• Space of Mine
  • AIWC American Women’s Club of Geneva
  • Cirieco Design

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To get this new Lausanne guided tours business to grow, we are very enthusiastically posting this article. Ilona Horvath tells us more about the business and is even offering a pair of tickets for one lucky reader.

What has been the inspiration?
I started Sincerely Switzerland because I love Lausanne. It is a historically rich town with fascinating inhabitants, today as 500 years ago. I wish to share this love with visitors so they find out how awesome this town really is.

Have you been working on this idea forever?
The idea of creating these tours came out of necessity. For four years, I did guided tours of the History Museum of Lausanne, garnering experience and information about it. My contract was not renewed but I had all this information and this love for Lausanne. Soon I realised that I had always talked about "in this place you can see this" and "in this place you can see that". Now I get to show those places, with some of the images found in the museum.

What is the biggest obstacle you have had to overcome?
As I am starting my own business, the biggest obstacle is networking and recommendation. I am working on creating a network of people in various positions able to recommend or book my tours.

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This winter leisure space welcomes the public on Quai Gustave-Ador between 17 January and 31 March 2024. Sports and wellness activities as well as musical entertainment are offered during the winter.

At La Banquise, three distinct areas are proposed: sports, wellness, and refreshment with a view of Lake Geneva to take your breath away!

The sports zone to discover Nordic sports

You can try axe-throwing for free in 5 to 10 minute sessions, depending on the number of people and the waiting time, practice mattcurling, or discover the Finnish bowling game mölkky.

A wellness area with saunas

  • two wood-fired saunas
  • a relaxing area in a yurt
  • showers fed by lake water
  • changing rooms with lockers

carnavalevolene

All photos courtesy of Catherine Nelson-Pollard

Carnaval is a tradition in most of Switzerland's cantons. Below are noteworthy Vaud, Valais, Fribourg or other Swiss hotspots with elaborate parades. Most will be wearing masks and have rituals familiar with each area. Of course there are the usual festive findings including food, drink, local specialties and crafts, Guggenmusik (costumed brass bands). Oh, and lots and lots of confetti!

In general, Carnaval covers the period between Epiphany early January and Shrove Tuesday (between 3 February and 9 March). Normally, the first day is known as Jeudi Gras (“Fat Thursday”) and the last day as Mardi Gras (“Fat Tuesday”), however many have more than one Mardi Gras!

Confetti stamps

A party atmosphere on your envelopes! These colourful special stamps lend themselves to creative stamping, putting a smile on the face of the person they’re addressed to even before they open their mail. Made in honor of Switzerland Carnaval season. With the new post office tarifs (CHF 1.20 instead of CHF 1.10) you might need to supplement exisiting older stamps when sending out your next letters!

confetti

We have listed a few cities with their CARNAVAL dates in order of start date here:

EVOLINE, VS
2-3, 9-11, 13 February 2024
Click here for more information
This is a quaint town with many traditions. Lots of events taking place as well as a meal consisting of spit-roasted boar (sanglier) on the Sunday. 

BULLE, FR
2-4 February 2024
Click here for more information
The Bulle Carnival is a local tradition that involves a large number of children every year.
For more than 100 years, the town of Bulle vibrates during Carnival. To the sound of the Guggens, many animations are organised inside and out. To entertain young and old, dressed up or not.
Dressed in their finest costumes, up to 800 children take part in the grand parade on Saturday. This colourful and festive moment ends with the burning of the Winter Man. The real highlight of the festival, which traditionally marks the end of winter.
On Sunday afternoon there is a free magic show for all the family at the Town Hall. Proof that children are at the heart of the Bulle Carnival.

ESTAVAYER, FR
2-4 February 2024
Click here for more information
Every year, announcing the Carnival of Estavayer, the traditional Hanging of the Perch starts with a procession that leaves the Place du Midi and, to the sound of the local guggenmusik, La Staviacouac, leads the giant papier-mâché fish in front of the tower of the Dominican Sisters, where a bar opens for this day as well as for the carnival (Le Socabar). There, tea and mulled wine are offered to the population. Afterwards, a party with DJ's extends the event, in a carnival atmosphere, until late at night.

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As German is the most spoken language in Switzerland and all children attending schools in the Swiss Education System are taught it, it makes perfect sense for German-speaking films to have their own festival. FILMFEST returns to the Casino de Montbenon in Lausanne for its 6th edition from 29-31 January 2024. Comprising a school program in the canton of Vaud and a program for the public, this year's festival expands its line-up to include seven films, six of which will be premièred in Romandie, in the presence of distinguished guests, filmmakers, and producers.

Initially aimed at age 15-19 students, this year FILMFEST is expanding its scope to include films to include the 12-15 age group as well. More than 4,000 students are expected from Yverdon-les-Bains to Vevey, via Lausanne, to discover the German language in a new light.

Of course, adults and the general public are more than welcome and a special program (see bottom of article) has been established. Check out our competition to win a ticket!

We caught up with Eric Flury, the president of FILMFEST, the German Film Festival held in Lausanne.

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Read below to enter a competition for the 11h performance on the 27th January 2024

GAOS' director of the current musical pantomime, Pinocchio, Liz Williams, played her first role for GAOS as the Blue Haired Fairy in Pinocchio in 1985. She suggested to the Committee last year that it was about time to roll out another version. 39 years later, Liz remains a Good Fairy for GAOS, elevating the best of them all, Cast and Crew, to a splendid spectacle.

For 40 years, one of Liz’s partner in crime, John Fox, has been designing and painting sets for GAOS. This is his second attempt at the pantomime Pinocchio, the last one being also in 1985. Adopting an entirely different approach, he hopes that previous errors have been corrected. If not, third time lucky?

Other members of the 1985 Production are having fun with this new one: Sue Bergomi, singer in 1985, is now responsible for making Pinocchio's nose. Cheryl Ball, spotted in children's ballet in 1985, is now in charge of... children's ballet!

The story of Pinocchio

Geppetto, an old toy maker, longs for a son of his own. With a little help from the Blue Fairy and a cheeky little cricket, his wish comes true and his puppet, Pinocchio, comes to life!

The magical puppet catches the eye of the evil showman Stromboli who will stop at nothing to get his hands on the enchanted toy. With the help of Mamma Mia and her hapless son Lampwick from the local pizzeria, will Pinocchio learn in time what it takes to be a 'real boy’?

Come and find out with Pinocchio, a traditional English Pantomime, with no strings attached!
On stage 16 children and 20 adults. Behind the scenes, around a hundred people are also working to make this show a success.

In a Panto, one of the most important aspects is the interaction between the actors and the audience. Join in the fun!

Boo and hiss the villain, cheer the hero, sing along, shout out phrases and much more!