As the ski season draws nearer, thoughts are turning to days on the slopes, afternoons in a Jacuzzi-with-a-view, and evenings spent huddling around a cosy fire with a glass of bubbles as snowflakes fall gently past the windows. However, there’s always a lot to see and do away from the chalet too, from music festivals to fashion shows, to Pride parades!
Combining the service and comfort of a luxury chalet holiday with a once-in-a-lifetime event can make for a truly memorable holiday, so we’ve rounded up this season’s top Alpine events that you won’t want to miss!
Arlberg Weinberg
Lech
7th-18th December 2022
During early December, wine experts and wine lovers alike will descend upon Lech Zürs am Arlberg for Arlberg Weinberg, a festival of viniculture and culinary delights. More than 25 events showcasing top-quality local and international wines and high-end cuisine are held across the alpine village, which is known as a gourmet mecca. Revellers can spend their days on the vast slopes of Lech and the surrounding ski region, then enjoy evenings filled with wine tastings with expert sommeliers, gourmet restaurant crawls, workshops and lectures, pop-up Champagne bars, Jazz & caviar evenings, and much more.
Cortina Fashion Week
Cortina
8th-11th December 2022
If you want to hit the slopes in style this year, don’t miss Cortina fashion Week. Runway shows, vibrant concerts, and exclusive openings will kick off the winter season with flair. During the event, ‘Fashion Stations’ from event sponsors will line the pedestrianised Corso Italia whilst video projections and light installations will illuminate the village. For this year’s event – the 12th of its kind – everything will be pretty in pink, mimicking the trends of Milan Fashion Week and the Maison Valentino shows, and complementing the Enrosadira, the phenomenon by which the peaks of the Dolomites are coloured by a romantic hue at dawn and dusk.
Festival of Pyrotechnic Art
Courchevel
10th February-3rd March 2023
There’s fireworks displays and then there’s the International Festival of Pyrotechnic Art… Each year, the festival tours the villages of Courchevel, offering spectators the chance to see some of the best and most beautiful fireworks displays Each evening starts with street performances in the snow, then onlookers can sip mulled wine or hot chocolate as the skies light up with shimmering displays of choregraphed pyrotechnics. A fresh performance by a top team from around the world is shown each evening with the winner announced at the close of the event. A truly dazzling event!
European Snow Pride
Tignes
18th-25th March 2023
For one week in March, the white slopes of Tignes will be draped in rainbows as Pride comes to the Alps. A must for skiers and boarders within the queer community, European Snow Pride is a week-long festival with a range of events held on and off the slopes of Tignes. The snow-sure and LGBTQIA+-friendly resort will feature international DJs, live concerts, après ski events, themed parties, a film festival, pro demos, and – of course – sunny spring skiing. This season’s event is an extra-special one with the annual Pride march through Val Claret celebrating 10 years of marriage equality in France.
Zermatt Unplugged
Zermatt
11th-15th April 2023
For those looking for a chilled-out, end-of-season event, Zermatt Unplugged is the festival of choice. The event has showcased acoustic talent from across Europe since 2007, and now comprises over 120 concerts on 18 stages throughout the village and on the mountain. Previous line-ups have included the likes of James Morrison, Jessi J, Alanis Morrissette, Billy Idol and Lionel Richie – to name but a few – and along with up-and-coming artists, it’s a relaxed, stripped-back festival experience with spring sunshine drenching the slopes and the iconic Matterhorn providing the most beautiful of backdrops.
