The Fête des Vignerons began in 1797 and has developed from an annual street parade into a globally-recognised extravaganza.
ADVERTISEMENTThe opening ceremony of the Fête des Vignerons in Switzerland saw more than 7,000 locals participate on Thursday.
The festival is a tribute to wine producers in the Lavaux and Chablais regions and takes place just once every generation. This edition has been planned for ten years and is costing approximately €91 million to stage.
Actors, singers and musicians have been practising for the three-week-long event for a year and expect more than one million spectators to attend the festival. One of its main features is an open-air arena that seats 20,000 people in the town's picturesque market square.
The Fête des Vignerons began in 1797 and has developed from an annual street parade into a globally recognised extravaganza. The festival is the first Swiss tradition to have gained UNESCO World Heritage Status.