Festivals and cultural events Switzerland

When a festival sets an entire valley ablaze with good humor, resonating from mountain to mountain, it's inevitable that there's a maximum of laughter, conviviality, an exceptional program and a majestic setting! The Maxi-Rires Festival is not only a success in its own right, but also a human adventure that brings together over 200 volunteers for each edition. It combines quality and authenticity, inspiring vocations, encouraging young artists and spotlighting the small village of Champéry as it shines under the stars!

Every year in May, for the past fifteen years, the Palladium dons its festive costume. A year of preparations, a fortnight of technical set-up to give the best to the public and welcome artists from all over the world in true Champéry style. Full of ideas, Mathieu Exhenry and Maxime Délez, the founders of the festival and sons of the country, share their passion with great humility. At the age of 20, they organized their first festival in Champéry with the sole aim of enlivening their village, encouraging encounters and providing a moment of sharing and pleasure. Thanks to their boundless enthusiasm and unfailing tenacity, they succeeded. The whole team, who have become a real family, work body and soul to make the magic happen. The four values (fun, innovation, quality, professionalism) are always respected, while bringing a constant and creative evolution to the festival. On stage in 2023, a fine array of artists: Nora Hamzawi, Christelle Chollet, Vérino, Anthony Kavanagh, Laura Laune, Nathanaël Rochat, Olivier de Benoist, Thomas Wiesel, Inès Reg... A quality festival that doesn't take itself too seriously, not to be missed!

Festival Web-TV : experience the festival from every angle, including backstage, VIP access, the laughter village, the boutique and, of course, the shows.

La Tables des artistes : in an intimate setting, combine nuggets of taste with nuggets of laughter! Top local chefs tantalize the taste buds with a gourmet menu between shows.

A flight from the Palladium : a high-flying idea with helicopter tours of the Dents du Midi.

Tickets and reservations: Vallée d'Illiez tourist offices, Manor department stores in French-speaking Switzerland and www.maxi-rires.ch.

Partner festival, in June in Morges: www.morges-sous-rire.ch

The city is decked out in light for the Geneva Lux festival. Initiated by the City of Geneva and orchestrated by Artistic Director François Moncarey, each year twenty-five works of art enhance the city's districts with art and light. This contemporary artistic dimension can be discovered after nightfall: mapping on facades, technical and aesthetic works that awaken the senses. The festival's originality and quality make it a real hit. Guided tours are available to discover the world of the artists in detail.

The Bâtie-Festival in Geneva is the cultural event of the new school year. More than 30,000 festival-goers! Each year, the programme offers 16 days of quality shows in several venues in Geneva, its communes, neighbouring France and the canton of Vaud. An eclectic panel of scenic art and innovative performances. It is here that we discover the first artists from the international performing arts scene. A great success at each edition.

Various concerts organized and offered by the AMR (Association for the encouragement of improvised music). The association, made up of musicians from Geneva, was founded in 1973 with the aim of working collectively on improvised music, promoting it and teaching it: these are the Ateliers de l'AMR, which were officially founded in 1975. During several periods of the year, music is joyfully enjoyed in the open air at the Parc des Cropettes located just behind the Cornavin train station or at the Orangerie in the Parc de la Grange. The AMR takes place in the Parc des Cropettes at the end of June. On the program: jazz and Afro-American music.

The Sion sous les Etoiles festival is a dream come true! The Sion sous les Etoiles festival offers a high-quality musical and artistic program for an intergenerational audience. Four days of exchange during the month of July. This year's program is exceptional, with top-notch artists! Big names from the French scene (Ninho already announced for July 20, 2024) and international stars not to be missed! A star-studded line-up...

Voix de Fête is, in two words, the celebration of the musical francophonie. A breeding ground of artists from the world of music takes over the city for a week and performs in some fifteen venues. The Association de soutien à la musique vivante (ASMV) organises the concerts and events. A musical diversity that highlights the trends and innovations of Francophone artists. A very extensive programme of concerts of all styles, which appeals to all audiences, with approximately 15,000 spectators each year. It is a popular event.

A chamber music festival organised in June, in both churches and the various vaults of Cully. Each concert is preceded by a presentation of one hour on the music program or the composer whose songs will be played. Concerts also open on wine tastings!

Basel's largest open-air cinema. On Münsterplatz, a giant screen is set up throughout August, delighting spectators in an exceptional setting, with the cathedral illuminated. Most films are shown in their original version. The magic of the seventh art is so popular that the festival also takes place in two other major cities in the summer: Geneva and Zurich. In Geneva, the backdrop of Lake Geneva gives an impression of infinity, and the same impression is felt in Zurich. A different way to experience cinema!

Every year in July-August, the equestrian race field turns into a giant movie theater.

This contemporary music festival, created in 2004 by a group of friends, gets the whole resort buzzing at the end of each season, in April, and welcomes more and more celebrities. At an altitude of 2,200 m, the sound goes beyond the peaks! Every year, more than 18,000 people enjoy the exceptional panorama and sway to the international DJs who set the resort alight. It's a short-lived whim that can be savored with intensity in the Valais Alps. Let's not forget that a caprice, in musical terms, is a free interpretation. So long live freedom!

Each year, the slowUp takes place: a day dedicated to soft mobility. The road surrounding Lac de Joux is then closed to traffic and reserved for bicycles, pedestrians, scooters or any other means of ecological displacement. Sports, cultural and culinary events invite participants to focus on landscapes.

The Archipel Festival offers contemporary music programmed in various venues dedicated to music: Conservatory, radio, theater, Victoria Hall... Since 1989 and every year, Archipel follows the evolution of contemporary music. This festival is interested in all forms of musical creation: scenic and multimedia works, improvisation, electro-acoustic music and sound installations. Archipel attracts a growing international and intergenerational audience.

It's one of the biggest Latin music festivals in Europe! Tropical South American music sets Helvetiaplatz on fire. The area is cordoned off to make room for the dancers and spectators. An incredible atmosphere! The music and dance goes on, and the tropical sun shines down on Zurich for a few days. The programme includes merengue concerts, national and international DJs and samba dance performances. A large market with 250 stands also offers exotic specialities and drinks.

International comics festival with exhibitions, film program, book signings and author presentations. This eventful festival attracts more and more fans every year. Authors come from several countries for the occasion. The program for each edition includes round tables, conferences, workshops, exhibitions and, of course, meetings with talented and promising authors.