Fête Des Vignerons 2019
18th July – 11th August 2019
Vevey Switzerland
Fête Des Vignerons 2019
Vevey Switzerland
18th July to 11th August 2019
We absolutely love the region along the Riviera Vaudoise where they make some simply wonderful Swiss wine. The pretty terraced vineyards situated on the banks of Lac Léman are really picturesque and are world renowned. This year there is a very special event taking place in the region which will be attracting wine lovers and spectators from all over the world. It’s called the Fête des Vignerons and takes place from 18th July to 11th August 2019.
Wine Festival Takes Place Every 25 Years
This very special wine and culture festival only takes place every 25 years – so I don’t know about you but if I miss it in 2019, I will be pretty old by the time the next one comes round! 🙂 Throughout the years it has been hailed as wonderful celebration of the art of viniculture and here is an example of the advertising from 1905.
So What is the Fête Des Vignerons?
The Fête des Vignerons is basically a festival to honour and show support for the centuries-old wine-making traditions of this region. It is organised by the Brotherhood of Winegrowers or “Confrérie des Vignerons”, and takes place in Vevey, a town situated right in the heart of the Lavaux vineyards, in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland. The stadium is located in Vevey just in front of Lake Geneva.
First Living Tradition To Receive UNESCO Recognition
In fact it was honoured as the first living tradition in Switzerland to received UNESCO recognition back in 2016, and it promises to be an amazing event. Twenty thousand spectators from all over the world are expected to visit the area to see the show created by Daniele Finzi Pasca’s artistic team. There will be performances both day and night.
Some Key Facts about the Fête des Vignerons
The Fête des Vignerons celebrates a living tradition and the values and know how of a heritage passed down from generation to generation in this wine making region. It involves the whole area from Lausanne to Chablais Vaudois and represents atotally unique experience.
- The first Fête des Vignerons took place in 1797
- 2019 is the 12th edition of the Fête des Vignerons
- It was inscribed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2016.
- The Confrérie des Vignerons produces and organises the Fête des Vignerons
- The Confrérie des Vignerons is responsible for checking on the correct maintenance of all the vines of its members
- The show represents a year in the life of the vineyard in twenty scenes
- It starts and ends with the harvest
- It portrays the work of the vineyard throughout the various seasons of the year and the interaction of man and nature
- There are 6 weeks of rehearsals beginning in May before the show goes live in July
The Arena
The arena is very impressive. We visited in mid May as the work was being completed, as you can see in the following photos, followed by a photo showing the completed arena.
- The arena has a surface area of 14,000 m2 and a maximum height of 30 metres
- The design team is led by Daniele Finzi Pasca
- The main stage is the same size as an Olympic swimming pool
- There will be 400 loudspeakers, 2,000 projectors and four giant LED screens
- 20,000 spectators can be accommodated
- 700 tons of steel that make up the infrastructure structure.
More than just a show, the Fête des Vignerons is a festival for the whole region. Tickets for the event went on sale on 17th September 2018 – so book yours soon if you would like to attend as they are likely to sell out. Tickets start at CHF 65.
As they say in the poster above, if you break a mirror you get 7 years of bad luck but it you miss the Fête des Vignerons you will suffer 20 years of remorse! So don’t miss this opportunity of a life time:)
Fête des Vignerons 2019
When: From 18th July to 11th August 2019
Where: Stadium, Grand Place, Vevey, Switzerland
Tickets: Please visit the Ticketing Website here for all information
For all general information please visit the Fête Des Vignerons Website here
For ideas on other things to see and do when you’re in the area take a look at our Guide to Vevey here.
Take a look at this video to get an idea about what is in store:
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With photos by Christina Fryer and courtesy of the Fete Des Vignerons
For more information about things to do in Zurich and beyond please see our What’s On Page or our News Articles or for regular updates subscribe to our blog.
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