Spectacular Celebration of Swiss National Day on August 1

Switzerland celebrates their National Day on August 1 with merriment and a host of activities to enhance the celebration. National Day of Switzerland symbolize liberation from the Austrian rulers which started with the Grutli Pact of 1291.

Spectacular fireworks, bonfires and barbecues all over Switzerland in breathtaking sceneries at night, mostly with a great music scene, can be seen on the lakes of Geneva, Zurich, Lucerne, Zurich, and Lugarno – but also high up in the mountains, like in Davos, St. Moritz, Arosa, etc. with thousands of people gathering to take part in this gigantic celebration. Celebration takes a whole new dimension at Neuhausen am Rheinfall in the Canton of Schaffhouse, with the illumination of the 25-meter high Rhine waterfalls.

In Canada, Swiss National Day is celebrated in the town of Sutton, on the weekend of August 2-3 every summer. The Federation of Swiss Societies of Eastern Canada Inc. organizes an imposing celebration at Mont Sutton. This year, the 37th edition of Swiss National Day will take place on Saturday, August 3.

August 1 was chosen as the National Day of Switzerland because three Alpine cantons – Schwyz, Unterwalden, and Uri – took a pledge of confederation and promised to fight together if their sovereignty was threatened. This act of coming together and taking the vow to act jointly in face of external threat later became the foundation of Switzerland.