The 62nd annual Schwingfest will be held from July 4 to 6 this year at the Lewis-Pacific Swiss Society, 19 Swiss Picnic Road, Frances
Adult ticket prices are $40 for a three-day pass, $30 for a Saturday and Sunday two-day pass, $15 on Friday, $25 on Saturday and $15 on Sunday.
Youth 12 to 17 years old ticket prices are $20 for a three-day pass, $15 for a Saturday and Sunday two-day pass, $8 on Friday, $15 on Saturday and $10 on Sunday.
Children under 12 years old are admitted for free.
On Friday, July 4, dinner will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. A dance will follow from 7:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. with music performed by the Kapelle Blaser-Faver, a Swiss band.
The standard instrumentation of a Swiss band, or Kapelle, is composed of four musicians who play a combination of string bass, piano, chromatic button accordion, Bb and C clarinets, and both soprano and alto saxophones, according to Joe Blaser’s website, the Kappele’s accordion player.
On Saturday, July 5, there will be Schwingen Swiss wrestling matches for adults 18 and up as well as juniors between 15 and 17. Schwingen is a traditional Swiss form of wrestling, with combatants wearing Schwingerhosen with belts used for taking holds.
Signups begin at 10 a.m., and the matches start at 11 a.m.
Other events on Saturday include dinner, a dance, awards and Steinstossen, a traditional form of rock throwing.
On Sunday, July 6, the day will begin with Catholic Mass at 10:30 a.m., followed by Buebeschwingen, or Schwingen for kids between 6 and 14 years old. Signup is at 11:30 a.m., followed by the Schwingen itself at 12:30 p.m. Awards and a dance will also be held Sunday.
For more information and to view the commemorative program book, visit lewispacificswisssociety.org/schwingfest.
