Seaside Festival 2026
Two days of concerts in the bay of Spiez — one of Switzerland's most beautiful stages, between Lake Thun and the mountains.
Location : Spiez (Bern) · Usual period : late August
The festival
The Seaside Festival takes place in Spiez, in the canton of Bern, in the bay of Spiez. It is a multi-generational event that places a strong emphasis on conviviality and culinary offerings, including local Spiez wine. The festival has been working on improving its sustainability since its first edition in 2017, with measures covering waste separation, reusable cup systems, renewable energy, and the use of electric vehicles on site. The entire energy demand is covered by the power grid, sourced from renewable energy, mainly Swiss hydropower, eliminating the need for diesel generators.
The festival site includes several stages, such as the main stage and the Session stage, as well as a Seaside Village. There is a children's tribune near the main stage for kids up to 140 cm tall, with a wheelchair tribune nearby reserved for people with disabilities and their companions. The site also offers lockers for valuables, an infopoint, and a medical tent that can be used as a quiet space for breastfeeding or pumping milk. Free earplugs are available at the main entrance, bars, and infopoint. The festival is cashless, and drinks are served in reusable cups with a deposit of CHF 2.00. A food map helps visitors find the various stands, which offer options for different diets, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and lactose-free.
Children born in 2016 or later get free access when accompanied by an adult, and children born between 2012 and 2015 receive a 50% discount on the regular ticket price. The festival enforces age controls for alcohol: no alcohol for those under 16, and no spirits or mixed drinks for those under 18. Crowdsurfing is not allowed, and drones are strictly prohibited over the site. The festival also provides a hotline for emergencies during the event.
Getting there, on site
The festival recommends arriving by public transport, with the train, bus, or boat. The walk from Spiez railway station to the festival site takes about 15 minutes, and from the Spiez boat landing it takes about 10 minutes. Bicycle parking is available. After the last main stage concert on both festival days, an extra train runs from Spiez via Thun and Münsingen to Bern, and a night boat also operates from Spiez to various destinations up to Thun.
There is no camping on the festival grounds in the bay of Spiez, but information on nearby campsites is provided. Tickets can be exchanged for festival wristbands at the Raiffeisenbank Thunersee-Kiesental in Spiez before the festival, or at the main entrance on the festival days. An age check is required for youth protection, so an official ID must be brought. The wristband must be fixed on the right wrist, and each person needs their own ticket; a two-day pass cannot be split between two people. The festival is entirely cashless, and the nearby Freibad Spiez offers free access with the festival wristband during the event.
