Renu Chahil-Graf attends the Fête de Vignerons 2019 in Vevey, Switzerland, and comes away impressed, exhilarated and moved

The Fête de Vignerons (Festival for Winegrowers) in Vevey that I attended on 1st August, the Swiss National Day, brought many surprises. Although it is billed as a festival attended just once in a lifetime since the 18th century, in actual fact people flock to this village every 15 or 20 years to experience the festivities – and the wine.

At noon – vroom, vroooom – the Swiss air force was performing noisy antics in the sky, caught on camera only by skilled photographers! Swissair, the airline, in contrast executed gentle twists and turns over the lake, with an applauding audience below. The President of Switzerland, no less, addressed the gathering at the afternoon show, which was followed by another show after dark.

The day performance in the arena revealed costumes in all their detail – while the night show stunned with colour. The spectacular performances, from formal uniformed presentations, to the dance of the cards and women dancing the cancan, the visuals, music and song were a treat to watch. Both shows concluded with an impressive fashion show by Swiss cows, bedecked in their headgear and finery, gliding through the arena to the calming sounds of Swiss Alpine horns!

Clockwise from left below: 

A parade of Swiss cows bedecked in finery, Francois Margot, Abbé-President of the Confrérie des Vignerons, women dressed as birds and dancing the cancan in colourful costumes

The festival celebrates winemakers who have been carefully reviewed and selected through a formal process lasting five years. In a conversation with the Abbé-President of the Confrérie des Vignerons (organisers of the event), François Margot emphasises that by honouring winemakers, the labour of the land is celebrated. Wine, he explains, is an essential part of Swiss heritage, an all-encompassing tradition, which is expressed at the Fête through images, music, art and emotion.

Each day, a wine from a different region of Switzerland is the focus of events and tastings. On this day, the wines of Shaffhausen were being celebrated. Of the 490 acres under cultivation in this canton, three-fourths are devoted to the pinot noir grape that thrives in the cool climate and gravelly soil. The white, Le Blanc de Noir, has delicate aromas of apple and peach; the rosé with an aroma of berries and nuts is thought to pair well with Asian cuisine. Crowds mill around the lake tasting wine, exploring food stands serving grilled sausages, prizewinning Iranian food and more. Numerous processions throughout the day and evening continue the enchantment. Free music and movies top it all.

But is this a once in a lifetime event? Not quite, says 80-year-old grandfather Monsieur Jean, who has participated in the Fête since he was a child! And now his granddaughter, Salomé, proudly models her bird costume and points  out her  mother,  resplendent in a cancan outfit. As the evening draws to a close we realise that we have witnessed a unique village and family event, with all the locals participating in some capacity or the other. And despite having taken part in two performances in one day, they are cheerful and energetic, with an enthusiasm that is infectious.