Sechseläuten; Zurich celebrates the end of winter, Switzerland

A film of the Sechseläuten Festival in Zurich on the 3rd Monday in April, enjoyed by large crowds under blue skies. Since the early years of the 20th century, the Swiss city of Zurich has combined two medieval traditions: the burning of the effigy of a snowman or Bööggy (‘Bogey man’ in English) and the “six o’clock bell” parade. Combining the two made sense, for both signified the end of winter: the snowman wearing a crown is burned in the square, following the parade of the guilds to celebrate the six o’clock bell that marked the end of the working day at a time of year when, for the first time, there was still daylight to enjoy at leisure.
With a soundtrack of their music, the film shows the parade of marching bands in colourful costumes, and groups of citizens in traditional dress and carrying flowers, some walking, some on horseback or in carriages, all representing the medieval guilds. Surprisingly, a group of three camels suddenly appears in the parade, but what they represent is not explained, though the next band along is wearing fezzes and some floats have a Middle Eastern theme. Anyway, the camels are likely to appear on Swiss TV, for a camera crew covers the whole parade. Adding to the festival feeling is the enormous colourful collection of balloons for sale.
In Sechelsläuten Square people watch and film the lighting of the fire, and the soundtrack picks up their excited chatter. Summer is here again and winter is banished!

• #travel_events
• #sechseluten
• #zrich
• #tradition
• #swiss
• #switzerland_country