Must-See Events This August in Switzerland: Acount of Eight Exciting Happenings Not to Miss
Celebrating the Swiss National Day and Beyond: A Guide to August's Major Festivals in Switzerland
Switzerland is gearing up for an exciting August in 2025, with a series of national and regional festivals that promise to delight both locals and visitors alike. Here's a roundup of some of the key events happening across the country.
Swiss National Day, August 1st: This is the largest and most significant festival, marked by traditional activities, music, food, and community events all over Switzerland[1][2]. Highlights on this day include Alphorn demonstrations, street art, sports, concerts, folk dances, and fireworks in Geneva (La Grange Park)[1]. Nationwide, bonfires lit sequentially in villages, parades of children with paper lanterns, official ceremonies with speeches, bell ringing, bands, followed by soup and barbecue foods, fireworks, and dances with DJs or live music are common[2]. In Caux (near Montreux), celebrations take place at the historic Caux Palace from 15:00 to 23:00, with exhibitions, guided tours, music, speeches, and evening entertainment[3]. Nyon hosts a full-day program with an ecumenical ceremony, free aperitif, evening festivities, traditional reading of the Federal Pact of 1291, and fireworks by the lake[5].
While August 1st is the core national festival day, regional Alpine festivals involving cow parades and traditional celebrations also occur in August, though specific dates for these alpine festivals in 2025 are less detailed[4].
Cinema Lovers' Delight: The FatChilli Locarno Film Festival
For film enthusiasts, the FatChilli Locarno Film Festival is an annual open-air event in Locarno, Switzerland from August 6th to August 16th[6]. The official selection for the 78th Locarno Film Festival is live now on the festival's website[7].
Music Lovers' Paradise: Thunfest, The Zurich Street Parade, and The Lake Lugano Crossing
Thunfest, Switzerland's largest town festival, takes place in Thun from August 8th to August 10th[8]. The Zurich Street Parade, touted as the World's Largest Techno Party, takes place in Zurich on August 9th[9]. The Lake Lugano Crossing, an annual 2.5-km swim across Lake Lugano, takes place on August 17th, with registration open for fit swimmers over the age of 14[10].
Sports Enthusiasts: Zurich Limmat Swim and The Great Alpine Festival
The Zurich Limmat Swim tickets go on sale three days in advance of the event from 5pm sharp[11]. The Great Alpine Festival takes place in Riederalp, Switzerland on August 3rd[12].
Historical Landmarks: The Official Celebration of the National Day and Bern's Parliament Building
The official celebration of the National Day takes place on the Rütli meadow in Uri, Switzerland[13]. The Swiss parliament building in Bern opens its doors to the public on the National Day[14].
The foundation of Switzerland was laid in the year 1291[15]. With such a rich history and diverse cultural offerings, August 2025 promises to be an unforgettable month in Switzerland.
[1] https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-national-day-celebrations-in-geneva/46346142 [2] https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-national-day-celebrations-in-switzerland/46346142 [3] https://www.caux-conferences.ch/en/events/swiss-national-day-2025 [4] https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-national-day-celebrations-in-switzerland/46346142 [5] https://www.nyon.ch/fr/actualites/evenements/fete-nationale-du-1er-août-2025 [6] https://www.locarnofestival.ch/en/ [7] https://t.co/Yi0NjnjM1r [8] https://www.thunfest.ch/ [9] https://www.streetparade.ch/ [10] https://www.lakeluganocrossing.ch/ [11] https://www.limmatschwimmen.ch/ [12] https://www.greatalpinefestival.ch/ [13] https://www.uri-schwyz.ch/de/sehenswuerdigkeiten/ruetli-meadow [14] https://www.parlament.ch/fr/visites/ [15] https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-national-day-celebrations-in-switzerland/46346142
- To complement the Swiss National Day celebrations, consider exploring Switzerland's diverse lifestyle and home-and-garden offerings during your visit, as you might find charming Alpine homes and gardens nestled in picturesque valleys.
- After immersing yourself in Swiss culture, take a break from the festivities with a change of pace—try travel, sports, or music events such as the FatChilli Locarno Film Festival, Thunfest, Zurich Street Parade, Lake Lugano Crossing, Zurich Limmat Swim, or the Great Alpine Festival.
