Last Updated: 25 September 2025

As we continue to mourn the shorter days, what better way to commensurate than by having a glass (or two) of locally-produced wine? Cue the start of the grape harvest season. It’s not just about picking grapes, we’re talking about a full-on wine-fueled celebration with food, parades, concerts, fun activities, and of course, tons and tons of wine.

There are many grape harvest festivals and wine-related events around the wine-producing regions of Switzerland during autumn, but here’s a look at some of our picks for where to go.

• PerBacco! Harvest Festival (Ticino) 4-7 Sep
• Fête des Vendanges de Russin (Geneva) 20-21 Sep
• Fête des Vendanges du Vully (Fribourg) 20-21 Sep
• Fête des vendanges de Lutry (Vaud) 26-28 Sep
• Fête des vendanges de Neuchâtel (Neuchâtel) 26-28 Sep
• Nyon Wine Festival (Vaud) 3-4 Oct

Worth the Trek: PerBacco! Harvest Festival (Ticino) 

Dates: 4 – 7 September 2025

Location: Bellinzona  (🚆🚗~5hr) 

Ah, Ticino! If you’ve been looking for an excuse to make the trek out to the Italian-speaking side of Switzerland, then this is it. The “PerBacco!” festival is all about celebrating the region’s incredible wine and local food culture. It’s set right in the historic center of Bellinzona, with its impressive UNESCO-listed castles overlooking the celebration. During this once-a-year event, you can enjoy a stroll through the alleys with a glass of local wine in hand and soak up the vibes. With delicious cuisine, endless wine tastings, a huge traditional market, and live music taking over the streets, we can’t ask for more. Some notable events: The Bellinzona Saturday Market open from 07:30-13:30, traditional grape pressing from 10:00-12:00 & 13:30-16:00, and the Sunday procession from 10:00-11:00.

The Local’s Favorite: Fête des Vendanges de Russin (Geneva)

Dates: 20 – 21 September 2025 

Location: Russin (event map)

This is our local grape harvest festival, and if you’re looking for an excuse to celebrate in our backyard, this is it! The two-day festival, which by the way draws a massive crowd of over 40,000 people, is set in the charming village of Russin. You can expect a packed schedule of concerts and all sorts of fun activities. The main event, a parade with marching bands and floats, happens on Sunday at 14:00 – you won’t want to miss it. 

The Intimate Affair: Fête des Vendanges du Vully (Fribourg)

Dates: 20 – 21 September 2025

Location: Praz (Vully)  (🚆~2hr40m 🚗~1.5hr) 

The Fête des Vendanges du Vully is your perfect excuse to explore the stunning Vully region, a small winegrowing area between two of Switzerland’s beautiful lakes, Neuchâtel and Morat. It’s a bit more laid-back and under the radar than the other giant festivals we mentioned. Set in the charming old village of Praz, the entire place is decked out with flowers for the event. You can spend the weekend soaking up the peaceful lakeside views, sipping on some delicious local wine from the open cellars, and trying the famous Vully tart. The full program is TBC but you can expect a children’s parade, hand-decorated floats, tons of live music and market stalls.

The Lavaux Vendages: Fête des vendanges de Lutry (Vaud)

Dates: 26 – 28 September 2025

Location: Lutry (🚆~1hr / 🚗 ~50m) 

There’s nothing quite like sipping wine against the backdrop of the stunning Lavaux vineyards and Lake Geneva. This three-day festival is packed with events: you’ll be able to taste all the local wines from this region, watch the traditional grape-pressing process up close, enjoy live music, and of course, catch the traditional schoolchildren’s procession on Sunday.  

🔥 Hot tip: If you plan to drive, make sure to have a designated driver! Otherwise, take public transportation, so that everyone can enjoy a few glasses of wine. 

The Can’t-Miss: Fête des vendanges de Neuchâtel (Neuchâtel)

Dates: 26 – 28 September 2025

Location: Neuchâtel (🚆🚗~1.5hr) 

This is the big one. As one of the largest harvest festivals in Europe, this three-day celebration can attract over 340,000 people and it pretty much takes over the entire town. It’s less of a quiet harvest and more of an epic street party. If you want a high-energy, wild-and-free festival vibe, this is it. Notable events: Musical fireworks over the Neuchâtel lake on Saturday night (20:00). The can’t-be-missed event is the floral procession (15:00 on Sunday), a high-point of the festival – it’s truly unique and one of a kind. Each float takes months to design and create, according to the theme of the year. If you’re looking for a non-stop party with a massive parade of flower-covered floats, a kids’ lantern parade, and live music that goes on for days.

Nyon Wine Festival (Vaud)

Dates: 26 – 28 September 2025

Location: Place du Château, Nyon (🚆🚗~30mins) 

The Fête de la Vigne is essentially the annual, chic harvest party for this wine region. It’s not just a fair; it’s a sophisticated, yet entirely unpretentious, weekend dedicated to the brilliant (and sometimes underrated) wines of the District of Nyon. It’s only a <30 min train ride away from Geneva and the perfect event to enjoy wine with the backdrop of the Nyon castle.