Freddie Celebration Days
This September 5 would have been Freddie Mercury's 78th birthday, and the Swiss town of Montreux will come together and celebrate in style!
Freddie Celebrations Days
To celebrate the birthday of the legendary Queen frontman, Montreux throws a huge, multi-day party every year, with stages set up on Market Square, by the Freddie Mercury statue.
There will be Queen cover bands playing, each giving the classic tunes their own twist, and dance troupes performing to the rock band backing. Each day also has a Queen karaoke session, if you think you can march Freddie's four-octave range! For those who want to make a more personal connection to the late, great singer, there are boat tours with Peter Freestone, who was Freddie's personal assistant for 12 years.
On his actual birthday, Thursday, September 5, at 6pm, the whole town gathers to cut a huge birthday cake and toast the legacy of one of the ultimate rock stars.
On Saturday evening, at 6pm, there is a big parade on the waterfront where everyone is encouraged to come dressed as either the man himself, or in an outfit that is Freddie-inspired. Afterwards, a glitzy party is hosted by the Mercury Phoenix Trust in the Montreux Casino. This usually sells out very early, so for those who miss out, there are the alternatives of a silent disco at the covered market or the Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra playing a mix of classical pieces and Queen numbers at the Salle Omnisports du Pierrier, Clarens.
Freddie Mercury and Montreux
You might be wondering: why does a British rock star have such a big party in his honour every year in Switzerland? Queen first visited the Swiss Riveria in 1978, to record the album Jazz in the Mountain Studios, located inside the famous Montreux Casino. They enjoyed the experience of writing and recording in the peaceful town so much that they bought the studios the following year, and continued to visit regularly.
Jazz was followed by Hot Space in 1982, A Kind of Magic in 1986, The Miracle in 1989, and Innuendo in 1991, all of which were recorded in Montreux. From 1987, Freddie decided to split his life between his London residence and the Swiss town nestled by Lake Geneva.
As he grew increasingly ill from the effects of the AIDS he was living with, he spent more and more time in the peace and quiet of Montreux and spent much of his time trying to record as much as possible for the album he always knew would be completed after his death. Made in Heaven was released in 1995, having been produced and mixed together by the rest of Queen from vocals Freddie recorded before he passed away in 1991. On it is the song A Winter's Tale, which is an ode to the town where he spent so much of his later years.
Montreux has always been proud of its connection with Freddie, and the statue of him in classic live-performance pose has been in place since 1996. Regular guided tours of Queen-related locations happen throughout the year, and it seems only fitting that the town shows its affection for the singer with such a blow-out celebration, in true Freddie-style!
Attending Freddie Celebration Days
Montreux is easily accessible by public transport from most Swiss cities. It's only about one hour by train from Geneva, which is also where the nearest airport is.
All of the events by the statue, on Market Square are free, with the only paid events being the boat tours, the Saturday night party and the silent disco. You can find out more about the festival and the lineup on the Freddie Celebration Days website.