Winter lasts too long in many places and Zurich is no exception. The Zürcher (Zurich’s citizens) have their own solution to this problem: winter is officially chased away with the traditional spring festival Sechseläuten (Sächsilüüte in Swiss German). 26 of Zurich's guilds (Zünfte) parade through the city centre towards Bellevue, where the festival climaxes at exactly 18:00 when a snowman-like figure called Böögg (see photo on the left, copyright Daniel Steudler) is burned. When the Böögg’s head finally explodes, the season of fog and cold feet is officially over (though there are no guarantees).
Even if considered by some Zürcher as a rather old-fashioned and snooty event, Sechseläuten is a spectacle you shouldn’t miss if you happen to be in Zurich. Thousands of participants, tens of thousands of spectators, hundreds of horses, dozens of horse-drawn wagons, bands and even a few camels on a parade in the middle of Zurich certainly make for an intriguing change to the standard rush hour. The parade is free, but some areas have seats, which require tickets.
The festival originally celebrated the first day of summer opening hours, which ended with the toll of the church bells at six o’clock. Sechseläuten literally means ‘The six o’clock ringing of the bells’. The guilds created the labour laws at the time, and although they have lost their central importance, many believe that it's still easier to do business in Zurich if you're a member.
The Sechseläuten schedule for 2019:
Saturday, April 6
Celebrations with food on Lindenhof
Sunday, April 7, 14:30
Children’s parade (Start at Bürkliplatz - Quaibrücke - Limmatquai - Rudolf-Brun-Brücke - Bahnhofstrasse - Bürkliplatz - Fraumünsterstrasse - Münsterhof)
Monday, April 8, 15:00
Parade of the Guilds (Bahnhofstrasse - Bürkliplatz
- Bahnhofstrasse - Rudolf Brun Brücke - Limmatquai - Bellevue)
18:00
Burning of Böögg on Sechseläutenplatz (Bellevue)
Afterwards
The public grills sausages on the fire
