Brass music Federal Music Festival attracts over 100,000 people to Biel/Bienne
The Musikverein Harmonie Schlieren at the Kongresshaus Biel.
Image: Keystone
One of the attractions at the music festival in Biel: the music corps of the Pontifical Swiss Guard.
Image: Keystone
Parade music of the Musikverein Hergiswil.
Image: Keystone
The Rubigen Music Society poses for the group picture.
Image: Keystone
The Harmonie Weesen music society plays "Déjeuner en paix" by Stephane Eicher.
Image: Keystone
Great audience response for the musicians in Biel.
Image: Keystone
The Hägendorf-Rickenbach music society parades through Biel.
Image: Keystone
The Musikverein Harmonie Schlieren at the Kongresshaus Biel.
Image: Keystone
One of the attractions at the music festival in Biel: the music corps of the Pontifical Swiss Guard.
Image: Keystone
Parade music of the Musikverein Hergiswil.
Image: Keystone
The Rubigen Music Society poses for the group picture.
Image: Keystone
The Harmonie Weesen music society plays "Déjeuner en paix" by Stephane Eicher.
Image: Keystone
Great audience response for the musicians in Biel.
Image: Keystone
The Hägendorf-Rickenbach music society parades through Biel.
Image: Keystone
The 35th Federal Music Festival has transformed Biel into the capital of Swiss brass music for four days. On Sunday, the organizing committee was overwhelmed by the enormous crowds.
17.05.2026, 10:17
SDA
100,000 visitors were expected. "We don't have a counting system, but it was probably significantly more," said Head of Communications Theo Martin on the last day of the festival when asked by the Keystone-SDA news agency.
The unstable weather obviously did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm. Only the parade music on Saturday evening had to be canceled due to the heavy rain. All other activities went ahead as planned.
A total of 24,071 musicians from 532 clubs took part in the first "Swiss Confederation" in ten years. The final highlight was the closing ceremony on the Esplanade on Sunday evening.
