From a cheese festival to the ice hockey world championship – these are some of the events scheduled to take place in various Swiss regions this month.
May 1st: Swiss Youth Music Festival, Geneva
The performance, dedicated to Claude Debussy and other French composers, will be performed by a young, but already prize-winning, Swiss cellist Samuel Niederhauser.
The concert will be held at the Victoria Hall at Rue du Général-DUFOUR 14, and tickets can be purchased here.
May 3rd: Cheese Festival, Gruyère
Switzerland’s famous Gruyère cheese has been manufactured for centuries in the area surrounding the medieval Fribourg village of the same name.
Cows grazing on the region’s grasslands provide plenty of milk for the cheese, all of which makes this festival a must for lovers of Switzerland’s folklore and traditions.
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May 9th to May 10th: Combat de Reines (Battle of the Cows), Aprioz, Valais
In this traditional event, Hérens cows – the country’s most renowned breed – literally lock horns in a battle for the title of the queen.
Organised annually by the national federation of Hérens breeders, the competition is open to cows aged over two and a half years weighing between 400and 900 kg.
This event is very popular in Switzerland, and has more of a festival feel than being just a spectator sport.
May 14th: Strawberry Festival, Locarno
Each year, these berries – in all its forms and shapes – take over the Ticino city’s famous Piazza Grande, where you can taste different versions of this fruit, while enjoying concerts taking place on a stage set up in the square.
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May 14th to May 16th: The Swiss Comic Con, Basel
Short for ‘comic book convention’, this very popular event (also called ‘Fantasy Basel’) is one of the largest in Europe.
Held in the city’s massive Exhibition Centre (‘Messe’), it will not only make comic book heroes (and villans) come alive, but also feature related games and entertainment.
May 14th to 17th: Federal Music Festival, Biel/Bienne
If you are a fan of wind instruments, this event is for you.
Held every five years since 1864 in various locations throughout Switzerland, the 2026 brass music festival will bring together over 30,000 musicians and 550 wind-instrument associations.
May 15th to 31st: Ice Hockey World Championship, Zurich and Fribourg
The annual event, organised by the International Hockey Federation, (IHF) will be held in two Swiss cities this year.
The world’s top teams will compete in Zurich’s Swiss Life Arena and Fribourg’s BCF Arena.
You can see the games schedule here.
Tickets for individual games can be purchased online.
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May 23rd to May 25th: Oberaargau Wrestling Festival, Niederbipp (Bern)
This is a fine example of traditional Swiss ‘Schwingen’ event, where male wrestlers compete in a sawdust rink.
The wrestlers aim to throw each other onto their backs, with both shoulders touching the ground. Each time this is achieved, a point is awarded to the victor.
The event will also feature other typically Swiss acts, including yodelling and alphorn playing.
May 23rd to May 25th: Miam Festival, Lausanne
Here’s hoping for good weather because 50 stalls and food trucks parked in the streets will be serving up specialities from all over the world.
There will also be entertainment for children and adults, as well as concerts.
The event will be held in three locations in the centre of the Vaud capital: Rue Centrale, Place des Pionnières et Place Pépinet
May 28th to May 3st: Cycle Week, Zurich
If you are into bikes (or just like to watch others have fun on them), y go to the foot of Zurich’s local mountain, the Uetliberg, where you can test a varied sports infrastructure featuring a pump track, a dirt jump facility, a BMX skate park, mountain bike trails, gravel roads, and racing bike routes, while improving your own biking skills in the process.
More details about this event can be found here.
