes and 600 volunteers of all ages. Dates: 10-11.08.
11th of August
Zermatt: The Folklore Festival- Associations from all over Switzerland show their tradition with music, traditional costumes, dances and colorful costumes. The big parade at 13:30 is the highlight.
Arbaz: Fête des Étangs- with stand-up paddle, face painting, ponies, XXL wooden games, wool-making workshop, yoga, laser biathlon and much more.
Burgdorf: The Bernese Cantonal Wrestling Festival.
Murten/Morat: The Murten Classics Summer Festival- Classical music concerts with international orchestras and soloists in an informal atmosphere. Dates: August 11th till September 1st.
13th of August
Neuchâtel: The Buskers Festival in Neuchâtel between August 13th to 18th.
Fribourg / Freiburg: The International Folklore Festival with around 300 dancers, singers and musicians sharing their traditions. Dates: August 13th-18th.
Lucerne: The Lucerne Festival in summer presenting famous orchestras, legendary conductors and celebrated soloists. Dates: August 13th till September 15th.
14th of August
Morges: The Buskers Festival in Morges- with nearly 100 concerts and shows. Dates: August 14th-17th.
15th of August
Vaduz: The National Holiday in Liechtenstein- A Folk festival with entertainment for families and music fans.
Melchsee-Frutt: Wrestling & Alpine Festival in Melchsee-Frutt with around 100 wrestlers.
Appenzell: Assumption of Mary, “Augschthäligtag”– celebrated with festive costumes and a procession in fine weather.
Schaffhausen: The “Munot Opera Festival”- giving young singers the opportunity to develop and perform opera roles under professional conditions with successful artists. Dates: August 15th-17th.
Kandersteg: The Country Festival Kandertal- a weekend of cowboys and western fans. Dates: August 15th-18th.
Gampel-Jeizinen: The Open Air Gampel- A Rock festival with a long tradition between August 15th-18th.
16th of August
Tavannes: Fête des Saisons- A must visit Traditional Festival of the Seasons with stalls, dance halls and a large procession. The night parade is on Saturday at 21:00 and there is another large parade on Sunday at 15:00.
Vevey: The International Festival of Street Artists with jugglers, mimes, actors, acrobats and more. Dates: August 16th-18th.
St. Gallen: The St. Gallen Festival with music, gastronomy and other exciting performances. Dates: August 16th-17th.
Lausanne: The international urban dance competition returns to Lausanne-Red Bull Dance Your Style. Dates: 16-18.08.
Cudrefin: Rock the Lakes Festival- Open Air Festival on the shores of Lake Neuchâtel. Dates:16-18.08.
Brunnen: Spettacolo – The International street artist festival between August 16th – 18th.
Lucerne: Openair Funk am See- a free festival between August 16th-17th.
Basel: A Jazz Festival in Basel on August 16th.
Lauterbrunnen: The Inferno Triathlon and Half Marathon on August 16th-17th.
17th of August
Pratteln: The 108th BL Cantonal Wrestling Festival. In addition to the wrestling matches, you can expect a festival restaurant with a cider parlor, a bar and live music.
Saint-Ursanne: St-Ursanne-Les Rangiers hill climb- The Swiss leg of the European Hill Climb Championship. Dates: August 17th-18th.
Solothurn: Aare swimming- Athletes compete in the race and public swimming categories over a distance of 1.3 km.
Safenwil: Oldtimers Grand Prix- an event for owners and lovers of vintage cars on the grounds of Emil Frey AG in Safenwil for the Vintage Car Grand Prix.
Sion: The Valais Triathlon Festival- Swimming, cycling, running, paddle boarding across the lake, obstacle courses and waterside concerts. Dates: August 17th-18th.
Lenzerheide: Alphorn Meeting Lenzerheide- The holiday region of Lenzerheide becomes a meeting place for alphorn players on August 17th-18th.
18th of August
Säntis – Schwägalp: The Schwägalp Schwinget Swiss Wrestling Festival in the arena at the foot of the Säntis, in the middle of the Appenzell and Toggenburg mountains.
21st of August
Teufen: The Appenzeller Bach Days with multifaceted concerts, musical academies and philosophical discussions. Dakes: August 21st-25th.
22nd of August
Saanen: The Hublot Polo Gold Cup Gstaad- An international polo tournament between August 22nd-25th.
Lausanne: The Athletissima is a part of the Wanda Diamond League and attracts the world’s finest athletes every year enabling you to experience unforgettable sporting emotions.
23rd of August
Estavayer-le-Lac: The Bénichon Festival of Estavayer-le-Lac is a must visit festival and a tradition in Fribourg where food and conviviality are the main subjects. Dates: 23-25.08.
Saas-Fee: The Valais Yodel Festival- with yodeling concerts, alphorns and flags wave high up to our 4000m peaks. Dates: August 23rd-24th.
Locarno: The Risotto Festival- A fun Festival with local chefs and guests will cook risotto that gourmets can taste. When: August 23rd-24th.
Glattbrugg: Zürich Openair- The most popular and largest open air festival in Zurich with electronic and rock sounds. Taking place from August 23rd-31st.
Zurich: The “Dörflifäscht”- for 3 days, the history-steeped Niederdorf quartiers transformed into an exuberant party mile. Dates: August 23rd-25th.
Ermatingen: The Lake Constance Chamber Music Festival is taking place from August 23th to 25th.
Aarburg: The Riverside Festival Aarburg- a rock ‘n’ roll festival with over 78,000 visitors. With a ferris wheel, over 150 food stalls, bars and a market. Dates: August 23rd-25th.
24th of August
Augst BL: The largest Roman festival in Switzerland- with fanfares, virtuoso dancers and roaring legionnaires. Over 500 participants enliven the venerable monuments of the Roman city of Augusta Raurica. Dates: August 24th-25th.
Crans-Montana: A Water skiing festival – an afternoon dedicated to water sports with demonstrations of water skiing, mono-skiing and wakeboarding.
Lucerne: The Glücklich Festival Lucerne- local and national artists, varied street art and a rich children’s program.
Lausanne: The Triathlon of Lausanne takes place in Ouchy, on the lakeshore. It offers experienced amateur athletes the opportunity to compete in the three disciplines over the Olympic distances: 1.5 km swimming, 40 km cycling and 10 km running. Dates: August 24th-25th.
26th of August
Champex-Lac: The Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc passes through La Fouly and Champex-Lac from August 26th to September 1st.
28th of August
Willisau: The Jazz Festival Willisau is taking place between August 28th to September 1st.
29th of August
Neuchâtel: The Street Food Festival with delicious food from around the world. Dates: August 29th to September 1st.
Avenches: The Avenches Tattoo- an international music festival with choreographic marching bands and spectacular shows is held in the magical Roman amphitheater in Avenches. Dates: August 29th- 31st.
Geneva: La Batie-Festival of Geneva is taking place from August 29th to September 15th.
30th of August
Beckenried: The KlewenAlp Festival- dedicated to Swiss folk music and tradition. With yodeling and a spectacular world record attempt with at least 555 alphorn players. Dates: August 30th to September 1st.
Porrentruy: The Braderie de Porrentruy- with Concerts, shows, rides and culinary delights. Dates: 30.08-01.09.
Aigle: The Aigle Braderie- an event offering different Concerts, shows and a Luna park along with craftsmen and artists. Dates: August 30th- 31st.
Arbon: The Summerdays Festival- on Lake Constance with live music and delicious food. Dates: August 30th-31st.
Walenstadt: The Walensee Street Food Festival is taking place from August 30th to September 1st.
31st of August
Gstaad: The Alpine Festival Gstaad Züglete is an absolute must visit event with cows parade adorned with flowers.
Solothurn: The Dragon boat race in Solothurn- with a mixture of a race, team spirit, Asian tradition and party make this event a very special experience.
Locarno: The Triathlon of Locarno is set in the stunning scenery of Lake Maggiore. Dates: August 31st to September 1st.
Bad Zurzach: Switzerland’s largest barrel organ meeting with flea and antiques market.
I hope this helps you plan an unforgettable month and if you have any other events that should have been in the list don’t hesitate to let me know!
Have fun!
