What’s On in June

Although it doesn’t feel like it yet, summer is finally here and we’re all still hoping for a bit of sunshine !

Here’s our monthly list of events in Geneva, Vaud and nearby France, filled as usual with exciting outings for the whole family. Remember to keep checking our blog as we will be updating this post with more events each week:

 

• Take a look at our previous post to find all the best child-friendly places to enjoy a delicious and stress-free Sunday brunch with your little buttons.

 

• If it’s a scorcher, what about a scrumptious “brunch in the sun” with the family ?

 

• Now that the sun is out, take your little ones strawberry picking ! Strawberry season is around three weeks late, due to the amount of rain we’ve endured so far, but these delicious fruits are now ready for the picking. Try La Fraisière in Meyrin, the Wyss Farm in Genolier, or find more addresses here.

 

• Remember that until the 30th of June 2013 you can also enjoy Sunday brunch at Les Jardins du Châteaux de Vuillerens, with its beautiful iris gardens. Call 079 844 68 60 or email info@ateliersaveurs.ch to reserve your places, prices are 55.00CHF per person (drinks not included) and 28CHF for children aged 4 to 12. Read more about these beautiful iris gardens in our post from last spring.

 

• Is it Sunday ? Is it raining again and you don’t know what to do with your energetic little monkeys ? Find some ideas and suggestions here or read our review of the new indoor playcentre in Annemasse C L’Aventure.

 

• Spring is a fantastic time to explore Switzerland and its picturesque villages. Take a peek at some of our previous articles for suggestions about great days out with the kids.

 

• If the sun ever makes a comeback, the best place to enjoy a warm summer’s day is Genève-Plage (Quai de Cologny 5, Port-Noir): make the most of the swimming-pools, water slides, sandpit and play area (& don’t forget your suncream!).

 

• Saturday 1st June 2013: “Écouter, bruiter et faire sonner le musée !” music workshops from age 2 in collaboration with La Bulle d’Air at the Musée d’art et d’histoire in Geneva. These fab sessions cost only 5CHF per person but you must reserve your place in advance at adp-mah@ville-ge.ch or 022 418 25 00. There will be two session on Saturday 1st of June, one at 11am and one at 3pm, so book now to avoid disappointment !

 

• Saturday 1st June 2013: the First African Fashion Show will be taking place at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Geneva. Enjoy this unique opportunity to see the creations of African designers such as Aylolul Caftan, Morocco (unisex fashion), Ahdookeh Nigeria (women’s fashion), Baldon Nigeria (bespoke tailoring for men), Design for Love Nigeria (women’s fashion), House of Raffinato Switzerland (women’s fashion), Peace Malleni Tanzania (women’s fashion) and accessories by Lyze Hats United Kingdom (stylish millinery). Part of the proceeds collected at the event will go to a children’s charity in Abuja, Nigeria called the Global Initiative for Peace, Love and Care. Tickets may be purchased at the door on the night or pre-purchased by calling 078 309 11 14, 078 311 24 20 or 079 617 08 51, or alternatively you can email stylenite@gmail.com

 

• 1st-2nd June 2013: Ô Vives à vous in Geneva’s Eaux-Vives neighbourhood. A great local event with live music, entertainment for kids (including a giant Tibetan wheel!), workshops, food stalls and much more ! From 10.30am to 5pm, free entry.

 

• Sunday 2nd June 2013: Passport to the Big Bang, don’t miss the inauguration at CERN of the new scientific tourist trail through the Pays de Gex and the Canton of Geneva. Entry is free for all and a number of exciting family activities has been planned. In the morning, families will be able to participate in a bike ride, whilst those of a sportier disposition can test themselves on a 54-kilometre mountain bike rally. The trail will be officially inaugurated at noon on CERN’s Prévessin site. In the afternoon various events will be organised at the 10 sites of the trail by CERN and its clubs, local clubs and associations and schools and universities in the region.

 

• Sunday 2nd June 2013: Festi’neuch festival, Neuchâtel’s open-air festival. Sunday 2nd of June is the festival’s Family Day, with plenty of child-friendly activity, shows and live music. Doors will open at 11am on Sunday, visit the official website for full details and to book tickets. If you travel to Neuchâtel by train you will benefit from a 20% discount on your return train ticket and a reduced price on your festival tickets

 

• Sunday 2nd June 2013: Sonia Grimm at the Maxi-Kids festival 2013 at the Palladium de Champéry‎ in Champéry, approx. 1 hour and a half from Geneva (Route du Centre Sportif 1). Sonia Grimm’s shows are just fantastic and perfect for toddlers as well as older children, as my 8 year-old said “mummy, I thought this would be a show for babies but instead it was trop cool !”. The great news about this event is that her concert will be free of charge for all children under the age of 4. Doors will open at 4pm, so get there on time to get good seats, the show will start at 5pm. Visit the Maxi-Rire Festival website for more details and to book your tickets.

 

• Sunday 2nd June 2013: “Voyage sur la lune” Petits Rendez-vous at Geneva’s MAMCO for little ones aged 5 to 10 accompanied by an adult – free of charge and no advance booking is required. Introduce them to the joys of modern art with these fun, interactive tours starting at 3.15pm. There will be other tours on Wednesday 5th June “La fabrique d’images”; Wednesday 12th June “Dans son coin” and Wednesday 19th June “Jeux collectifs”.

 

• until 3rd June 2013: Fête de l’oiseau de Gex, a fantastic medieval fest in Pays de Gex (France). From 4pm on Friday 31st of May until Monday 3rd of June there will be medieval parades with beautiful costumes, archery tournaments, live music and fireworks. Click here for more info and to download the full programme.

 

• Monday 3rd June 2013: “Sonnez les Matines” reading session for 0 to 4 year-old at the Bibliothèque Aux Mille Feuille in Gland (38 grand rue). From 9.30am to 10.30am, free entry no booking necessary.

 

• Wednesday 5th June 2013: Mini Rendez-vous “Je pars en voyage” at Geneva’s MAMCO for little ones aged 2 to 4 accompanied by an adult – free of charge and no advance booking is required. Introduce them to the joys of modern art with these fun, interactive tours starting at 3.15pm.

 

• Wednesday 5th June 2013: Les petits rendez-vous du mercredi autour du cinéma d’animation, free cartoon screenings for children at the Centre d’Art Contemporain Genève (Rue des Vieux-Grenadiers 10). Starting at 4pm these cinema sessions for little ones from age 5 are completey free-of-charge but places must be booked in advance at petits@animatou.com or 022 734 11 84. Click here to see which short cartoons will be shown.

 

• Wednesday 5th June 2013: “Il ne suffit pas de pleurer” & “Le plus grand des détectives” by the Compagnie Stella Rossa, a puppet-show from age 3 part of the 9ème Festival Poussière du Monde at the Parc Bernasconi in Grand‐Lancy (8 route du Grand-Lancy, Geneva). Ticket prices are 10CHF for children and 15CHF for adults. The show, lasting 45 minutes, starts at 3pm but from 2pm until 4pm you’ll be able to enjoy some delicious Indian pastries and tchai tea !

 

• Wednesday 5th June 2013: Rencontre avec Nicolas Bianco Levrin, illustrateur, a drawing workshop in French from age 7 with French illustrator Nicolas Bianco Levrin at the Bibliothèque de la Cité in Geneva (Place des Trois-Perdrix 5). Entry is free but places are limited to 15 children so reserve your place in advance at 022 418 32 44. The workshop will begin at 2pm and will be followed by a cartoon screening from 4pm to 6pm.

 

• Wednesday 5th June 2013: Kiosque à histoires storytime in French, German, Italian, English & Portuguese from age 3 at the Bibliothèque de Saint-Jean in Geneva (Avenue des Tilleuls 19, entrance on rue Miléant). The session begins at 3pm, entry is free for all and no advance booking is required.

 

• Wednesday 5th June 2013: Autour du langage des smileys workshops in French from age 6 at the Bibliothèque de la Jonction in Geneva (Boulevard Carl-Vogt 22). The workshop, starting at 3pm, is free of charge but places must be booked in advance at 022 418 97 12.

 

• Wednesday 5th June 2013: “Momies, pharaons et compagnie…”, Mercredis Family at the Musée d’art et d’histoire in Geneva. These fun, interactive family tours are designed for children aged 6-11 accompanied by an adult. They’re FREE OF CHARGE and require no previous booking, so definitely worth a try ! Tours are in French, here’s the list of upcoming dates for June: Wednesday 12th June “De l’arbre au musée: le bois”; Wed. 19th June “La folle machine de Tinguely”.

 

• Wednesday 5th June 2013: Chapeau les champignons! Wednesday workshops in French from age 7 at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle in Geneva (1 route de Malagnou). The workshops are free of charge and take place every Wednesday from 2pm to 4.30pm on the second floor. Your little explorers will be able to learn more about the secret and fascinating world of mushrooms and also make some great mushroom-themed crafts! The workshops run in parallel with a new exhibition organized in collaboration with the Société mycologique de Genève starting on the 14th of March until the 4th of August 2013.

 

• Wednesday 5th June 2013: “Les Palmiers du Jardin Botanique” Ateliers Verts du Jardin Botanique in Geneva for kids aged 8-11 (in French). What better place than Geneva’s beautiful botanical gardens to learn more about nature, micro-organisms and plants ? These fantastic workshops take place on Wednesdays from 2pm to 4.30pm and cost 12 CHF per child. Places must be booked in advance at 022 379 70 68. Click here to donwload the full programme. There will be one other workshops this month on Wed. 12th of June 2013.

 

• 5th-9th June 2013: Caribana Festival in Crans-sur-Nyon (Canton Vaud). This is one of Switzerland’s finest music festivals, boasting international stars such as Tinie Tempah, Kaiser Chiefs, Sexion d’Assaut and Fun in this year’s edition alone. Read our previous post to find out all about it, including the new Caribateens day on Sunday 9th of June 2013.

 

• Thursday 6th June 2013: if you love art books and are looking for some special bargains, don’t miss the marché aux puces de livres d’art organized by the Bibliothèque d’art et d’archéologie of the MAH museum in Geneva. Head to the Promenade du Pin 5 in Geneva from 10am to 6pm on Thursday 6th of June and get stuck in !

 

• Saturday 8th June 2013: International SaturDay’n’Night, a fab party organized by the CAGI Geneva Welcome centre in collaboration with UBS. From 3pm to midnight on the field of La Pastorale (106 route de Ferney, Geneva), enjoy great live music and shows by multicultural artists as well as delicious food by THF and many more ! Free entry.

 

• Saturday 8th June 2013: special Brunch Fraises at La ferme de Merlinge in Gy (85, rte de gy), a perfect place for a relaxing outdoor brunch with children on a warm, sunny weekend. Find out more about it in our previous post, we absolutely loved it ! Reserve your table at 022 759 15 92 or merlinge@bluewin.ch

 

• Saturday 8th June 2013: Jardins Ouverts in Geneva. During this lovely event, private owners will open up their gardens to the public to visit and admire. Click here to see the full list of open gardens and reserve your place online. Entry is free and there are many garden tours planned at different times of the day.

 

•  Saturday 8th June 2013: Atelier Familles at 2.30pm “De Genève aux confins du monde – Une promenade extraordinaire” family workshop at the Musée d’ethnographie de Genève (MEG). From age 5. The main MEG building in Plainpalais is currently being renovated and will re-open in 2014. In the meantime, exhibitions and family tours are held at the MEG Conches, near Chêne-Bougeries (map). This year’s “Atelier familles” promise to be really good: a time machine will transport the whole family back to the 18th century, so get ready for some fun! The tours take place on Saturday from 2.30pm to 4.30pm and cost 10CHF per person (20CHF per family). They must be booked via email at publics.meg@ville-ge.ch

 

• 8th-9th June 2013: La ville est à vous returns to Geneva for its 10th edition and this weekend it will be in Sécheron. Enjoy your local neighbourhood with street parties, second-hand sales and activities for children. Take a look at the official website for all upcoming weekends and join in !

 

• 8th-9th June 2013: Beaulieu en champagne, a fantastic event at the Parc Beaulieu in Geneva: discover more about life in the countryside, farm animals and old local traditions – the children will love it. Visit the official website for full details. Free entry.

 

• 8th-9th June 2013: “Festival de marionnettes du Pays-de-Gex à Fort L’Ecluse”, a puppet-show festival for children in nearby France. With 8 shows on Saturday and over 10 on Sunday, your little ones will be spoilt for choice. The setting in the medieval castle of Fort L’Ecluse will make it even more magical for the children, tickets can only be purchased on site. Visit the official website for full programme details.

 

• Saturday 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th June 2013: Family Factory at the Centre d’Art Contemporain Genève (Rue des Vieux-Grenadiers 10). Discover more about Italian artist Gianni Piacentino and make your own model car inspired by his work. From age 3, price is 10CHF for 1 child plus 1 adult, max. 10 people per each class so reserve your place in advance at 022 329 18 42. On Saturday 8th, 15th, 22nd & 29th June 2013 at 11h-12h30 (first group) and 14h-15h30 (second group).

 

• 8th, 12th, 14th-15th June 2013: don’t miss the Special Clothing Sale at Atila 4 Child in Bursins (VD), from 2.30pm to 5.30pm. Read all about it in our previous post !

 

• Sunday 9th June 2013: Les Dimanches Enchantés at the Vallée de la Jeunesse in Lausanne (Vallée de la Jeunesse 1). A lovely way to spend Sunday with your little buttons: from 10am to 3pm the little theatre of the Vallée de la Jeunesse will open its doors to all families with children aged 2 to 6 for a show and fun workshop – bring your own picnic for a truly great day-out ! The show at 11.30am on Sunday 9th of June will be all about magic tricks: “Un monde où tout est possible”, followed by a “Make your own magic wand” workshop. Tickets are 4CHF for children over 2 years and 5 CHF for adults. No advance booking necessary.

 

• Sunday 9th June: Caribateens in Crans-sur-Nyon (Canton Vaud) is the closing day of the fab Caribana music festival. All new Caribateens promises to be a fun-filled day for teens & pre-teens – devised for them to revel in their love of music, sports and DJ sets. Read our previous post to find out all about it !

 

• until 9th June 2013: 9ème Festival Poussière du Monde at the Parc Bernasconi in Grand‐Lancy (8 route du Grand-Lancy, Geneva). A mesmerising festival focused on the dance, music and puppetry traditions of nomadic cultures, taking place under two authentic yourte tents. Visit the official website for full details and to book tickets. Delicious Indian food will also be available from 7pm in the evenings.

 

• 10th-23rd June 2013: Play Me, I’m Yours a contemporary installation by British artist Luke Jerram will see 33 pianos placed on various streets in Geneva, Carouge, Lancy, Meyrin, Vernier, Cologny, Grand-Saconnex & Pregny-Chambesy. The pianos will be available for everyone to play and familiarize themselves with. What an amazing way to see & feel our city with different eyes…and ears too!

 

• Wednesday 12th June 2013: “De l’arbre au musée: le bois”, Mercredis Family at the Musée d’art et d’histoire in Geneva. These fun, interactive family tours are designed for children aged 6-11 accompanied by an adult. They’re FREE OF CHARGE and require no previous booking, so definitely worth a try ! Tours are in French, here’s the list of upcoming dates for June: Wed. 19th June “La folle machine de Tinguely”.

 

• Wednesday 12th June 2013: “Le Rucher du Jardin Botanique” Ateliers Verts du Jardin Botanique in Geneva for kids aged 8-11 (in French). What better place than Geneva’s beautiful botanical gardens to learn more about nature, micro-organisms and plants ? These fantastic workshops take place on Wednesdays from 2pm to 4.30pm and cost 12 CHF per child. Places must be booked in advance at 022 379 70 68. Click here to donwload the full programme.

 

• Wednesday 12th June 2013: “Contes pour l’été” storytime from age 4 at the Bibliothèque des Eaux-Vives (Rue Sillem 2), starting at 3pm. Entry is free and no advance booking is necessary.

 

• Wednesday 12th June 2013: AnimAlphabet reading session from age 4 at the Bibliothèque de la Servette (Rue Veyrassat 9), starting at 2.30pm. Entry is free and no advance booking is necessary.

 

• Wednesday 12th June 2013: Chapeau les champignons! Wednesday workshops in French from age 7 at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle in Geneva (1 route de Malagnou). The workshops are free of charge and take place every Wednesday from 2pm to 4.30pm on the second floor. Your little explorers will be able to learn more about the secret and fascinating world of mushrooms and also make some great mushroom-themed crafts! The workshops run in parallel with a new exhibition organized in collaboration with the Société mycologique de Genève starting on the 14th of March until the 4th of August 2013.

 

• Wednesday 12th June 2013: Les petits rendez-vous du mercredi autour du cinéma d’animation, free cartoon screenings for children at the Centre d’Art Contemporain Genève (Rue des Vieux-Grenadiers 10). Starting at 4pm these cinema sessions for little ones from age 5 are completey free-of-charge but places must be booked in advance at petits@animatou.com or 022 734 11 84. Click here to see which short cartoons will be shown.

 

• 14th-16th June 2013: Festival Mondial de la Terre in Montbenon, Lausanne. A festival committed to the preservation and celebration of our planet’s biodiversity. All the food available at the festival is from organic farms; all infrastructure is from renewable, recycled and FSC certified sources – and every effort is made to preserve water & energy. The festival is free of charge and offers some great activities for the whole family, from the animations enfants to yoga for children and the “Parents-bébés” area where local midwives will be on hand to provide advice and give practical demonstrations. Click here for full details on the day-to-day programme, which includes live concerts, screenings, as well as thai chi & meditation taster sessions.

 

• 14th-16th June 2013: Step by Straight hip hop festival in Divonne-les-Bains (France). A great hip hop dance festival at the Esplanade du Lac, offering live shows, concerts, graffiti art demonstrations, beatbox and much more. Tickets can be purchased at the door or at Divonne’s tourism office.

 

• 14th-16th June 2013: Bol d’Or Mirabaud, Geneva’s famous yachting festival, which takes place in June every year since 1939 when 26 competitors took part in the first Bol d’Or, sailing 123km from Geneva to Le Bouveret and back. Today, there are over 600 sailing boats taking part, attracting competitive crews from around the world. Visit the official website for full programme details, the race itself starts at 10am on Saturday 15th of June. A really amazing race to watch from the lake shore, the children will enjoy it too !

 

•  14th-15th June 2013: don’t miss the Special Clothing Sale at Atila 4 Child in Bursins (VD), from 2.30pm to 5.30pm. Read all about it in our previous post !

 

• Saturday 15th June 2013: Les Créateliers en fête from 3pm to 10pm on the rue du Léman and Place Navigation in Geneva. A fantastic creative fest for families offering free workshops, live music and much more ! Organized by the Association Les Créateliers, this is a great way to get a free taster of their courses and reserve your place for next year. See their official website for full details.

 

• Saturday 15th June 2013: “Né pour lire” free reading session for children aged 0-5 at the Bibliothèque Forum Meyrin (1, pl. des Cinq-Continents). From 9am to 9.45am, a lovely opportunity to share a book or a story with your little tiddlers! No advance booking necessary.

 

• Saturday 15th June 2013: Roller Skate Party at the Rotonde du Mont Blanc in Geneva from 3pm to midnight: rollerskates can be hired for free in situ – with live music, yummy burgers and much more !
  

 

 

• Saturday 15th June 2013: Rétro Moto Internationale de St-Cergue, an unmissable appointment for all motorbike-lovers. From 9am the village of St-Cergue will become a hot spot for all things moto & racing: the 2013 edition of this unique festival will welcome motorbikes from the Yamaha Classic Racing Team collections, and racing champions such as Phil Read, Jim Redman, Freddie Spencer, Pier Paolo Bianchi, Troy Corser, Christian Sarron, Tepi Länsivuori, Bruno Kneubühler, Roland Freymond, Jean-François Baldé, Alain Genoud, Jean-Claude Castella, Pentti Korhonen will be taking part in this event. Profits from the event will be allocated to the Alliance SEP, an association helping those suffering from “sclérose en plaques” (www.scleroseenplaques.ch).

 

 

• Saturday 15th June 2013: “Pimp your balcony” urban gardening session in French organized by Equiterre.ch at la Petite Reine in Geneva (Place de Montbrilliant). Learn how to transform your balcony into a luscious mini kitchen garden, cost is 95CHF per person and you can choose between the morning session from 9:30am to 12.30pm, or the afternoon one (1.30pm to 4.30pm). Places are limited so they must be reserved in advance by clicking here.

 

• Saturday 15th June 2013:  “Les papillons de notre région”, a guided walk in French about local butterflies species at the Pavillon Plantamour in Geneva (112 rue de Lausanne), organized by the Association la Libellule – visit their official website for more info about guided butterflies tours.

 

• Saturday 15th June 2013: Journée aquatique at the piscine de la Fontenette in Carouge. A free, fun event for the whole family with plenty of free sessions you can try: from Zumba to aquafitness, massages & water games. Starting at 10am, get ready for a bit of Aquabike or Zumbatomic for kids ! All the inflatable slides and games on site will also be free for all children to use. See the official website for full programme details.
  

 

 

• 15th-16th June 2013: Swiss Car Event at Geneva’s Palexpo. Do the boys in your life love car and motos ? If so they’ll be delighted to see this famous expo with its stunts and trials on two and four wheels, freestyle demonstrations and live performances. Visit the official website for full programme details and a taster video. Open from 2pm to 10pm on Saturday and 9am to 6pm on Sunday.
  

 

• 15th-16th June 2013: the Fête de la musique 2013 will be taking place on Saturday 15th in Nyon and on Sunday 16th in Prangins (VD). Enjoy this fantastic line-up of free concerts, covering all music genres from jazz to traditional African music and punk. Click here to see the full programme. The Fête de la musique in Nyon will return on Friday 21st of June 2013 as well.

 

• 15th-16th June 2013: La ville est à vous returns to Geneva for its 10th edition and this weekend it will be in Petit-Sacconex. Enjoy your local neighbourhood with street parties, second-hand sales and activities for children. Take a look at the official website for all upcoming weekends and join in !

 

• 15th-21st June 2013: Semaine de la Princesse in Lausanne organized by the formidable Melazic sisters, in collaboration with Les Arches, The Nail Bar & Qwine. This is a special week dedicated to women and their right to be treated like princesses: an army of charming young princes will be walking the streets of Lausanne to make sure the ladies get the attention & chivalry they deserve. Don’t miss the special evening on Thursday 20th of June 2013 at «Les Arches» bar in Flon: from 5.30pm you’ll be treated to cocktails, cupcakes, nail treatments and more surprises. The evening will continue at the «abc» bar&club.

 

• Sunday 16th June 2013: Animations pour les familles at La Barje des Lavandières in Geneva. From 2pm to 6pm families with children will be able to enjoy introductory Slackline sessions, board games, T-shirt painting and other creative workshops. Click here for the map.

 

• Sunday 16th June 2013: on a warm, sunny weekend La ferme de Merlinge in Gy (85, rte de gy) is perfect for a relaxing outdoor brunch with children but, even if the weather isn’t cooperating, you can still enjoy brunch indoors. Find out more about it in our previous post, we absolutely loved it ! Reserve your table at 022 759 15 92 or merlinge@bluewin.ch

 

• Sunday 16th June 2013: Non-anniversaire de l’art, «Dansons dans la benne» dance workshops for children aged 6 to 8 years old at Geneva’s MAMCO. The workshops are run by Catherine Egger & Mathieu Richter from 10am to midday and from 2pm to 4pm. The dance workshops are free of charge but advance booking required at visites@mamco.ch

 

• Sunday 16th June 2013: Parlotte des Théopopettes : “Dieu, t’es où ?”, a puppet-show for children at the Eglise catholique in Puplinge, right at the centre of the village. Show starts at 10am.

 

• 17th-21st June 2013: “Autour de Mme de Staël” theatre festival taking place in the beautiful courtyard of the Château de Coppet. The festival is inspired by the Château’s most famous resident: Mme Germaine de Staël, daughter of a Genevan banker, woman of letters and feminist ante-litteram who was exiled to Coppet by Napoleon for her political views. If you have children, don’t miss “Hansel et Gretel” at 10am on Wednesday 19th of June, prices are 10CHF per child and 20CHF per adult – click here to book tickets.

 

• Tuesday 18th June 2013: Né pour lire reading sessions for little ones aged 6 months to 4 years-old at the BiblioQuartier des Grands-Hutins (rue de la Tambourine 3). Session starts at 10am until 10.45am, no advance booking is required. This is a lovely, relaxing way to introduce your little buttons to the joys of books and meet other mums. You will find changing tables and nursing pillows, if the weather is hot don’t worry, the session will be held outside !

 

• 18th-22nd June 2013: Festival Tôt ou t’Arts Pays de Gex (France), a great festival for the whole family dedicated to street theatre. The programme is filled with many exciting performances: puppetry, balancing acts in 70s costumes, pyrotechnics, “fanfare recycl’art” and much more. Visit the official website for full details of all performances in Gex, Fort l’Ecluse, Peron, Divonnes-les-Bains, Versonnex and Ferney Voltaire.

 

• until 19th June 2013: Les 3 petits cochons, the 3 little pigs come to the Théâtre des Lutins in Lausanne (Rue Petit-Saint-Jean 1A). A delightful puppet-show from age 4. Click here for performance times and to book tickets.

 

• Wednesday 19th of June: “Hansel et Gretel” theatre show for children, part of the “Autour de Mme de Staël” theatre festival in Coppet. The performance will begin at 10am, prices are 10CHF per child and 20CHF per adult – click here to book tickets.

 

• Wednesday 19th June 2013: “La folle machine de Tinguely”, Mercredis Family at the Musée d’art et d’histoire in Geneva. These fun, interactive family tours are designed for children aged 6-11 accompanied by an adult. They’re FREE OF CHARGE and require no previous booking, so definitely worth a try ! Tours are in French.

 

• Wednesday 19th June 2013: “Dis-moi le fil, contes-moi l’aiguille”, storytime starting at 3pm at La Julienne in Plan-les-Ouates (Salle de spectacle Després, 116 route de St Julien). Free entry, donations gratefully accepted.
  

 

• Wednesday 19th June 2013: Chapeau les champignons! Wednesday workshops in French from age 7 at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle in Geneva (1 route de Malagnou). The workshops are free of charge and take place every Wednesday from 2pm to 4.30pm on the second floor. Your little explorers will be able to learn more about the secret and fascinating world of mushrooms and also make some great mushroom-themed crafts! The workshops run in parallel with a new exhibition organized in collaboration with the Société mycologique de Genève starting on the 14th of March until the 4th of August 2013.

 

• Wednesday 19th June 2013: Les petits rendez-vous du mercredi autour du cinéma d’animation, free cartoon screenings for children at the Centre d’Art Contemporain Genève (Rue des Vieux-Grenadiers 10). Starting at 4pm these cinema sessions for little ones from age 5 are completey free-of-charge but places must be booked in advance at petits@animatou.com or 022 734 11 84. Click here to see which short cartoons will be shown.

 

• 19th-22nd-23rd June 2013: “Les insectes sont nos amis” a session in French about local insect species at the Pavillon Plantamour in Geneva (112 rue de Lausanne). Organized by the Association la Libellule – visit their official website for more info.

 

• Friday 21st of June 2013: Fête de la musique Lausanne – the month of June IS all about music ! A plethora of fab live concerts, covering all different musical genres will take over the streets of Lausanne, so click here for full programme details.

 

• Friday 21st of June 2013: Fête de la musique 2013 in Nyon (VD). Enjoy this fantastic line-up of free concerts, covering all music genres from jazz to traditional African music and punk. Click here to see the full programme.

 

• 21st-22nd June 2013: 14 ème Festival Métissages in Bernex. A great festival supporting a number of charities in the world. Saturday 22nd has some real treats in store for children, starting at 3pm with story-time and a free Gaëtan concert (at 5pm). Free entry and plenty of delicious Thai, Moroccan & BBQ food stalls.

 

• 21st-23rd June 2013: Fête de la musique in Geneva, a wonderful opportunity to enjoy free concerts in some of the city’s most beautiful spots. All musical genres will be represented, from classical to reggae, jazz and rock – there are so many events that we can’t possibly list them all here so visit the official website for full programme details. Children will also be catered to with a number of great workshops, concerts and shows devised just for them, here’s the link to the kids’ programme, don’t miss it !

 

• 21st-22nd June 2013: Festival de la BD in Carouge (place de la Sardaigne), a great event if your children love comic books as they will be able to take part in some fantastic drawing workshops for kids aged 6 to 13, meet the authors and win their weight in comic books ! See the official website for full programme details and opening times. Free entry.

 

• Saturday 22nd June 2013: Je trottine dans ma ville: “La tournée du facteur rêveur”, free guided walk for children aged 3 to 7 in Lausanne. Meet at 2pm at bus stop “Fauconnières” bus number 7 (direction Val-Vert). The walk, led by Floriane, will end at 4pm at the Parc Guillemin in Pully (stops for bus number 9 nearby). These wonderful walks are especially devised for young children and a lovely way to discover your new city, although they last 2 hours actual walking time is only 45 mins maximum. No advance booking required.

 

• Saturday 22nd June 2013: Fête Des Enfants Chancy, a lovely event for families and children from age 2 in the village of Chancy. From 10am to 9pm your little ones will have plenty to keep them occupied with the plethora of great activities planned: acrobatic circuit, theatre and story-telling, creative workshops, pony rides, inflatable castles and – as you can see from the list below – a lot more ! Entry is 15CHF and gives you access to all activities at no extra cost. All the money raised at this event will go to support the local jardin d’enfants “Les Crocolions”in Chancy.

 

• Saturday 22nd June 2013: Motel Movie for all lovers of 1950s America, don’t miss this movie night, vintage car & plane show and BBQ party at the Aérodrome de Prangins from 2pm. The car and place show will begin at 2pm, while live music will start at 5pm. Robert Mitchum’s “Thunder Road” will start at 10pm so don’t be late. Yes, rock’n’roll IS the word !

 

• 22nd-23rd June 2013: “Fête de la musique petite enfance” from 10am to 4.30pm at the Madeleine des Enfants in Geneva (16 place de la Madeleine). If you have children aged 0 to 5 years-old, don’t miss this lovely music festival where you’ll be able to try out some baby dance movements, songs and rhythm sessions, as well as familiarize your little ones with various musical instruments. A special breastfeeding and relaxation area is also available for mums with very young babies. Free entry.
  

 

 

• 22nd-23rd June 2013: Diabolo Festival at the Esplanade and Théâtre de Beausobre in Morges (VD). A fantastic festival for kids aged 2 to 10 with songs, circus shows, introduction to astronomy sessions and much more – read all about it in our previous post. Doors will open at 9.30am and the festival will begin at 10am on both days. Closing time will be 6pm on Saturday and 5pm on Sunday. Click here for ticket prices, free entry for children under the age of 2.

 

• Sunday 23rd June 2013: Jeu de familles, en famille, from 2pm to 3.30pm at the Château de Prangins. A great family day with plenty of garden related games and activities. Free entry.

 

• Sunday 23rd June 2013: UN Orchestra concert at the Victoria Hall in Geneva. This free concert will feature pieces from Verdi, Saint-Saëns, Tchaïkovski, Suppé, Mascagni, Strauss, Sarasate. The UN Orchestra will accompany the young virtuoso violinist Alexandra Conunova-Dumortier.

 

• Wednesday 26th June 2013: Chapeau les champignons! Wednesday workshops in French from age 7 at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle in Geneva (1 route de Malagnou). The workshops are free of charge and take place every Wednesday from 2pm to 4.30pm on the second floor. Your little explorers will be able to learn more about the secret and fascinating world of mushrooms and also make some great mushroom-themed crafts! The workshops run in parallel with a new exhibition organized in collaboration with the Société mycologique de Genève starting on the 14th of March until the 4th of August 2013.

 

• Thursday 27th June 2013: “Marchés Sans Puces de Nuit” at the Fonderie Kugler in Geneva (Avenue de la Jonction 19) from 5.30pm to midnight. This “flealess” market is a great, fun concept bringing together a variety of cool stalls selling vintage clothing, Swiss designer collections and many more unique finds. This is not just a place to shop though: with live music, great cocktails and The Hamburger Foundation on standby, it’s a great evening out too. If you’re a designer or a collector looking to sell your ware, click here to find out how to book a stall.

 

• Thursday 27th June 2013: Marché nocturne hebdomadaire, Coppet’s weekly farmers’ market: from 4pm tp 9pm under the beautiful arches of Place des Ormes. You’ll find organic produce, oysters, cheese, wine and delicious pâtisseries – very hard to resist!

 

• 28th-29th June 2013: Fête Lacustre at the plage de Mies in Canton Vaud. One of the area’s nicest beach parties, with plenty of delicious food, live music, DJs, beach volley and bouncy castles for the little ones. Free entry.

 

• 28th-30th June 2013: Open Day Weekend at Holmes Place in Geneva (rue du Rhône). Take advantage of some fab free classes such as Extra Zumba classes Saturday 29th at 3pm and Sunday 30th at 11.30am with Alexander; Cycling Marathon 10.30am to 12pm on Sunday with Michèle (Master Trainer) and many more. Fill in the online form to benefit from this offer & enjoy !

 

• Saturday 29th June 2013: story-time in English at the Off-the-Shelves bookshop in Geneva (15 bvd Georges Favon). The sessions start at 10.30am and take place on the last Saturday of every month – don’t miss the special discounts on kids books purchased during storuytime sessions (10am to midday).

 

• 29th-30th June 2013: Festival Gospel Air in Morges (VD). A great festival for all fans of gospel music, with over 20 groups and choirs performing live. See their official website for full details and to buy tickets.

 

 

• Sunday 30th June 2013: Family Day at the cinema Pathé Balexert in Geneva. If the weather isn’t great, this is a wonderful event for the whole family: from 10am to 5.30pm there will be rolling projections of the movie “Despicable Me 2” (both in 3D and 2D, original soundtrack and French version) as well as free face-painting, bouncy castles and more activities for children. Check the official website for full details and exact movie times. 

 

ONGOING:

• until 26th June 2013: Chapeau les champignons! Wednesday workshops in French from age 7 at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle in Geneva (1 route de Malagnou). The workshops are free of charge and take place every Wednesday from 2pm to 4.30pm on the second floor. Your little explorers will be able to learn more about the secret and fascinating world of mushrooms and also make some great mushroom-themed crafts! The workshops run in parallel with a new exhibition organized in collaboration with the Société mycologique de Genève starting on the 14th of March until the 4th of August 2013.

 

• until 30th June 2013: Fille ou garçon, ça change quoi ?, an exhibition at the Vallée de la Jeunesse in Lausanne (Vallée de la Jeunesse 1) for children aged 5 to 11. What makes boys and girls different ? An interactive, fun way to challenge and overcome our preconceptions – my eldest son visited the exhibition with his class and had a fab time, saying there were lots of interesting games to play ! Closed on Mondays, except on the 20th of May 2013, click here for more details.

 

• until 7th July 2013: Calacas Zingaro equestrian theatre at the Chapiteau Zingaro, Plaine de Plainpalais in Geneva. A spectacular, at times macabre horse-show that will leave you electrified. Performace times are 8.30pm Tuesday to Saturday and 6.30pm on Sundays, visit the official website to reserve your tickets.

 

 

• until 11th August 2013: “Roger Pfund Le multiple et le singulier” an exhibition about the Franco-Swiss painter and graphic designer Roger Pfund at the Musée d’art et d’histoire in Geneva (Rue Charles-Galland 2). Discover the fascinating world of Pfund’s designs and his use of different materials. Free entry under the age of 18 and on the first Sunday of every month.

 

• until 1st September 2013: “Ainsi font, font, font…Marionnettes d’ici et d’ailleurs”, an exhibition about string puppets and how they developed along the centuries at the Musée de Carouge (Place de Sardaigne 2). A truly fascinating exhibition for adults and children alike, open Tuesday to Sunday from 2pm to 6pm. Free entry.

 

• until September 2013: La ville est à vous returns for its 10th edition, kicking off on the 4th-5th of May in Coulouvrenière with street parties, second-hand sales and activities for children. Take a look at the official website for all upcoming weekends and join in !

 

• until 29th September 2013: Free Golf Urbain in Geneva. A 4km, 9 holes urban golf course awaits you in the city of Calvin, every day from 11am to 7pm. The starting point is at the Parc des Bastions, where equipment is to borrow free of charge. Visit the official website for full details.

 

• The exhibition “Universe of Particles” at the iconic Globe of Science and Innovation will plunge the little visitors into the fascinating world of the tiniest and biggest particles which make up our universe.From walking through luminous spheres to exploring CERN’s legendary accelerators physics has never been more engaging !Admission to “Universe of Particles” is free, from Monday to Saturday 10am-5pm at the Globe of Science and Innovation in Meyrin. Click here for the exhibition brochure.

 

• until December 2013: Indestructible énergie, an interactive exhibition about energy at the Espace des Inventions in Lausanne. The exhibition is tailored for your budding scientists and makes learning about energy fun & engaging !

 

• The new permanent exhibition “Noblesse Oblige” at Prangins Castle is a great day-out for the whole family, take a step back in time with your children to see how a noble Swiss family lived in the 18th century! Find out more about this fantastic family exhibition in our previous post.