Seven traditional ways the Swiss celebrate the new year
Switzerland has some fascinating and unique ways to mark this time of new beginnings. We rounded up a few of the celebrations going on around the country, to help you celebrate the start of 2024 like the Swiss.
The Swiss mark New Year’s with everything from racing piglets (yes, you read that right) to silent processions around a church – so there’s something for nearly everyone’s fancy.
The Piglet Race in Klosters
We had to start with this one.
Located in the mountains near Davos in Canton Graubünden, you can take in a piglet race near the main station in the village of Klosters. Called the Hotschrennen in the local dialect, it happens around 3:00 pm each year on New Year’s Day, giving you some extra incentive to get moving after the night before. The race is said to bring luck in the new year to all who watch it. Eight piglets will run in 2023. You can also enter a raffle to win prizes like skis and get yourself a free aperitif. Find out more about it here.
New Year’s Eve Guided Walk in St. Gallen
If you find yourself in St. Gallen, you can register for an end-of-year sightseeing walk through the Mülenen Gorge with professional guides. During the torchlit walk, you’ll hear plenty about local traditions and stories for both New Year’s Eve and for wintertime in general. You’ll also get a hot drink at the end to warm up.
Starting at 5:00 pm on New Year’s Eve and lasting around two hours, you can take in the tour and still have plenty of time for festivities later. Registration is mandatory, and you can find out more here.
Silent disco party at Lausanne’s Place Centrale
It’ll look like you’re dancing to your own beat, but only to those who can’t hear the music. Guests at Lausanne’s Bo Noel on New Year’s Eve each receive a pair of high-quality headphones with three channels to choose from – each one with a different DJ so you can dance to the beat of your choice while partying - in relative silence - with everyone else. If you’re the more traditional type, you might want to just take in the organ at the nearby cathedral. Right at midnight, you’ll be treated to a proper light show to bring in 2023. Find out more here.
The Chant de Goita in Bergün
The mountains of Graubünden make our list again for something that can seem festive, yet eerie at the same time. From around 10:00 pm, local singers gather in the Oberdorf and belt out both old Roman and old German New Year’s songs, just as they’ve been doing at this time of year for over 100 years. Sporting lanterns in 17 different locations, the singers keep going for almost two hours before finishing at the end with a famous finale song: “Ün mumaint e l’ura batta” or “just a few more seconds.” As the title suggests, that’s when the final countdown to the new year starts. Find out more here.
Singing at the Rheinfelden Fountain
If 100 years of singing tradition sounds like a long time, that’s nothing to the people of Rheinfelden near Basel. Residents have been gathering at the town fountain to sing every New Year’s Eve since 1541.
The tradition didn’t begin happily, as the townspeople then gathered to sing holy Christmas carols in an attempt to pray and ward off a plague that was rapidly sweeping through the area at the time. Now, twelve hooded singers first go on a parade through the town before stopping to sing at the fountain, before an organ concert at the church brings the new year in. the Brunnensingen, as it’s known, starts around 9:00 pm on New Year’s Eve. You can find out more here.
Laupen drives away evil spirits in colourful masks
The Achetringele in Laupen near Bern is certainly one of the most colourful Swiss New Year traditions. A parade of rowdy men dressed up in colourful and sometimes frightening masks goes through the city on New Year’s Eve to drive malevolent spirits out of the town.
In front, you’ll find men holding long brooms. They’ll be followed by some ringing cowbells in the air before finally, men holding air-filled pig bladders end off the procession. Originally celebrated on winter solstice and then Christmas, a local priest eventually suggested moving the event to New Year’s Eve. It starts around 8:00 pm and you can find out more here.
READ ALSO: Geneva news roundup: Where to celebrate New Year’s Eve with a bang
Comments
See Also
The Swiss mark New Year’s with everything from racing piglets (yes, you read that right) to silent processions around a church – so there’s something for nearly everyone’s fancy.
The Piglet Race in Klosters
We had to start with this one.
Located in the mountains near Davos in Canton Graubünden, you can take in a piglet race near the main station in the village of Klosters. Called the Hotschrennen in the local dialect, it happens around 3:00 pm each year on New Year’s Day, giving you some extra incentive to get moving after the night before. The race is said to bring luck in the new year to all who watch it. Eight piglets will run in 2023. You can also enter a raffle to win prizes like skis and get yourself a free aperitif. Find out more about it here.
New Year’s Eve Guided Walk in St. Gallen
If you find yourself in St. Gallen, you can register for an end-of-year sightseeing walk through the Mülenen Gorge with professional guides. During the torchlit walk, you’ll hear plenty about local traditions and stories for both New Year’s Eve and for wintertime in general. You’ll also get a hot drink at the end to warm up.
Starting at 5:00 pm on New Year’s Eve and lasting around two hours, you can take in the tour and still have plenty of time for festivities later. Registration is mandatory, and you can find out more here.
Silent disco party at Lausanne’s Place Centrale
It’ll look like you’re dancing to your own beat, but only to those who can’t hear the music. Guests at Lausanne’s Bo Noel on New Year’s Eve each receive a pair of high-quality headphones with three channels to choose from – each one with a different DJ so you can dance to the beat of your choice while partying - in relative silence - with everyone else. If you’re the more traditional type, you might want to just take in the organ at the nearby cathedral. Right at midnight, you’ll be treated to a proper light show to bring in 2023. Find out more here.
The Chant de Goita in Bergün
The mountains of Graubünden make our list again for something that can seem festive, yet eerie at the same time. From around 10:00 pm, local singers gather in the Oberdorf and belt out both old Roman and old German New Year’s songs, just as they’ve been doing at this time of year for over 100 years. Sporting lanterns in 17 different locations, the singers keep going for almost two hours before finishing at the end with a famous finale song: “Ün mumaint e l’ura batta” or “just a few more seconds.” As the title suggests, that’s when the final countdown to the new year starts. Find out more here.
Singing at the Rheinfelden Fountain
If 100 years of singing tradition sounds like a long time, that’s nothing to the people of Rheinfelden near Basel. Residents have been gathering at the town fountain to sing every New Year’s Eve since 1541.
The tradition didn’t begin happily, as the townspeople then gathered to sing holy Christmas carols in an attempt to pray and ward off a plague that was rapidly sweeping through the area at the time. Now, twelve hooded singers first go on a parade through the town before stopping to sing at the fountain, before an organ concert at the church brings the new year in. the Brunnensingen, as it’s known, starts around 9:00 pm on New Year’s Eve. You can find out more here.
Laupen drives away evil spirits in colourful masks
The Achetringele in Laupen near Bern is certainly one of the most colourful Swiss New Year traditions. A parade of rowdy men dressed up in colourful and sometimes frightening masks goes through the city on New Year’s Eve to drive malevolent spirits out of the town.
In front, you’ll find men holding long brooms. They’ll be followed by some ringing cowbells in the air before finally, men holding air-filled pig bladders end off the procession. Originally celebrated on winter solstice and then Christmas, a local priest eventually suggested moving the event to New Year’s Eve. It starts around 8:00 pm and you can find out more here.
READ ALSO: Geneva news roundup: Where to celebrate New Year’s Eve with a bang
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.