Swiss National Holiday

• 01. Aug. 2024

August 1 is Switzerland's national holiday. The three original cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden joined together in the "Eternal Confederation". The idea of setting the year 1291 as the founding year of the Confederation and August 1 as a federal holiday goes back to a Bernese initiative. There, the 600th anniversary of the city's founding was to be celebrated in 1891.

Celebrate the birthday of Switzerland with us.
The Matterhorn village presents itself under the motto "Switzerland - international" with locals and guests from all over the world.

Program from 10:30 to 13:00:
-National celebration on the church square with devotion by pastor Stefan Roth and the festive speaker Marco Gurtner.
-Musical entertainment by the Matterhorn Music Society and the Alphorn Friends of Zermatt

Program in the evening:
- Culinary highlights with August 1 menus in the restaurants of Zermatt
- 22.00 h: Solemn ringing of the bells
- (Big fireworks with Bengal fires above Zermatt*)

*Programme subject to change (in case of bad weather the program will take place on the church square)
As there is currently a fire ban in the open air in the canton of Valais, there is currently no guarantee that the fireworks will take place. The information about possible realization will be updated on our site.

Program in Täsch:

from 19.00 h : canteen service by Molinari Simplon village
-20.00 : solemn ringing of the bells
-20.15 : welcome by the municipality
-20.30 h : ceremonial address

The celebration will be framed by the music society Täschalp Täsch. Afterwards entertainment with a live band from Zermatt.

In addition, the street festival in Zermatt will take place the evening before in the Bahnhofstrasse. Further information about the street festival can be found here:

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