Sechseläuten 2024 – When The Böögg Didn’t Burn
The 2024 edition of the Zurich Spring Festival of Sechseläuten faced an unexpected twist this year, as the April winds decided to gatecrash the event causing havoc in their wake. The strong winds forced the cancellation of the culmination of the event —the burning of the Böögg, in Sechseläutenplatz. The snowman effigy which symbolizes the end of winter was already perched on its pyre on Monday, 15th April at Sechseläutenplatz, but at 6pm the winds were deemed too dangerous for the traditional lighting of the Böögg to go ahead.
The winds in Zurich were gusting at speeds of 60 to 80 kilometres per hour, so Victor Rosser, the head of communications for Zurich Sechseläuten, made the tough decision to cancel the event.
The guest canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, which was participating for the first time, felt the sting of disappointment particularly sharply. The Landamman of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Yves Noël Balmer, voiced his sentiments to the NZZ, saying “It’s certainly a tough pill to swallow. I was looking forward to the honour of witnessing our first Böögg burn. Yet, we must put safety first.” Balmer also announced that the Böögg will now get its fiery farewell back in Appenzell Ausserrhoden now.
Date For The Burning of the Böögg Now Confirmed
The new date for the burning of the Böögg is 22nd June 2024 and it will take place in the municipality of Heiden in Appenzell Ausserrhoden.
MeteoSchweiz had waved the red flag early on with a wind warning that hinted at “moderate danger.” They advised securing anything that could turn into a windborne projectile, like garden furniture or bicycles. Although the main spectacle was cancelled, the festival’s spirit blazed on. The traditional parade of the guilds continued and you can see photos here of it earlier in the afternoon as it processed through Zurich’s city centre with plenty of pomp and pageantry.
So this year’s Sechseläuten will be remembered not just for the blustery interlude but for the fact that it will also go down in history as the day the Böögg didn’t burn.
You can also see it on Youtube here:
For more interesting facts about Sechseläuten and the Burning of the Böögg take a look here.
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