Geneva’s Fête de l’Escalade Thrives While Nightlife Venues Struggle to Recover
Geneva’s winter festival season is in full swing, but nightlife organisers face fresh challenges. While the Fête de l'Escalade draws tens of thousands with its torch-lit parades and folk races, clubs like MAD in Lausanne and La Gravière in Geneva struggle to rebuild attendance after the pandemic. New, experimental events are now testing different ways to attract crowds.
From December 12–14, 2025, Geneva will host the Fête de l'Escalade, its biggest annual festival. The event features historical processions, Switzerland’s largest folk race (the Course de l'Escalade), and evening parades lit by torches. Cannon fire, family costume runs, and the traditional chocolate marmite dessert celebration round out the programme. Entry costs 35 francs, but the festival’s popularity remains strong despite economic pressures.
Meanwhile, nightlife venues are adapting to changing tastes. At Lausanne’s MAD club, an exclusive flamenco evening will transition into an electro-fusion set, blending live music with electronic beats. Yet managing director Igor Blaska admits the club takes financial risks 'amounting to tens of thousands of francs' each night. Since the pandemic, MAD has struggled to match pre-crisis attendance, reflecting a broader trend across the region.
In Epalinges (VD), a dance event hosted by Ayuma offers a different approach. Starting at 5 PM in a yoga studio—not a nightclub—the session focuses on movement and sensation without alcohol. Participants receive a dose of pure cacao to encourage relaxation, aligning with the organiser’s goal to 'switch off the mind' and reconnect with the body. The concept, however, remains financially fragile.
Geneva’s Palexpo is also betting big on a circus-style party, investing 2.5 million Swiss francs across five events over three weeks. Yet La Gravière, another Geneva venue, reports unpredictable attendance, making it harder to secure a loyal audience. The shift suggests that even well-funded projects must now cater to a more selective crowd.
The Fête de l'Escalade continues to thrive as a cultural staple, but clubs and experimental events face an uncertain future. With attendance fluctuating and costs rising, organisers are rethinking how to engage audiences. The coming months will show whether these new approaches can rebuild the nightlife scene’s stability.
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