Interlaken hosts Swiss national folk music festival

The town of Interlaken in canton Berne hosts Switzerland’s biggest festival of traditional Swiss folk music this weekend.

The town of Interlaken in canton Berne hosts Switzerland’s biggest festival of traditional Swiss folk music this weekend.

The festival, which is expected to attract thousands of visitors from near and afar, is only staged every three years and is considered the biggest and most important such folk music event.

About 1,300 musicians dressed in traditional garb and 350 music bands will attend the 8th national festival of Swiss folk music, including such well known bands a s the “Engadiner Ländlerfründe,” “Echo vom Tödi” and Carlo Brunner.

A jury of experts will appraise the musical performances but there is no competition proper and there will be no prizes.

The audience at this nationally televised musical extravaganza will be treated to Swiss folk music “in the style of (Austrian composer) Johann Strauss” as well as “Folk music classics of the century.”

There are also folk art displays and craft exhibitions highlighting Switzerland’s regional traditions.

From staff and wire reports.