Fête Nationale à Gruyères

July 31 and August 1, 2026 – Medieval Town

Once again this year, Gruyères is celebrating August 1 in the heart of its Medieval Town. Two days of free festivities open to everyone await you, featuring Swiss traditions, outdoor concerts, family-friendly activities, and fireworks, all set against one of the region’s most iconic backdrops.

Saturday, August 1, is the big day. On the main stage on Rue du Bourg, L’Echo des Vanils and their alphorns will perform at 2:30 p.m., the local folk duo Blue Skin Brothers at 6:30 p.m., followed by Les Fils du Facteur at 9:00 p.m., well known to audiences in French-speaking Switzerland for their energetic and humorous songs.

The official ceremony will take place at 8:15 p.m., preceded by the chimes of St-Théodule Church and the national bells, in the presence of Mr. Jean-Pierre Doutaz, Mayor of Gruyères, and Mr. Vincent Rime, President of the General Council. The evening will conclude around 10:45 p.m. with a fireworks display, launched northwest of the Old Town and visible from the Belluard ramparts or the P3 hill, before continuing until 1:00 a.m. at the After-bar hosted by the Youth Association.

Families will find plenty to do over the two days. The scavenger hunt through the Old Town’s narrow streets, created especially for the occasion, invites young and old alike to solve the puzzles and walk away with a prize. Also on offer are an introduction to Mölkky, a lantern-making workshop, and the Museum Pass for CHF 30.00 (La Maison du Gruyère, Gruyères Castle, HR Giger Museum, Tibet Museum) to (re)discover the treasures of Gruyères.

Up in the mountains, Moléson rounds out the festivities. The resort is hosting a special evening event on July 31, featuring three-tiered fireworks and a children’s playground. On August 1, it offers a panoramic view of the fireworks and bonfires across French-speaking Switzerland, as well as a brunch to start the day off right.

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