Open air theatres in the Bern Region

The Lake Thun Festival impressively shows just how popular open-air performances are: since its founding in 2003, it has already delighted more than 900,000 visitors. From 8 July to 22 August 2026, the lake stage in Thun will once again become a setting for great emotions. Against the backdrop of Lake Thun, the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, music, theatre and landscape come together to create a truly special experience. It is not without reason that the organisers call their stage the most beautiful lake stage in Europe. After musical successes such as Cats, West Side Story, Mamma Mia! and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, another international classic, Grease, will be on the programme in 2026.

The Theater Gurten in Bern is an open-air theatre with a strong local character. Surrounded by greenery on the Gurten, Bern’s local mountain, it stages entertaining productions in Bernese German. Productions such as Dällebach Kari, Einstein, Der Scharlatan and many more make the theatre a special cultural experience with Bernese charm. Since 2002, more than 200,000 people have attended its productions, and in summer 2026 the theatre will bid farewell to the Gurten with «So viu Läbe». The final performance can be seen between 24 June and 29 August 2026, lasts around 100 minutes and is played without an interval.

The Tellspiele Interlaken, inspired by Swiss national hero William Tell, bring historic Switzerland to life and reinterpret the play every year. The performances take place from 25 July to 5 September 2026. Landschaftstheater Ballenberg is another highlight in the region’s summer cultural programme, running from 1 July to 15 August 2026. Meanwhile, Freilichtspiele Moosegg present productions deeply rooted in the Emmental and take place from 2 July to 15 August 2026. Finally, Gürbetal Summer Theatre offers inspiring contrasts, with a modern stage design providing the setting for captivating performances.