Festival Fever
Grab those diaries folks - the Alpine event season is upon us. Here's what's on in the mountains this winter.
Mountain Shaker
Where Tignes
When 10 – 18 March 2023
The week will host the World Cup Ski Slopestyle and French Freeride Series (plus the skateboarding FISE Xperience Series), as well as open contests for freeride and freestyle skiers and riders, jam sessions and live music for freestyle festival feels.
Gay ski weeks
Where Various
When 18 – 25 March 2023
Gay ski weeks take place all over the Alps during the March LGBT+ pride week, but the biggest and best are European Snow Pride in Tignes and European Gay Ski Week in the Paradiski. You can expect a packed events schedule of skiing, snowboarding, social events – everything from cabarets to huge après-ski parties.
New Orleans
Where St Anton
When 30 March – 2 April 2023
This is a random one, but we think it sounds rather brilliant… Blues, dixie, funk and soul in Austria’s most cosmopolitan ski resort. Music and bands will hit the mountains as well as the streets of this Tirolean town.
Altitude Comedy Festival
Where Mayrhofen
When 3 – 7 April 2023
It’s worth going for the comedy, even without the skiing, to catch arena-filling comedians cracking one-liners in the local bars. The big names have included Jimmy Carr, Bill Bailey, Katherine Ryan, Tim Minchin… the list goes on. The 2023 lineup is yet to be finalised but big belly laughs are guaranteed.
The Nines
Where Schilthorn
When 17 – 22 April 2023
Watch the future of snowsports unfold at Schilthorn, the new home of the iconic Nines event. It will see the best of the best of the world’s top freeskiers and snowboarders let loose on the most innovative park set-ups. It’s the place for world firsts, like Jesper Tjader’s Cork 540 to transition to switch backflip at the 2022 Nines.
SPRING MUSIC FESTS
Snowboxx
Where Avoriaz
When 19 – 26 March
Bottomless brunches, slopeside games, après at La Folie Douce and open-air stages with world-class acts.
Chamonix Unlimited Festival
Where Chamonix
When 5 – 9 April
Previously the Black Crows Weekend, the Cham music fest brings electronic music to mountain stages all over the Mont Blanc range as well as events down in town, with a strong focus on winter sports. It is Chamonix after all…
Polar Sound
Where Baqueira Beret
When 24 – 25 March.
This cool, Pyrenean resort will throw the third edition with popular Spanish music and a very reasonable ticket price – €40.
Snowbombing
Where Mayrhofen
When 10 – 15 April
A big party in a party place. Think igloo clubs and forest raves.
Tomorrowland
Where Alpe d’Huez
When 18 – 25 March.
The world’s best DJs on the planet descnd on the resort of a the Alp’s biggest electro music festival.
Zermatt Unplugged
Where Zermatt
When 11 – 15 April
An acoustic music fest with big-name headliners. Refuel between acts at ‘taste village’ in town.
Electronic Peak Festival
Where Les Arcs
When 12 – 17 March 2023
The fifth edition of the festival is titled ‘The Get Down’ in reference to the golden age of electronic disco, dance and the birth of DJing. Expect house music, disco balls, roller skates and big names including Bambounou, DJ Boring, Krystal Klear, Marina Trench, Partiboi69.
