August 1 Celebration

The city of Chur cordially invites residents and visitors from the region to the Swiss National Day celebrations. The festivities will take place in the Obere Au and feature a diverse family program, musical performances, and a special premiere: a drone show in the night sky over Chur.

The Swiss National Day celebrations will take place at the Obere Au and offer a varied program for all generations—from brunch and an afternoon of games to music, commemorative speeches, and a spectacular finale in the evening.

The day of celebration begins in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere with the traditional August 1 brunch at the sports restaurant of the Obere Au sports complex from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Registration is required. Admission to the pools is already included in the brunch package, so you can seamlessly continue your day with a dip in the cool water.

In the afternoon, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., a play afternoon will take place at the outdoor pool—a highlight for children and families. The teaching pool will be specially equipped with water play equipment such as swim rings, pool noodles, and kickboards, while the two slides provide extra excitement.

The sports and event facilities are open until 5:00 p.m. and invite you to relax and linger. Starting at 5:00 p.m., the festival food and drink stand opens at the Obere Au Grass Sports Stadium with children’s entertainment, providing an atmospheric conclusion to the day’s program.

Starting at 5:00 p.m., the festivities move to the Rasensportstadion, where the official Swiss National Day celebration begins. The EHC Chur festival food stand provides refreshments, while Chur’s Children and Youth Services organizes a varied entertainment program for the youngest guests. In addition, a bounce house provided by the RhB will offer even more fun and activity for the children.

The evening will feature musical performances by the alphorn ensemble led by Werner Erb, the Schwyzerörgeli Fründa Felsberg, and the Chur Youth Band. After their performances, the alphorn group will also offer short mini-workshops where anyone interested can learn about the alphorn and try playing it themselves.

At 9:00 p.m., the ringing of the bells from Chur’s churches will mark the start of the festive evening program. This will be followed by an open-air concert by the Chur Youth Band, the traditional bonfire on Calanda, and the atmospheric lantern parade. After the ceremonial address and a group singing of the national anthem, the City of Chur’s first drone show will be the highlight of the evening. Around 200 drones will trace impressive images and symbols related to Chur, its history, and its landmarks across the night sky—a special experience for the whole family.

The festival food and drink area will remain open until 11:00 p.m., inviting guests to wind down the National Day celebrations in a cozy atmosphere.

Note: The final decision on whether to hold the National Day celebrations will be made three days before the event based on current weather forecasts. Should weather conditions prevent the event from being held safely—particularly in the event of persistent heavy rain, thunderstorms, hail, or strong winds—the event must be canceled. An alternative program or a move to another location is not planned for this year.

Note: This text was translated by machine translation software and not by a human translator. It may contain translation errors.