Näfelser Fahrt

The next dates

• 2026Thursday, 9 April
• 2027Thursday, 1 April
• 2028Thursday, 6 April

In which cantons is Näfelser Fahrt a holiday?

• 1cantonpublic holiday throughout the canton
• 25cantonsnot a holiday

Origin

The Näfelser Fahrt commemorates the Battle of Näfels on 9 April 1388, in which the people of Glarus and their allies defeated a Habsburg army despite being clearly outnumbered. Since then, the battle has been commemorated every year in early April with a procession to the battlefield and the memorial stones. After the Reformation, the Catholics long celebrated alone; only in 1835 did the people of Glarus agree on a joint ceremony.

Sources: Kanton Glarus: Rede zur Näfelser Fahrt 2021

What the three types mean

Public holiday

Treated like a Sunday (Art. 20a Labour Act). Employees have the day off.

Cantonal rest day

Public rest day under cantonal law, e.g. shops are closed. Under employment law it is a working day.

Customary day off

Not a public holiday, but many employers give the day off. Your employment contract decides whether you are off.