Thursday, 1 August 2024
Swiss National Day
All around Switzerland
The 1er août is all about the bonfires, soup, and barbecued sausages in local towns and villages. Don't forget to gear up on some Swiss flags, candles, "lampions", and decorations to get into the spirit. The evening starts with a parade of children and their lampions (paper lantern on a stick with a real candle or electric light bulb).

Most will have some sort of official ceremony with speeches, bell ringing, and band music. It is followed by a soup (in a take-home bowl with date on it hand crafted for your village for the 1er aout!) and other festival foods.

The bonfire is the favorite thing, as each one is traditionally lit in sequence with the next village so that if you were looking from above (Jura or Salève) you will be able to see them but this is not always the case. Most of the bonfires are immediately followed by a firework display or dance with DJ or live music. 

https://www.loisirs.ch/actualites/31227/fete-nationale-suisse-ou-voir-les-feux-d-artifice-du-1er-aout-2024-en-suisse-romande