Best Events in Verbier
For most people, Verbier is known for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter activities. However, while it is true that anyone who comes to this resort will have their choice of amazing pistes and enjoy the wonderful mountain scenery from a Verbier gondola, there is much more to this village.
The resort also offers year-long entertainment and various events that cater to all sorts of people. No matter if you’re a music lover, an adrenaline junkie, or a movie buff, at least one of these Verbier events will draw you in.
Verbier High Five by Carlsberg
If you’re looking for an unforgettable winter flagship event, look no further than the Verbier High Five by Carlsberg. This is one of the most adrenaline-filled Verbier events, providing skiers and snowboarders with the perfect opportunity to have a bit of healthy competition.
If you decide to enter, you will have the opportunity to compete against some of the best athletes of ski racing in races such as a flying kilometer, giant slalom, trampoline, and speed ski cross. Don’t take it too seriously, as this is such an unconventional competition where everyone’s main goal is to have fun.
However, keep in mind that the last time this event took place was on 06 April 2019 and there currently isn’t a set date for the next one.
Verbier Festival
Music lovers from across the world rush to Verbier every summer to attend this annual international festival. No matter what kind of music you prefer, you can be sure that the program will cater to your desires and tastes, as it’s a mélange of multiple genres of music.
However, the festival is dedicated mainly to classical music with a glimpse into other genres. This is the biggest music event of the year in Verbier and it attracts some of the biggest stars in the classical music world.
Festival-goers have had the opportunity to hear big names such as Martha Argerich, Julian Lloyd Webber, and Anoushka Shankar in the past, but also some rising talent.
You can bring your kids along to the festival even if they’re not big fans of classical music as there is a broad range of workshops and entertainment that guarantees a fun experience.
The Grand Raid
Motorcycle enthusiasts from all over the world gather every year in Verbier to enjoy the annual bike fest, which is one of the prime Harley-Davidson gatherings in Switzerland. It usually sees over 10,000 visitors who witness incredible motorcycle acrobatic stunts and enjoy rock concerts.
This is probably one of the most exciting and fun Verbier events, especially for those who enjoy demos, stunts and live music. Even if you’re not a motorcycle rider, that doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun at the fest.
The bike fest Verbier takes place over three days during which you can expect parties, exhibition riding, live music, FMX stunts, demonstrations, and of course, many people dressed in leather.
Verbier E-bike Festival
If you’ve been thinking about trying out an e-bike for the first time, there’s no better place to do so than in the magnificent Alps. This four-day event offers a program with four different experiences and it’s one of the best summer activities in Verbier.
These events include e-bike tests, the Rando Gourmande, the Tours Découverte and the Tour du Val de Bagnes. There are challenges and races for all ages and skill levels, so you can enjoy the event alone, bring friends, or even the entire family.
Xtreme Verbier
Every year, the Freeride World Tour organizes the Xtreme event, and the finals of this event are always hosted in Verbier. The best free riders from all over the world participate in this event that takes place in multiple places, and the final round takes place on the legendary “Bec des Rosses” (3,222 m.)
The extreme slopes of the Alps, as well as the narrow corridors, ensure a breathtaking show for anyone in attendance. In previous years, spectators gathered to watch the event in person, but this year they followed it on the Freeride World Tour website and social media platforms.
However, we hope that by the time next year’s event takes place we will be able to gather in person again and enjoy the show.
Polaris Festival
Probably one of the most famous Verbier events, Polaris is an electronic music festival that is held over three days and on five stages. The best DJs from all over the world gather to play inspired music on top of the Swiss Alps, at an altitude of 2200 meters.
It lasts for over three days and on each day, the show starts in the early afternoon and lasts until midnight. Even skiers can enjoy the mix of electronic, house, and techno music, as the sound reaches the slopes.
There currently isn’t a set date for the festival and while there wasn’t a show in 2020, this year the festival is going to come back for the winter season as usual.
Drive-in cinemas
While not many would consider this one of the typical Verbier events, both tourists and locals love going to drive-in cinemas in Verbier during the summer months. Movie goers will have the opportunity to watch open-air movies from their cars on multiple dates by plugging into a radio channel broadcast.
The Tour des Stations
If you’re a confident and competitive cyclist, you might be interested in the hardest one-day cycling race in the world, the Tour des Stations. There are currently a few routes and the cyclist can choose the route they want to take themselves.
You can choose between routes that are 242km, 133km, 74km, and 34km long. As for the corresponding altitude differences on those routes, they are 8,848m, 4,700m, 2,850m, and 1,950m.
Whichever route you choose, you will cycle through the countryside of the Canton of Valais and enjoy the mountain scenery like never before. You will be able to see spectacular vineyards, natural pastures, famous resorts, and small villages along the way.
Trail Verbier St-Bernard
Another feat of strength for athletes is undoubtedly the Trail Verbier-St Bernard running race that leads its racers through the heart of the Combin massif. It takes place in five different valleys and seven municipalities.
Participants have four different routes to choose from:
- X-Alpine route is 111 km
- X-Traversée route is 73 km
- Verbier Marathon 43 km
- Liddes-Verbier is 29 km long
As for the altitudes racers reach in each route, they’re 8,400m D+, 4,900m D+, 3,500m D+, and 2,500m D+ respectively.
Even children can get in on the fun, as there is a discovery trail for children between the ages of 4 and 14 that takes them through the streets of Verbier and the surrounding walking trails. Children aged 4-10 run on a 1.2 km long route and those aged 11-14 run on a 3.5km route.
And finally, if you want to be a part of the event but don’t want to participate in the race, you can become a volunteer.
Final thoughts
As you can see, there is much more to Verbier than skiing and snowboarding. People come from near and far to witness and participate in these Verbier events and it’s not hard to see why.
No matter if you’re a music lover, a biker, cyclist, runner, or practically anything else, you’ll be able to enjoy at least one of these events, if not more. However, a lot of these events have been either canceled or broadcast online due to the pandemic.
And of course, don’t forget to pack your skis, as you’ll still be in a mountain paradise, and make sure to find a property for rent so you’ll have a good base from where you can head to visit all of the events you want.
