6 wine festivals, harvest celebrations, and food-and-wine events — with dates, tickets, and travel tips.
Festivals worth planning a trip around.
Switzerland's largest open-cellar weekend invites the public into 300+ wine cellars across the Canton of Vaud. Winemakers personally pour Chasselas, Pinot Noir, and Gamay while visitors stroll through UNESCO-listed Lavaux terraces and charming lakeside villages. A single pass grants entry to every participating cellar.
View festival detailsOver 230 Valais winemakers simultaneously open their cellar doors across Switzerland's most important wine region for a spring weekend every May. The Caves Ouvertes offers unprecedented access to producers normally not open to the public — from the Rhône Valley floor to high-altitude terraces producing Fendant, Johannisberg, and Cornalin. Free to enter most cellars, pay per glass. An authentic alternative to organised wine tours.
View festival detailsThe most extraordinary wine festival in the world — staged only once a generation (roughly every 20-25 years) in Vevey on Lake Geneva, listed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. The 2019 edition gathered 355,000 visitors over 16 performances in a purpose-built 20,000-seat arena for a theatrical celebration of Swiss viticulture. Past intervals: 1999, 1977, 1955, 1927 — the next occurrence is expected circa 2039-2044.
View festival detailsOne of Europe's largest public wine tastings, held aboard twelve ships moored on Lake Zurich. Over 4,000 wines from 180 exhibitors across Switzerland and the world are available for tasting in the unique floating venue. Running since 1954, it has become a Zurich institution every November.
View festival detailsThe world's most original wine fair: 11 lake steamers moored at Zurich's Bürkliplatz serve as floating tasting halls where 160 exhibitors pour 4,000+ wines from 30 countries. Now in its 70th year, Expovina is both a trade event and a major public festival — evening sessions are particularly festive as the ships light up on Lake Zurich. The Club Ship adds a VIP dimension with exclusive masterclasses and private winemaker dinners.
View festival detailsAll 6 festivals organised by month.
Caves Ouvertes Vaudoises (Vaud Open Cellars)
Rent a bike and tackle the Lavaux UNESCO terraces systematically rather than driving—small producers in Épesses and Riex don't advertise widely but welcome cyclists directly. Taste Chasselas from lakeside growers like Clos des Abbayes only during this weekend; it's a mineral, saline wine that doesn't travel and rarely appears outside Switzerland's open-cellar events.
Seek out the Valais producers pouring Petite Arvine and Humagne Rouge—these Alpine whites and reds rarely export and represent Switzerland's most distinctive terroir. Time your visit mid-morning to access the natural wine section before crowds arrive and bottles are depleted.
Caves Ouvertes des Vins du Valais
Rent a car or e-bike to move between cellars — the Valais is long and narrow and public transport between villages is slow. Focus on the Chamoson or Fully areas for the most concentrated cellar density.
When it next occurs, book the moment tickets are released — they sold out within hours in 2019. The Lavaux UNESCO terraced vineyards are beautiful year-round; visit the region regardless of festival timing.
Book a private ship tour (available through the organizers) to avoid the November crowds and gain seated tastings with winemakers; the small lakeside vessels offer an intimate experience unavailable to general admission crowds. Prioritize Ticino's Merlot producers and lesser-known Graubünden Pinot Noir makers who use this event for international discovery.
Expovina Wine Ships (Expovina Weinschiffe)
Evening sessions (Mon–Sat 6–9pm) have the best atmosphere — the ships are less crowded and the Lake Zurich reflections at night are spectacular. The Club Ship requires separate booking but is worth it for the masterclass access.