Sechselauten

Sechseläuten is a traditional spring festival held every April in Zurich, Switzerland, where historic guild parades and the spectacular burning of the giant snowman effigy “Böögg” mark the arrival of spring and are said to predict the coming summer’s weather.

Each April, Zurich is filled with the vibrant traditions and excitement of Sechseläuten. The highlights are the grand parade of the city’s centuries-old guilds and the dramatic fire festival featuring the towering Böögg on the lakeshore. Locals and visitors gather to enjoy the sound of bells, the shimmer of medieval costumes, and the collective cheer as the Böögg explodes. It’s a dynamic, heart-stirring celebration unique to Zurich, welcoming spring and forecasting the summer ahead.

The aroma of grilled sausages, the sound of marching bands on cobblestones, the gleam of velvet and gold costumes in the sunlight, and the collective gasp as the Böögg’s head bursts into sparks—Sechseläuten is a festival that delights all the senses and unites the city in celebration.

The Grand Guild Parade

The Burning of the Böögg (Snowman Explosion)

The origins of Sechseläuten date back to 16th-century Zurich. In those days, short winter days meant that craftsmen and guild members finished work when the “five o’clock bell” rang. With the arrival of the spring equinox and longer daylight, the end-of-work bell was moved to six o’clock—hence the name “Sechseläuten” (“the six o’clock ringing”). This became a guild-organized celebration of spring’s arrival, complete with parades and feasts.

In the 19th century, children’s custom of building and burning snowmen as a symbol of winter evolved into the festival’s centerpiece: the burning of the giant Böögg. The Böögg’s head is packed with fireworks, and the speed of its explosion is believed to predict the summer’s weather—a quirky tradition that began around this time.

Sechseläuten continues today as a symbol of Zurich’s guild history, civic pride, and community spirit. The parade and the burning of the Böögg mark a cherished moment of renewal and new beginnings for the city, with generations of locals participating in this time-honored event.

Now, people from all over Switzerland and abroad come to experience Zurich’s biggest spring event, which heralds the season and brings the city together in celebration.

“Watching the Böögg burn for the first time was truly thrilling. Everyone held their breath, and when the head exploded, the whole crowd erupted in cheers. It really felt like the start of a new season.”

• The Böögg is over three meters tall and its head is packed with a large amount of fireworks.
• The fastest recorded explosion of the Böögg’s head is just over five minutes; the slowest took more than 40 minutes.
• There is a unique tradition of predicting the summer’s weather based on how quickly the snowman explodes.
• The festival’s name comes from the “six o’clock bell” that marked the end of the working day in spring and summer.

Sechseläuten is held every April at various locations throughout Zurich. Join the parade, savor the food, and witness the Böögg’s explosion for yourself—experience Zurich’s spectacular welcome to spring.