Festi'neuch 2026
Neuchâtel's lakeside open air: four days of music at the Jeunes-Rives, mixing discoveries and big names.
Location : Neuchâtel (Neuchâtel) · Usual period : mid-June
The festival
Festi'neuch is a multi-day open-air music festival held in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, on the site of Jeunes-Rives. The festival takes place over four days in June, with the site opening on Thursday at 17:00 and closing on Sunday at 23:30. The program features a wide range of artists, including well-known French and international acts such as Adèle Castillon, Ben Mazué, Feu! Chatterton, Gaël Faye, Imany, Jean-Louis Aubert, Kneecap, Lorie, Odezenne, Sébastien Tellier, The Hives, Vald, Vanessa Paradis, and Yelle, alongside a large number of emerging and local performers. The lineup spans various genres, from pop and rock to electronic and hip-hop, with many acts scheduled across the four days.
The festival is set in an urban park area, with the entrance located near the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire. The site includes multiple stages, with one named the Cargo stage. Beyond the music, the festival offers a range of amenities and activities. There are over 30 food stands, several water fountains, and a dedicated space for babies called the 'Bébébar', run by the Red Cross, where parents can change and feed their infants. The festival also has an on-site infirmary staffed by medical professionals. A boutique sells festival merchandise, artist merchandise, and noise-cancelling headphones for children. The festival emphasizes accessibility, with facilities for people with disabilities, including a dedicated space, reserved parking, and Eurokey WC access. The festival operates on a cashless system, with payments made by bank card, TWINT, or a festival-provided card that can be loaded with cash at a designated point.
Getting there, on site
Festi'neuch takes place in Neuchâtel, with the festival site open Thursday 17:00–02:00, Friday 17:00–03:00, Saturday 16:00–03:00, and Sunday 12:00–23:30. The site is accessible by public transport: bus lines 101 and 121 stop at the Université stop, 100 meters from the festival, and the train station is a 10-minute walk away. Additional buses run after concerts on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday to various parts of the canton, and trains connect to Yverdon, Renens, Lausanne, Bienne, Morat, and Fribourg. There is no official parking, but a supervised bicycle parking area is available near the entrance. A campsite is open from Thursday 14:00 to Monday 10:00, costing CHF 5 per night per person, for ticket holders over 16, with tents only (no camper vans). Night shuttles from the campsite are free. The festival is cashless; all payments are by card or TWINT, with a card-loading point near the Cargo stage. Children aged 4–12 need a ticket (CHF 3), while under-4s enter free. Reusable cups and dishes have a CHF 1 deposit. No lockers or cloakroom are available, and animals are not allowed.
