Cities of music, jazz and street festivals
Lucerne and Geneva: Swiss music capitals
Lucerne, Switzerland’s city of music, offers a wide range of musical events year-round. From the nostalgic Retro Festival in April to the melodious sound of the Piano Festival in May and the world-famous Summer Festival from August to September, Lucerne lives up to its reputation. Summer 2024 is especially rich: Luzern Live presents music from 60 bands and 42 DJs from July 18-27, 2024, featuring both Swiss and international artists, including Faber, Benjamin Clementine, Khruangbin, Laufey, and CMAT. The venues around the Lake Lucerne basin, including seven stages, offer an unforgettable experience for music lovers.
The Festival of Classical Music in Geneva from May 18-June 9, 2024, is an outstanding event that promotes the appreciation of chamber music and other genres. Renowned artists such as Biribá Union, the Brentano String Quartet, and Musical Mixology offer a sophisticated program that appeals to a broad audience of all ages. Particularly noteworthy is the initiative to get young people interested in chamber music through free concerts and educational programs.
Jazz festivals: highlights full of rhythm, improvisation, and soul.
The Festival da Jazz in St. Moritz, Graubünden, from July 4-28, 2024, is an exclusive event that attracts music lovers to the legendary Dracula Club, almost 6000 feet above sea level. International stars such as Chick Corea and Randy Crawford offer a unique experience in various locations in St. Moritz, from the pedestrian zone to nightclubs and even the forest.
The world-famous Montreux Jazz Festival, from July 5-20, 2024, annually attracts an impressive number of renowned artists from genres such as jazz, rock and others. Rousing performances in the Auditorium Stravinski and the Lab enchant approximately 250,000 visitors.
The magnificent JazzAscona Festival, which takes place from June 20-29, 2024, in Ascona, Ticino, offers over 200 concerts with music, culture and cuisine from New Orleans. From jazz to R&B, all genres are represented. New Orleans officially supports the festival, as the cities have a partnership sealed during the 2022 festival.
Street festivals: musical street theater
The “Buskers Bern Street Music Festival“, from August 8 to 10, 2024, will enliven the streets of Bern’s old town with artists from all over the world. Music, dance, comedy and art come together in a unique experience that combines the diversity of the artists with the fantastic backdrop of Bern’s Old Town.
With pulsating electronic beats, colorful love mobiles and hundreds of thousands of people dancing through the streets, the Street Parade in Zurich, on August 10 in 2024, is the biggest techno party in the world and the culmination of Zurich’s vibrant summer scene. Since the 1990s, the Street Parade has evolved to include various electronic music genres such as house and drum’n’bass. After the main event, you can continue the party at numerous after-parties such as “Insomnia” and “Synergy”.
