3.5
It would be remiss of us not to mention Switzerland’s blistering summer of 2026. The national average temperature in June was 3.5°C above the average for the last 30 years. It exceeded the norm by 3.2°C in July. The heatwave continued in August. Many towns and cities recorded their highest temperatures since records began in 1864. The summer months also saw significantly less rainfall than normal. Source: Meteo Swiss
600
The hot, dry weather increased the risk of fires, which is why fireworks on 1 August were banned almost everywhere this year. Bonfires were also prohibited. Could a longstanding tradition be in danger? Maybe, but our ancestors managed to get through 600 years without celebrating: there was no Swiss National Day at all until 1891. Source: Historical Dictionary of Switzerland
71
Do you ever sit down for a coffee – or evena beer – with any of your neighbours? Most Swiss (71 percent) never or only very rarely do. A growing reluctance to venture out of our bubble also means that there has beena notable drop in volunteering. Only 26 percent now say that they formally volunteer. This is down from 35 percent in 2020. Source: “NZZ am Sonntag”
830,000
Pulling up the proverbial drawbridge is one thing, communal experiences are another. On 12 July, tens of thousands of people around the country went to live screenings of the Switzerland-Argentina FIFA World Cup quarter-final match – braving the 3 a.m. kick-off. A totalof 830,000 people watched the game live. Source: SRF Media Portal
900,000
There were packed crowds in the centre of Zurich on 9 August, when 900,000 colourful revellers turned the city into a huge dance floor at the world’s biggest techno party, the Street Parade. Due to the sweltering heat, ravers were also keen on keeping cool under the misting systems and shower installations situated along the parade route. Source: www.srf.ch
The best moments of the 2026 Zurich Street Parade
FIGURES COMPILED BY MARC LETTAU
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