New Year Festival, Switzerland

About New Year Festival: The New Year Festival is celebrated all over the world with great pomp and show on the 1st of every JANUARY according to the Christian Calendar. The New year celebration starts from 31st of December and continues till 1st of January but Switzerland attracts many of the visitors during New Year’s eve. The country which is known for it’s Alps mountains and has beauty spread all around has many notable cities and villages to enjoy the Winter during New Year. The cities while decorated with beautiful Christmas decorations as before New Year the Christmas is celebrated on 25th of December and the weather is full with snow the same could be said about the villages all around.

How to Celebrate New Year Festival: The New Year Festival is celebrated on 31st of December in the town of Geneva and the people enjoy the festivities. The Mayor of Geneva also participate where the organizers put a gala show full of of festivities which is multicultural and also inter-generational with solidarity that could be said by the events in which local artists participates and also the firework takes place during the midnight. The best New Year parties could be found to be in the cities like Basel, Bern, Lausanne, Zurich which is the capital and also in Geneva. The Switzerland stands to look different in New Year’s eve and it could be seen people celebrating all the way through cozy dinner and dance program which takes most part of the night.

The Basel city which is known for the impressive fireworks and free mulled wine on the banks of the Rhine which is a part of the New Year Festival and carries on half-past midnight till 1st of January. The River Rhine also shines and wine is served free at the middle bridge in Klein Basel( Cafe Spitz) and also at the Johanniter Bridge(Cargo Bar) and at the time between 23:00 and 1:00. The Lausanne is known for it’s festival of lights and has an event which has it’s own right with the celebration taking place between 21 November and 31 December. The artwork which is an important aspect of the festival has the participation by artists from countries like France, Germany and Netherlands along with Switzerland and it has the light along with projections and sculptures making it a staged production. The projects are installed in bustling places which is city center along with Place De La Gare and Place De L’Europe,Rue Saint-Francois which gives the visitors an opportunity to discover the eclectic programme by moving through the city.

The Zurich which is known to be the national capital has the New Year’s festival which has nearly 100,000 visitors who flock to the Lake Zurich basin every year and have a party along with spectacular fireworks. The festivities includes food and drink stands along with bars and live music which creates the perfect ambience. There are also many restaurants and hotels which come up with special New year Menu and serve great drinks including cocktails and food is all about the sumptuous dinner with great way to welcome the New year.

New Year Festival Date and Day

2019 Festival Date: Tuesday, 1 January

2020 Festival Date: Wednesday, 1 January

2021 Festival Date: Friday, 1 January

2022 Festival Date: Saturday, 1 January

2023 Festival Date: Sunday, 1 January

2024 Festival Date: Monday, 1 January

2025 Festival Date: Wednesday, 1 January

Type : Cultural

Frequency: Annual