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The Rüeblimärt in Aarau is one of the largest markets of its kind in Switzerland and offers a wide range of regional products and culinary delicacies. Fresh turnips and regional products are releasing their aroma.

Sustainability and environmental awareness are at the heart of the matter. Various activities, special tours, and events take place. The Rüeblimärt celebrates nature and agriculture and thus inspires a sustainable lifestyle.

The Rüeblimärt in Aarau is not just an ordinary market, but a place of enjoyment, connection, and learning. A visit to this market is a wonderful natural experience that brings to people's attention the importance of a sustainable lifestyle and the value of nature. A visit is definitely worth it.

Each on the 2nd Friday in October takes place from 09.00 am to approx. 6:00 p.m. the fair in Heiden takes place. More than 100 market travelers will arrive from near and far to present their various goods. Whether treats, clothing, bags, care products or much more, there is certainly something suitable for all visitors. Local businesses and local associations are also represented. At Kohlplatz (Chilbiplatz) you will find more attractions for young and old. At various stands, but also in the surrounding restaurants, culinary delights await you. Let yourself be pampered, enjoy the fairground atmosphere and meet friends and acquaintances.

On October 24 and 25, there will be a variety of Swiss cheese specialties to discover in the garden of the Capuchin monastery in Appenzell. The cheesemakers from Appenzell are not as secretive as is always claimed. At least the Appenzell Cheese Festival is always so sociable that the event lasts a whole two days. Visitors are offered a varied cheese market with numerous attractions over two days. In addition to "schnöchsle" at the stand, a cheesemaker demonstrates live how to make cheese in a vat. The entire program is accompanied by local music. This event is an absolute must for all cheese lovers. The cheese festival is also in other cantons. Checkout the entire cheesy calendar here.

The highly anticipated Sissacher Herbstmarkt is set to return to the heart of the village on Wednesday, 18 November 2026. Transforming the central Begegnungszone into a bustling hub of activity from 09:00 to 18:30, this annual event stands as the region’s largest and most vibrant autumn market.

Visitors can look forward to exploring over 150 diverse stalls featuring a rich mix of regional products, artisanal crafts, and seasonal delicacies. Alongside the traditional goods market, the event will feature its signature land machinery exhibition and a popular flea market, offering something for everyone.

Organised by the local municipality, the market expects to draw thousands of attendees from across the canton. Local authorities highly recommend using public transport due to limited parking. For further event details, stall registrations, or traffic updates, visit the official Gemeinde Sissach website.

The Basel Autumn Fair is a Cultural Heritage since 1471. With its centuries-old tradition, the Basel Autumn Fair is part of the city's living cultural heritage. A traditional city centre fair, its popularity extends far beyond the three-country region and it draws about a million people from Switzerland and abroad to Basel. From Barfüsserplatz to Messeplatz, from Petersplatz to the cathedral: you can experience breathtaking rides, traditional fair stalls and nostalgic attractions at seven fairgrounds.

Think you have seen it all. Think again! The “Zibelemärit” (onion market) is the folk festival in Bern. It traditionally takes place on the fourth Monday in November. Farmers sell tonnes of artfully braided onions and garlic early in the morning.

When the smell of onion tart and mulled wine fills the streets of Bern, the Swiss capital is devoted to the traditional Zibelemärit. From the official start at 6:00 a.m., thousands of visitors bustle through the alleyways of the Upper Old Town and enjoy the mixture of farmers’ market and folk festival.

If you have never experienced the atmosphere early in the morning, you should definitely take the opportunity this year and let yourself be carried away by the Bernese attitude to life. “D Märitstimmig”, the market atmosphere, is something very special and inspires even established Bernese people year after year.

Bénichon is far more than just a celebration. It is a true immersion into Fribourg’s heritage. This centuries-old festivity, held mainly in autumn, marks the end of the harvest and the return of the cattle from the mountain pastures accompanied by a feast that is as generous as it is delicious.

The Bénichon Season is organised from the end of August to mid-November throughout the canton of Fribourg, following the traditional calendar specific to each region. During this period, many partner restaurants serve the famous Bénichon menu. Book your table with one of the partners of the 2026 Bénichon Season and get ready to savour autumn in Fribourg like never before! 

The Comptoir gruérien 2026 is officially underway at Espace Gruyère in Bulle, running from October 22 to November 1, 2026. Celebrating the theme "Une région en mouvement !", this highly anticipated regional fair occurs only once every four years, drawing thousands of visitors to the heart of the Gruyère region.

This year’s edition hosts approximately 150 exhibitors alongside prestigious guests of honor, including Fribourg-Gottéron, Agri Innov’, and Le Portugal en mouvement. At the center of the festivities is Le Dôme, a dedicated space highlighting local AOP Fribourg culinary specialties. Beyond commerce and agriculture, the event serves as a vibrant social hub, featuring dynamic family activities like a collaborative giant poya painting, alongside live concerts hosted across 12 bars run by local societies. Adult admission is CHF 18.–, with affordable CHF 5.– Frimobil regional transit passes available to encourage sustainable travel to the venue.

If fairs and markets are not your thing, immerse yourself in the imagination of films. The 32nd Geneva International Film Festival (GIFF) will take place from October 30 to November 8, 2026. Founded in 1995, GIFF is one of Europe's major events celebrating a unique intersection of films, television series, and immersive digital arts (including VR and interactive installations). This year's event officially kicks off with the screening of Leah Nelson’s Tangles, with the highly anticipated full public program set to be unveiled on October 8. Alongside public screenings at its central hub in the Théâtre Pitoëff, the festival will host its renowned industry platform, GIFF PRO, from November 3 to 6, drawing over 800 Swiss and international audiovisual professionals.

With the Glarner Alpkäse-und Schabziger-Markt just wound up, and the Glarner Messe in Näfels scheduled for 2027, as it is organised alternate years. the Fridolin Herbst 2026 exhibition opened on, October 6, 2026, continuing its run through October 18 at the Güterschuppen Glarus. This major cultural event provides a fresh, modern perspective on Saint Fridolin, the historical patron saint anchoring Canton Glarus’s identity and coat of arms. By reframing his legacy, the showcase explores contemporary themes of migration, name identity, and Glarus's deep-rooted connection to Bad Säckingen.

Open daily from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM with free admission, the exhibition features an international lineup of artists. Highlights include multimedia art installations by Mirko Slongo, sculptures by Jacky Orler and Tina Hauser (New Glarus), and documentary photography from Sasi Subramaniam and Karl Braun. Accompanying the physical art is the TSO film "Auf den Spuren Fridolins," blending regional history with modern storytelling to deliver a timely news feature on how ancient traditions shape modern Swiss culture.

On November 14, the whole of Chur will transform into a unique large cultural festival. On Long Saturday, the Churer cultural houses will present over 100 short programs and a total of more than 250 individual events from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Fifteen hours of concerts, comedy, dance, readings, exhibitions, theater, knowledge, tours, history, talks, workshops, performances, parties and more with just one ticket!

The Comptoir du Jura is officially returning to Delémont, Switzerland, celebrating a milestone 60th edition from October 16 to 25, 2026. Formerly known as the Foire du Jura, this iconic regional autumn fair serves as the economic and cultural showcase of the Jura region, drawing tens of thousands of visitors annually.

Due to local venue renovations, this year's landmark event moves outside the Halle des Expositions into an impressive custom setup of giant tents. The bustling trade show will host around 180 dynamic exhibitors alongside nearly a dozen diverse dining spaces—highlighted by the massive, 700-seat Espace Gourmand celebrating local culinary traditions. This edition's official Guest of Honor is Racines Communes, an ambitious regional project highlighting local community identity and development.

Beyond commerce, the fair acts as a lively social hub featuring an energetic Espace-Live concert stage with nightly entertainment running late into the evening. Public transit is heavily encouraged for attendees, as the temporary festival grounds sit immediately adjacent to the Delémont CFF train station. Single-entry adult admission is priced at 9 CHF, with discounted rates available for families, students, and seniors.

The Lozärner Määs 2026 is officially underway in Lucerne, transforming the lakeside into a vibrant autumn celebration from October 3 to October 18. Spanning across Bahnhofplatz, Europaplatz, and Inselipark, the iconic 16-day fair expects to draw over 400,000 visitors.

This year’s Luna-Park features more than 50 showmen and over 20 thrilling rides, including the high-action "Der Burner," the 40-meter-high "SUGAR Rush," and a wheelchair-accessible Ferris wheel. For shoppers, the picturesque Warenmesse in Inselipark hosts around 100 wooden chalets offering artisanal crafts, clothing, and seasonal goods. Food lovers can indulge in traditional roasted chestnuts and gingerbread at the water-facing Määs-Terrasse.

A major highlight for families is the half-price rides day scheduled for Thursday, October 15 (until 19:00). The market chalets open daily at 10:00, while the amusement rides run late into the evening, offering spectacular autumn views of Lake Lucerne.

Lucerne Festival is one of the leading international festivals in the world of classical music. Lucerne Festival was founded in 1938; since 2026, Sebastian Nordmann is its Executive and Artistic Director.

The central festival takes place in summer from mid-August to mid-September and offers a widely varied range of approximately 100 concerts and related events. Each Summer Festival features a guiding theme that runs dramaturgically through the programming. The Festival presents a diverse array of formats, including symphony concerts, chamber music, recitals, debuts, late night events, and much more. Lucerne Festival Summer is flanked by short festivals in spring and autumn: a spring residency featuring the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Lucerne Festival Pulse in Mai, with Víkingur Ólafsson, and Lucerne Festival Forward, which takes place in November and is focused on contemporary music.

Canton Nidwalden celebrates its centuries-old seasonal traditions this October with the Alpabzug (alpine cattle descent) and the Älplerchilbi (alpine fair). Following four months of high-altitude grazing, families guide decorated herds adorned with massive bells and floral headdresses down to valley barns. This return transitions into the Älplerchilbi harvest thanksgiving fair, featuring traditional church services, yodeling, and the public recitation of the Älperspriich in town squares. During these satirical performances, costumed locals deliver rhymed poetry poking fun at regional public figures and village gossip. Festivities begin in Stans and Hergiswil on 18–19 October, continuing through late October and early November in Buochs, Wolfenschiessen, and Beckenried.

The Älplerchilbi is a centuries-old alpine festival, where the farmers come together after a rich alpine summer to thank God for the gifts they receive and then enjoy themselves with food, music and dancing. Typical for the Älplerchilbi are the two savages, Hude and Läsi, who are called Christä and Triini in Lungern. They recall ancient times, when the remains of the pagan indigenous population still lived in the mountains, just savages. They helped the newly immigrated farmers on the Alps and were invited to thank the Chilbi for this.

The Schaffhausen Autumn Fair offers tradition and innovation, entertainment and inspiration. Around 130 exhibitors provide a diverse range of offerings and a unique fair atmosphere. As a colorful public attraction in the autumn, it invites families and visitors to discover new things, get informed and enjoy sociable days in Schaffhausen. The public exhibition for Schaffhausen is open from October 21 to 25, 2026, Schaffhausen will once again become the hub for inspiration, innovation, and genuine encounters. Exhibitors will present new ideas, proven craftsmanship, and exquisite moments of enjoyment—set against an atmosphere that makes autumn palpable. Be there and experience the Schaffhausen Autumn Fair up close.

The Muotitaler Alpchäsmärcht celebrates its 30th anniversary on the 24th and 25th October

Live concert of the Genderbüebu: The stars of the Swiss folk music scene travel from Valais to make our marquee shake. Singing, dancing and celebrating are guaranteed. Including Zabig-Plättli: The ticket price includes a fine Zabig-Plättli with local specialties, which is served directly at your seat.

In addition to the alpine cheese, goat and sheep cheese as well as other cheese specialties are also offered for tasting but also for purchase.

A big raffle with instant prizes worth over CHF 20,000 is also waiting for the guests! Several festival farms and barbecue stands ensure the physical well-being. Early risers can enjoy the culinary side of the Muotathal on Sunday morning with a brunch.

September marks the start of fall—and with it, the perfect time for hiking! The 11th Solothurn Forest Hike invites you to experience the Solothurn Jura in an interactive way. The additional loops in Grenchen and at the Bettlachstock World Natural Heritage Site are especially exciting for explorers of all ages: impressive trees, a mysterious old arch wall, and large anthills are waiting to be discovered. QR codes lead to videos, animations, games, and puzzles.

The 66th Foire du Valais is taking place from October 2 to 11, 2026, at Martigny Expo, with cinema as its central theme. This year's event will feature a large exhibition dedicated to Bollywood, a short film competition, and over 400 exhibitors. It also marks the first edition under the new director, Carole Moos. The theme this year is Cinema, featuring a 900 m² exhibition on Bollywood, including sets, costumes, and a village with Indian music and dance. Organized in partnership with various film associations, with short films created during the fair and screened on October 10. Over 400 exhibitors from various sectors, including more than 40 restaurants and food stands. This is the first edition directed by Carole Moos.

In the Canton of Vaud, traditional autumn events revolve heavily around grape harvests, alpine traditions, regional public fairs (comptoirs), and specialized local culinary markets. While Vaud does not have a single massive amusement funfair, it hosts several highly popular, distinctively regional autumn gatherings throughout October and November.

The Zug Trade Fair is the largest autumn exhibition in Central Switzerland with many exciting special exhibitions, varied exhibitors, an entertaining program and a diverse gastronomy. The Zug fair will take place in 2026 for the 53rd time.

Every year, in autumn, the unique Züri Wiesn opens its doors for a few weeks and serves up Bavarian delicacies garnished with fun and cheerful music.

The 20th Züri-Wiesn Oktoberfest is currently underway at Zurich Central Station, running until October 17, 2026. This year's anniversary festival features a two-story beer tent, a daily beer garden, and special events like "La Notte Italiana." Visitors can enjoy live music, a craft beer bar, and a shooting gallery, with the venue offering full wheelchair accessibility and vegetarian dining options.

The beer tent is open Tuesday through Saturday from 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM, while the beer garden welcomes guests daily from 11:00 AM to 11:30 PM.