Free 5-day-long festival to be held in central Geneva this August

From August 14 to 18, 2024, the waterfront and harbour of Geneva will come alive thanks to a brand new, entirely free festival. The Genève Genève event is set to include hundreds of artists and a captivating light, music and flamethrower show.

Geneva to host free festival in August 2024

Those lamenting the end of the Feu Ô Lac in 2023 need not worry, with the confirmation that a brand-new five-day event will be coming to Geneva this August. Called Genève Genève, the festival will be entirely free and feature 380 artists in various different venues. Organisers promised an experience “magnificent” in both scale and variety.

Speaking to 20 Minuten, Fait Genève coordinator Aymon Choisy confirmed that with the help of the local council and cantonal officials, Genève Genève will be "a declaration of love... [it's name is] a mirror title which symbolises a canton which wants to rise up." They confirmed that many of the things that made the Feu Ô Lac a success last year will be returning at the event, including paddle parades, roller-skating parties, soapbox races and more.

Music, light shows and games all part of Genève Genève

While the full programme will be released on June 28, organisers confirmed that the harbour area of Geneva will be converted into five different themed sectors. These range from a “Children’s Republic” with a mini theme park and hairdresser to a meditation and tranquillity sector at the Pont de la Machine.

Like Feu Ô Lac, the climax of the party will be “Elements”, a massive light show facing Eaux-Vives beach that will take place on August 16 and 17. The 45-minute show will feature the Geneva Chamber Orchestra and singers performing an opera / electronic music piece written specifically for the event amid dancing water jets and colourful lights. Lasers, video projections and drones will dance about the lake and night sky, creating a tapestry said to be a football field wide.

Finally, throwing a vibrant kitchen sink onto the stunning melodramatic cake, artistic director François Moncarey confirmed that at the end of the performance, “There will be a flamethrower concert.” In all, organiser hope that hundreds of thousands of people will converge on the lakeside to enjoy Genève Genève. For more information about the event, check out the official website.