Major events – facts and figures

Switzerland boasts hundreds of festivals, as well as sporting, cultural and political events, and some of them appeal to an international audience. Every 25 years or so, Switzerland mounts a national exhibition. 

Skirennfahrer auf der Lauberhorn-Strecke mit Blick auf Alpenpanorama
The Lauberhorn races take place in January against the backdrop of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains, and are broadcast by over 60 television stations. © Verein Internationale Lauberhornrennen

Davos' 1992 World Economic Forum served as the stage for the first-ever meeting between the then South African President, Frederik W. De Klerk, and Nelson Mandela.

Twenty-five world records have been set at the Weltklasse Zürich athletics meeting since its inception 90 years ago.

Paléo Festival Nyon is one of Europe's largest open-air music festivals. In 2019, its 277 concerts on 7 stages attracted 230,000 festival-goers.

One of the international Locarno Film Festival's highlights is its star-studded open-air evening screenings in the unique ambience of Piazza Grande, which seats around 8,000 film aficionados.

In 2009, the Omega European Masters golf competition in Crans-Montana was the first event in Europe to be jointly organised by the Asian Tour. Today, it is one of Europe's most prominent competitions.

One of the main attractions at the Expo.02 national exhibition was a huge artificial cloud of mist produced by 88 pumps with 32,000 nozzles.