Swiss National Day in Arosa

Switzerland celebrates its national day on 1 August, and in Arosa the occasion takes on a mountain character all its own. The 2026 celebration falls on 1 August, a single day of tradition, music and family activities set high among the peaks. The resort's official programme for the day is still to be confirmed, but the shape of the celebration is a familiar and welcoming one.

The event

The day centres on the Ochsenbühl area, which draws locals and visitors together for a relaxed, family-friendly national holiday. Expect live music, activities for children and a festive atmosphere that builds through the afternoon and into the evening. In past years the programme has included a lantern parade, known as the Lampionumzug, family entertainment, and on some editions a drone show lighting up the alpine sky. It is an easygoing, communal kind of celebration rather than a formal one, and the mountain setting gives it a sense of space you rarely find in a town square.

The heart of the day comes at dusk. As the sun sets, traditional mountain bonfires, the Höhenfeuer, are lit on the slopes around Arosa, a custom that marks the first of August across Switzerland and feels especially striking against the surrounding peaks. Together the bonfires, the lantern parade and the live music make for a genuine alpine version of the national day, one that ties nature, culture and community into a single evening. The full 2026 programme is expected closer to the date, so it is worth checking the resort's official listings nearer the time for exact timings and any additions.

Practical information

When: 1 August 2026, a single day, with the bonfires and lantern parade at dusk.
Where: celebrations centred on the Ochsenbühl area, with bonfires on the slopes around Arosa.
Entry: the public celebrations are free to attend; any ticketed elements will appear in the official programme once it is announced.
Getting there: the event area is a short walk or a local bus ride from the centre of Arosa, only moments from the hotel.

Plan your stay

Altein, a Faern Collection Resort, sits in the centre of Arosa, moments from the village and the event area, an easy base for the first of August. Spend the day in the mountains, join the celebrations at Ochsenbühl in the evening, then watch the bonfires glow on the surrounding slopes. Back at the hotel, unwind in the wellness area, roughly 950 m2 with an indoor and outdoor pool, and mark the day over a special 1 August menu in the restaurants and bars. Families have room to relax too, with a games room and a cinema room on site. Come and celebrate Swiss National Day with us in Arosa.