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Gurtenfestival 2026: pop, hip-hop and soul on the hill above Bern

Perched on the Gurten, the iconic hill overlooking Bern, Gurtenfestival is one of Switzerland's most anticipated cultural events. Each July, this four-day festival gathers international artists in pop, hip-hop, rock and folk against a panoramic backdrop that makes the experience as visual as it is musical.

The 2026 edition promises to be outstanding with LORDE headlining — the New Zealand star of modern art pop. SEAN PAUL brings Caribbean warmth, Lily Allen her British pop-rock frankness. LOYLE CARNER, the jazz-sensitive British rapper, and TEDDY SWIMS, a soul voice from America, complete a line-up of rare diversity.

Gurtenfestival's richness lies in its refusal of boundaries: afrobeat, reggae, latin and jazz dialogue with deutsch-rap and singer-songwriters. Pop in all its forms — art pop, alternative pop, folk pop — is the thread running through a programme that embraces creativity above all else.

Gurtenfestival represents the cultural soul of the Swiss capital: open, curious and anchored in quality over quantity. Its panoramic views of the Bernese Alps, its controlled capacity and carefully curated programme make it one of Switzerland's most cherished festivals — combining a unique natural setting with world-class international programming.