Popular customs and festivals in Switzerland

During Lent, three weeks before Easter, the Thurgovian village of Ermatingen celebrates its Groppenfasnacht, or fish carnival. The carnival gets its name from the main character of the event, the Gropp, a fish, 10-15 cm in length, which is caught only in the Ermatingen area.

On December 6, or a date near it, the schoolchildren of most Glarus communities parade through their villages, ringing and jingling bells of all sizes, sometimes in rhythmic unison, sometimes in wild abandon.

Every three years, the city of St.Gallen in Eastern Switzerland celebrates its children's festival as a traditional city event in which most of the people participate. The festival originated in old school customs celebrated on St. Gregory's Day, in memory of Pope Gregory I.

The tradition of the Urnäsch Silvesterkläuse, a custom over 200 years old, has developed from simple begging in disguise into an expression of creative handwork. Today, the Kläuse wear robes and masks which require a great deal of time and effort to make.

On Thursday of the last full week before Christmas, the children of the town of Weinfelden in Canton Thurgau parade through the streets with their decorated fodder beets, which have been hollowed out and furnished with a lighted candle.

The New Year's Eve Procession in Wil is associated with what was originally known as "lantern inspection". In earlier times, it was obligatory for all houses to have emergency lighting. Compliance with the regulation was checked by a town committee.

Wildkirchli is a cave situated in the Alpstein range in Canton Appenzell Innerrhoden. It has become renowned for its prehistoric finds. On the second Sunday in July, the festival of the guardian angel is held there.