Vevey: The Festival That Comes Once a Generation

About once a generation, Vevey crowns the best vineyard workers in an arena on its market square: twelve editions of the Fête des Vignerons since 1797, the last from 18 July to 11 August 2019, and no next date announced. Between festivals it lives in the Confrérie des Vignerons' free museum in the Château de Vevey, with costumes from 1797 to 2019 and models of its arenas. A few minutes west is the Place du Marché, where 20,000 sat in 2019. Open Tuesday to Sunday, all year.

What to do there

3 things to do

1. 1 Stand Among Costumes From 1797 to 2019 History · Free

   The Confrérie des Vignerons' free museum, first floor of the Château de Vevey.

   The Confrérie des Vignerons never gathered winegrowers, only owners of vines, and its experts still judge their workers' vines three times a year. The Fête is where the best are crowned.

   Where: Rue du Château 2, first floor of the Château de Vevey, about 800 m on foot from the station.

   What: the costumes from 1797 to 2019, the arena models from 1927 to 2019, the Council's meeting room and film of 20th-century festivals.

   How: free, no booking; allow about 45 minutes.

   Log Memory
2. 2 Stand Where 20,000 Sat in 2019 History · Free

   Vevey's Place du Marché, where the Fête's arena goes up.

   In 1797 the Confrérie built a stand on this square so about 2,000 people could watch it crown the best vine workers: the first Fête des Vignerons. In 2019 the arena here held 20,000 seats, and for the first time a gold medal went to a woman.

   Where: the Place du Marché (Grande-Place), a few minutes' walk west of the museum.

   What: stand in the open square and picture the stands rising around you.

   How: free, any time. For your photo memory, photograph the square where the arena stood.

   Log Memory
3. 3 See Lavaux's Terraces From the Train des Vignes Adventure · Price: low · Optional

   Optional: seven minutes up into the UNESCO terraces, and back.

   Lavaux's terraces, on UNESCO's World Heritage List since 2007, hold 450 km of heritage walls and more than 10,000 terraces.

   Where: Vevey station.

   What: the Train des Vignes, RER Vaud line R7, climbs to Chexbres-Village in 7 minutes, skipping the lakeside villages.

   How: an ordinary ticket; photograph the terraces from the window, and ride back. Back in Vevey, the hourly R4 runs west along the lake to St-Saphorin and Rivaz, the trail's next stop.

   Log Memory

Insider tips

• There is no festival date to plan around: the Confrérie's home page still ends "See you in a generation!". The "2039" you may hear comes from EPFL student concepts.

• Nothing is poured here. The Confrérie's shop sells books, a CD and a portfolio, such as its history "Du Labeur aux Honneurs" (CHF 40).

• Between festivals, the public moment is the Triennale, every three years since 1805. In June 2025 gold was kept for the Fête, so only silver and bronze went out.

• The rooms are up a floor in a 16th-century building, with no published step-free access; groups can book a guided tour on +41 21 923 87 05.