Räbechilbi – Turnip Lantern Festival

In November, many towns celebrate Räbechilbi, literally “turnip party.” In short, people carve designs into turnips, light them up like a lantern and have a parade. The turnip lanterns represent the warmth of home during the cold winter months. It’s beautiful, special tradition that you should experience at least once during your time in Switzerland.

Richterswil Parade

Upcoming: Saturday 9 Nov 2024 • 18:00

The biggest Räbechilbi festival near Zürich is in Richterswil, about a 20 min drive south of Zurich on the west side of the lake. This usually happens on the second Saturday in November. Festivities start at 15:00 and the parade starts at 18:00. Check the Räbechilbi website for details.

The center of town is lit up with hundreds of lanterns. The main event is a big parade through town with marching bands and floats decorated with turnip lanterns. There are food stands in the center of town.

Getting There

The event attracts thousands of people, so you should definitely take public transportation. Take the S2 or S8 trains to Richterswil, Bahnhof, about a 30 mins ride from Zürich HB. The train drops you near the entrance to the festival. The train gets really crowded, so be prepared, especially if you are bringing a stroller.

Tickets

As you enter the town, you’ll need to buy a ticket from one of the many volunteer staff wandering the train station. You wear it to show that you are supporting the event. In 2022, it costs CHF 8/adult. Last time I went, they said kids are free but it doesn’t say anything about that on the website.

Wander through town

Before the parade, take some time to wander around the village, which is lit up with thousands of turnip lanterns. While the parade route and food stands are very busy, the side streets are quieter and so lovely with all the flickering candlelight. 

There are few food stands in the center of town, but the lines get real long, real fast. So I recommend bringing snacks and a thermos full of hot chocolate to keep your kiddies happy during the parade.

Turnip Lantern Parade

Thousands of people attend this event, so get there early to get a good spot along the parade route. The parade officially starts at 18:00 but it takes awhile for it to make its way through town. We usually get there about 17:00, wander around town, then find a spot near the end of the parade route where it’s not as crowded.

Although it might be a little difficult to navigate the crowds, you’ll be thankful that your kids have somewhere to sit when watching the parade curbside. You might consider carrying small kids in a hiking backpack, so they can see over the crowds.

Local celebrations

If you’re not willing to face the crowds, most communities and neighborhoods host their own little Räbechilbi, which is a fun way to participate in local traditions and socialize with your Swiss neighbors. Check your local community center (aka Gemeindehaus) or school for information about this. Many Swiss playgroups and kindergartens will have the kids make paper mâché lanterns for this parade.

In my neighborhood, the local church hosts the turnip carving a few hours before the parade, where you can buy a turnip for one franc and they’ll drill out the middle with a special machine so you can put a candle inside. They provide all sorts of cutters to help make designs, but little kids will need lots of adult supervision with the sharp tools. You provide the candle, rope and stick to construct your lantern.

Then the neighbors meet at the local school, where they have a wagon decorated with lanterns and a marching band. The police close off the streets while the whole neighborhood walks around with their lanterns. Even if you don’t walk the whole parade route, you might be able to watch it go by from your window.