June
5 to 9 June
Caribana Lakeside Festival, Nyon
Best for: Those who like a bit of everything. This year listen to Franz Ferdinand, Morcheeba or Robin Schulz among many others.
13 to 15 June
Greenfield Festival, Interlaken
Best for: Rock and Metalheads. Switzerland's biggest rock festival has quite an impressive line-up this year. Have a smashing good time with Slipknot and the classical Die Toten Hosen as headliners.
13 to 15 June
B-Sides Festival, Lucerne
Best for: The alternative crowd. Let your inner hipster our and chillax.
13 to 16 June
Festi'neuch, Neuchâtel
Best for: Lakeside fun! Patti Smith headlines the festival this year. Enjoy great music by the beautiful Lake Neuchâtel.
14 to 15 June
Blues n' Jazz, Rapperswil-Jona SG
Hello Switzerland Top Pick!
Best for: Those who like, you guessed it, Blues n'Jazz! A jazz lovers' favourite.
14 to 15 June
Stars of Sounds, Aarberg
Best for: Swiss music fans. This year, Parov Stelar are the headliners.
20 to 22 June
Rock the Ring, Hinwil ZH
Hello Switzerland Top Pick!
Best for: Rockers! Rock legends like Def Leppard and Whitesnake are on the line up. Feeling nostalgic?
20 to 29 June
Jazz Ascona, Ascona
Best for: Cool cats! With over 200 concerts ranging from traditional jazz to blues, Ascona becomes a music oasis.
20 to 23 June
Burning Mountain, Zernez (Graubünden)
Best for: Burning Man enthusiasts, free spirits, campers, nature lovers. The location in the Engadin Valley is spectacular.
27 to 30 June
Open Air St. Gallen, St. Gallen
Hello Switzerland Top Pick!
Best for: Campers, indie fans. This year Die Ärzte and Florence & the Machine are headliners.
29 June
Anyone can play guitar, Berne
Best for: Chilling out in the capital, non-commercial alternative music and good food.
July
28 June to 13 July
Montreux Jazz Festival, Montreux
Hello Switzerland Top Pick!
Best for: Two eclectic weeks of world-class concerts.
4 to 6 July
Estival Jazz, Lugano
Best for: Cool jazz cats and jazz greats for aficionados.
5 to 7 July
Caliente!, Zurich
Best for: Latin, Brazilian and Caribbean rhythms over three days of fiesta, plus great food.
11 to 13 July
Open Air Frauenfeld, Frauenfeld
Best for: Europe's biggest hip-hop fest. Travis Scott and Cardi B are top headliners this year.
12 to 14 July
Festi'Cheyres, Cheyres FR
Best for: Lakeside family fun.
13 to 21 July
Moon and Stars, Locarno
Best for: pop music fans who want to listen to great music in an utterly romantic setting. This festival is also called the "Montreux of the Southern Alps".
Stay tuned for 2020, as the July Lake Parade will not take place in 2019
Lake Parade, Geneva
Best for: Techno! (Zurich Street Parade's BFF in western Switzerland).
17 to 20 July
Gurtenfestival, Bern
Best for: Those who wants to head above the capital city for one of Switzerland's most iconic festivals. Gorillaz are headlining this year.
18 July to 6 September
Menuhin Festival, Gstaad BE
Best for: classical music, chamber music, orchestra concerts and operas.
18 July to 3 August
Verbier Festival, Verbier VS
Best for: Classical moments from tranquil bliss to rousing inspiration. Listen to exquisite music in a majestic alpine setting.
23 to 28 July
Paléo Festival, Nyon
Best for: rock music fans. This is the biggest open air music festival in Switzerland. Expect music 'royalty' in the line up.
19 to 27 July
Blue Balls, Lucerne
Hello Switzerland Top Pick!
31 July to 3 August
Estivale Open Air, Estavayer-le-Lac FR
Best for: If you want to enjoy good music under the open sky in a beautiful festival area on a peninsula.
August
2 to 4 August
Brienzersee Rockfestival, Brienz BE
Best for: Swiss rock and international acts. Have a rocking good time next to one of the most stunning lakes in Switzerland.
9 to 11 August
Heitere, Zofingen AG
Best for: Pop and Rock.
10 August
Street Parade, Zurich
Best for: Ravers!
14 to 18 August
Rock oz' Arenes, Avenches VD
Hello Switzerland Top Pick!
Best for: Listening to rock music in a Roman amphitheatre (one of the best preserved in Europe)!
15 to 18 August
Open Air Gampel, Gampel VS
Best for: People with a broad taste in music.
16 August to 1 September
Sion Festival, Sion
An exceptional classical music festival, one of the most important in Valais and in Switzerland. Thanks to its artistic director, the violinist Pavel Vernikov, the festival features numerous violin virtuosos.
16 August to 15 September
Lucerne Classical Music Festival, Lucerne
Four weeks of more than 100 concerts: International classical music stars in the heart of Switzerland. A must for all classical music lovers!
17 to 18 August
Royal Arena, Orpund (Biel/ Bienne)
Best for: Hip hop fans. Massive!
21 to 24 August
Zurich Openair, Glattbrugg ZH
Best for: Listening to Indie and Electro.
We also have to mention Baloise Session (Basel), although it is not a summer festival. This year it will take place during 12 to 31 October. We are totally looking forward for the 2019 line up, it is usually exceptional!
Photos: © Gurten Festival, © Mykal Rose / Afro Pfingsten, © Guillaume Perret, © Nick Lobeck / OpenAir St. Gallen, © WAKE+JAM Festival, © Vincent Bailly / Montreux Jazz, © Blue Balls Music, © Verein Street Parade, Zürich
