The Fête des Vignerons is a traditional winegrowers' festival held in Vevey, Switzerland. Organized by the Confrérie des Vignerons, it is held once in a generation, roughly every 20 to 25 years, since 1797. This highly anticipated event celebrates the longstanding tradition of wine production in the region. In 2016, it became the first Swiss tradition to be included in the UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The 2019 Fête des Vignerons, the 12th edition since its inception, was a massive cultural event that took place in July and August 2019. The 2019 show was held in a massive arena, designed to seat approximately 20,000 spectators, specially constructed for the occasion in Vevey’s Market Square. Its metallic structure had a weight of 700 tons. From a technical standpoint, the venue was equipped with state-of-the-art audiovisual technology. It featured 400 speakers, 2,000 projectors and four giant screens, each measuring 50 square meters.
arena in Vevey’s Market Square
arena
arena
The show featured approximately 6,000 performers, including dancers, singers, and actors from the local community. The storyline was based on the activities of winegrowers throughout the seasons, seen through the eyes and imagination of the girl "petite Julie". A massive, almost 900 square meter large LED screen, spanning the length of the arena floor, provided spectacular visual effects, transforming the space into a dynamic, living landscape that shifted with each scene.
2019 show
2019 show
The traditional song Ranz des Vaches was performed by eleven armaillis, traditional cow-herdsmen.
Ranz des Vaches
Ranz des Vaches
The scale and grandeur of the production made it one of the most significant cultural events in Switzerland for that year.
