VEVEY: Swiss residents and tourists alike are partying like they haven’t since 1999. Among the big-ticket items in the 100 million Swiss franc ($100 million) budget for the festival is a purpose-built arena — big enough to hold 20,000 people, or more than the entire town’s population. Above all, it’s a colorful, timeless celebration of Swiss-ness tied up in a festival for winegrowers. The festival began a more upbeat approach by “crowning” standout winegrowers in the first formal festival in 1797. While the winegrowers are the honorees, the festival is really a celebration of Switzerland and its amazing natural environment, featuring each of the country’s 26 cantons, or regions.

Source: Pakistan Today July 20, 2019 03:11 UTC