Zibelemärit 2018 in Bern, CH

These are the days that feel extremely ‘European,’ and I absolutely love it! We’re in the Swiss capital of Bern where the air is ripe with smells of rich onion tarts and garlic bread. You read that right. The Zibelemärit is an annual festival held on the fourth Monday of November that celebrates all things onion.

The Zibelemärit tradition dates back to the Bern Fire on 14 May 1405, supposedly the largest fire in Swiss history, when a fire broke out in the center of the village. Farmers and families from nearby towns, notably Fribourg, traveled into Bern to assist in fighting the fire. The fire destroyed over 600 homes and claimed around 100 lives. Following the fire, much of the village was rebuilt using sandstone instead of the original timber. The Bernese were so thankful for the assistance that they invited the farmers to come to Bern to sell their produce in an all-day festival. Much of Bern is closed, and all of the focus is on this fantastic market.

The Souvenirs

One of the most popular souvenirs is the meticulously woven onion and garlic braids, often accessorized with flowers. It’s said that each year there are over fifty metric tons of these beautiful braids and other creative crafts with onion the primary theme. There are also other products such as fresh vegetables, pottery, and the local gingerbread known as Magenbrot.

The Food & Beverages

While the Zibelechueche (Onion Tart) is one of the primary foods of the festival, there’s no shortage of variety. Another staple is the Knoblibrot (Garlic Bread). They use fresh cut slices of bread spread thickly with butter with chunks of infused garlic which is then roasted to order. Onion Soup, Pizza with Onion, Sausages with Onion, Cheese Tarts, Roasted Nuts, Cookies, Candies, and more are also readily available!

It’s typically 0-5C, so a warm beverage fits perfectly during the visit. As customary with the timeframe of Christmas (Weihnachts), Glühwein (hot mulled wine) is available on every street as well as a good selection of beer and wine.

A Few Tips…

Just as with many Swiss festivals, confetti is everywhere! Children and, of course, some adults buy bags of confetti and throw it… everywhere! Enjoy it and have fun at the celebration! Just be a bit cautious, so your Gluhwein doesn’t get ruined by a face and cup full of confetti by an out of control child! The same goes for the plastic squeak hammers that may randomly bop the top of your head. It’s all in loving fun so let loose and just have fun and enjoy the festivities!

This is one of the most popular festivals among the Swiss! The Zibelemärit is easy to get to as it’s a short walk from the Bern SBB and the SBB has additional trains prepared for the influx of attendees. For example, trains were running every 30 minutes to and from the direction of Basel SBB!

The market technically begins at 6:00am. However, many locals wake up much earlier than usual and will often peruse the selections as early as 4:00am! The streets really start to fill between 7:00am and 8:00am. There are hundreds of festival stalls selling all sorts of crafts, candies, and foods. At 11:30am a band procession begins at the Rathauspatz (Town Hall Square). The Oberzibelgrit, or Chief Onion Head, is a highlight that is honored during this procession. The festival ends at 4:00pm, but it’s said that there are night parties throughout to ‘continue the celebration.’