Klausjagen Festival
Every year on December 5th (the
eve of St. Nicholas' Day), in the quaint
town of Kussnacht on the shores of Lake Lucerne you can be witness to one
of the most interesting festivals in all of Switzerland.
The Klausjagen Festival (meaning
‘chasing the Klaus’) is believed to have sprung from an age-old tradition to
chase away evil spirits.
The sun sets and the street
lights go out, engulfing the crowd in complete darkness. Then, from a distance
you can hear the sound of giant cracking whips, signaling the start of the procession. The iffele lantern bearers follow, carried by
up to 150 men, casting a glow on the darkened streets. St Nicolas follows,
accompanied by four dark elves disguised as chimney sweeps, representing the
darker sides of life, accompanied by the cheer of the crowd and in hot pursuit
follows a brass band.
Then the fun really begins. Some
700 men dressed in traditional farmers shirts carry alpine cow bells, rung in a
cacophonic unison. Next comes 180 horn blowers, create enough noise to stir the
dead. The procession last around 2 hours and spectators who have overcome the
constant ringing in their ears are welcome to join in. After the procession, the restaurants re-open serving the traditional dish of meat, sauerkraut and potatoes.
If you have clients who want to experience a unique festival this holiday season, this may be just the festival you are looking for!
