The Swiss voice in the world since 1935
Top stories
Stay in touch with Switzerland

Massive Swiss wine festival to end up in the red

The Fête des Vignerons arena
The Fête des Vignerons celebrates the viticulture traditions of the Lavaux and Chablais wine regions Keystone

The latest Fête des Vignerons – a traditional winegrowers’ festival held roughly every 20 years in the Swiss lakeside town of Vevey – will probably make a loss. Organisers are reportedly set to record additional costs of around CHF16 million ($16.2 million). 

“We actually lost an average of CHF1.6 million per performance,” François Margot, president of the winegrowers’ guild, told the 24 Heures newspaperExternal link on Saturday. 

However, Margot refused to speak of a “deficit”. He said the final figures had not been calculated and not all invoices had been settled. 

Nevertheless, costs are already 5-10% higher than originally planned. Organisers initially reckoned with a budget of about CHF100 million, with half going to the artistic performances and half to the operational side. 

Margot does not want to allocate the additional costs to a specific part. Rather, he says, it was an accumulation of various factors that had led to additional costs. 

In order to compensate for the additional costs, the winegrowers’ guild is now trying to increase income and reduce expenditure, for example through financial support from partners and patrons. 

The Fête des VigneronsExternal link took place from July 18 to August 11 and attracted around 375,000 spectators. Tickets for a show in the 20,000-seat outdoor arena – featuring more than 7,000 local actors, singers and musicians – cost CHF79-359.


More

Popular Stories

Most Discussed

News

Deer return to Winterthur cemetery

More

Evicted deer return to Swiss cemetery

This content was published on Individual deer are continuing to return to the Rosenberg cemetery in Winterthur, northeastern Switzerland, even after an eviction campaign last winter.

Read more: Evicted deer return to Swiss cemetery
You hardly earn any interest on savings accounts in Switzerland anymore

More

Hardly any interest earned on savings accounts in Switzerland

This content was published on Interest rates on savings accounts in Switzerland have fallen significantly. The brief high in savings interest rates is over, according to a study by online comparison service Moneyland.

Read more: Hardly any interest earned on savings accounts in Switzerland
Nazis

More

Nazi hikers questioned by Swiss police

This content was published on A group of around 25 men in uniforms of the Wehrmacht – the army of Nazi Germany – crossed the Wildhorn massif on Saturday and were questioned by Bern cantonal police.

Read more: Nazi hikers questioned by Swiss police
Number of cases of fox tapeworm disease on the rise according to study

More

Switzerland named hotspot for fox tapeworm disease

This content was published on Diseases caused by the fox tapeworm are on the rise in Europe. Alveolar hydatid disease (AHD) caused by the parasite is rare, but the number of cases is increasing.

Read more: Switzerland named hotspot for fox tapeworm disease
Mürren

More

Earthquake hits Swiss Alps near Mürren

This content was published on The earth shook near Mürren in the Bernese Oberland on Monday afternoon with a magnitude of around 4.2 on the Richter scale.

Read more: Earthquake hits Swiss Alps near Mürren
For better public transport in Greater Geneva

More

Public transport in Geneva faces calls for overhaul

This content was published on Public transport services in Greater Geneva must better meet needs. The associations Transports et environnement (ATE) and Rail Dauphiné Savoie Léman (ARDSL) have drawn up a review of the situation, calling in particular for the Leman Express timetable to be extended.

Read more: Public transport in Geneva faces calls for overhaul
Zurich public prosecutor charges Sanija Ameti

More

Swiss politician who shot at baby Jesus risks fine

This content was published on The Zurich public prosecutor's office has brought charges against Zurich city parliamentarian Sanija Ameti for disturbing religious freedom. Ameti had shot at a picture of Jesus and Mary with an air pistol.

Read more: Swiss politician who shot at baby Jesus risks fine
New work of art by Saype adorns the Vaud Alps

More

New work by artist Saype adorns Swiss Alps

This content was published on The French-Swiss artist Saype has created a new giant painting on the summit of the Grand Chamossaire above Villars-sur-Ollon VD. The 2500 square metre work depicts a boy with a rucksack on his shoulders.

Read more: New work by artist Saype adorns Swiss Alps

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR