Music in your heart, experiencing community.
festive program
The Swiss Folk Music Festival thrives on diversity. You can expect official festivities, cozy get-togethers, musical performances in local bars, and concerts featuring traditional and new folk music.
Highlights include the "Folk Music Gala Evening," the grand parade on Sunday, and various markets that reflect the customs and unique character of the region and the market town of Altstätten. There is something to hear, discover, and experience everywhere.
Thursday, September 9, 2027
Friday, September 10, 2027
Saturday, September 11, 2027
Sunday, September 12, 2027
Discover, marvel, taste
The Swiss Folk Music Festival in Altstätten combines living traditions with a traditional market atmosphere. Three markets enrich the festival weekend.
At the popular Buuremaart, you will find fresh, regional products directly from the farm. The Regio Market offers a variety of specialties and delicacies from the Rhine Valley and the surrounding area. The folk culture market is a special experience. Exhibitors from all over Switzerland showcase their skills and traditional crafts. You can watch, ask questions, and marvel.
With this diverse market offering, the 2027 Folk Music Festival will be a unique experience for all the senses – a celebration of tradition, enjoyment, and conviviality!
Eating, drinking, sitting together
The folk music festival has a lot to offer in terms of cuisine. Various small festival bars are set up in the alleys and streets of the beautiful old town. The main tents are located on the Breite and Kleinviehhalle sites. Street food stands complement the offerings.
The organizing committee works closely with the town's restaurants. Of course, you can also make a reservation at one of the many restaurants in Altstätten. Please contact the establishments directly to do so.
A highlight to marvel at
A special highlight awaits you on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. The grand parade winds its way through the picturesque old town of Altstätten. Folk musicians perform for the audience one last time with great passion and enthusiasm. On foot or on lovingly designed floats, accompanied by creative themes. Folklore groups, music ensembles, colorful traditional costumes, local clubs, and children as charming number carriers ensure moving moments and beaming faces.
Be there and help celebrate
Admission to the Swiss Folk Music Festival is generally free of charge. You will need a valid ticket to enter the performance venues. A day pass is required for the parade on Sunday. Children and young people under the age of 16 are admitted free of charge to the venues and the parade.
By purchasing an official ticket, you are supporting the festival and helping to make this major event possible. Details on ticketing will follow in due course.
Relaxed and safe at the festival
We recommend traveling by public transport. Services will be increased during the festival, including at night. Altstätten is easily accessible by SBB, Appenzeller Bahn, and bus. From Altstätten SBB station, you can reach the festival village in around 10 minutes on foot. There is also a shuttle bus service between Altstätten SBB station, the festival village, and the Allmend on the outskirts of town.
An insider tip is to take the Appenzeller Bahn railway through the Appenzellerland and Gais directly to the festival village.
The central, monitored parking facility for participants, visitors, and volunteers is located at Allmend
on Oberrieterstrasse 44 on the outskirts of Altstätten. Parking costs CHF 10.00 per car, including shuttle bus service. Allmend is accessible throughout the weekend until late at night via the free shuttle bus and night buses. There are no parking spaces in the center of Altstätten. The large parking lot serves as a logistics area and is closed during the festival weekend.
Parking spaces for bicycles and e-bikes are available in school grounds and public facilities around the old town.
Arrive and stay
To ensure you can relax and enjoy the festival, there are various accommodation options available. Simple, practical, and comfortable options are available for guests and participants alike.
An extensive public transport network will ensure that even more distant accommodations are optimally connected to the festival. The nearby regions of Vorarlberg in Austria and Liechtenstein can be reached by regular public transport.
Details of all accommodation options with booking facilities will be published here in a few months.
A spacious campsite with showers and toilet facilities is being built on the common land on the outskirts of the village. The site is aimed at guests with cars and tents, cars with caravans, campervans, and motorhomes.
Simple and inexpensive sleeping accommodations are available in civil defense facilities and gymnasiums in the immediate vicinity of Old Town. The festival grounds are within walking distance.
Capacity is limited in Altstätten itself. Most accommodation is required by the organizing committee for various guest groups. Further options are available in the following regions:
