Out & About: Alpine Summer Culture

Things to do between shopping bags

Art Basel
(June 18–21, Basel)

290 galleries, 4,000 artists, five continents, one week. The world’s art market descends on Basel and pretends money isn’t the point. Wear something black. Nod slowly at things. You’ll fit right in.

Montreux Jazz Festival
(June 18–21, Basel)

Not just jazz since roughly 1972. Two weeks of everything from soul to electronic to whatever genre they invent that weekend. The lake, the mountains, the music — insufferably perfect. Go anyway.

LongLake Festival
(July 9–26, Lugano)

Free open-air music, theatre, and buskers along the lake for nearly three weeks. Lugano’s answer to “what do we do all summer?” Bring a blanket, a spritz, and zero plans.

Verbier Festival
(July 16–Aug 2, Verbier)

Classical music in the Alps. World-class orchestras performing at 1,500 metres. The audience is 40% music lovers, 60% people who own chalets. The acoustics don’t care either way.