Candle dipping in Switzerland 2026: 52 venues — and the last wax vat goes cold only on 3 January 2027
Candle dipping is not an evening but a window: it opens and closes, and almost every venue has its own. The first and the last dipping day of this season are 103 calendar days apart — and not one venue is open throughout. We checked 58 Swiss venues one by one on the organiser's own page: run, opening hours, wax price, minimum age, school-class blackout slots. 52 of them have already fixed their 2026 run.
🗓️ When can you dip candles in Switzerland in 2026?
The verified Swiss venues for 2026 run from 23 September 2026 to 3 January 2027. There is no common start or end date — the span is 103 calendar days.
“Candle dipping is in Advent” is the convenient half-truth that ruins most family outings. The earliest date in this calendar does not even fall in winter: 23 September 2026 in Stans. At the Veltheim community centre in Winterthur the wax vat is warm from 2 November — almost four weeks before the first Sunday of Advent. The last one goes out on 3 January 2027, on top of the Uetliberg, in the middle of the New Year days. In between, there are 103 calendar days on which something is constantly starting and ending. Anyone planning with children therefore needs not a date but a run — plus the opening hours for the chosen weekday, because most venues open only a few days a week. That is exactly what we read at each organiser. The rest of the dark season sits alongside: before it, the turnip lantern parades; at the same time, the Christmas markets.
For every calendar day of the season we counted how many of the venues in the calendar run at the same time. The result is the ConvivaPlus wax window: on 2 December 2026, 28 of 52 venues are open simultaneously — more than on any other day of the season. On the first day of the season it was exactly one. This curve can only be computed if you hold the start AND the end for every venue; a directory of single dates cannot produce it. And it destroys the most comfortable error in Advent planning, namely that choice grows as Christmas approaches: Kerzenziehen auf dem Uetliberg (UTO KULM) in Zürich does run for 58 days — but 45 of the 52 venues have already gone cold before 20 December.
🕯️ The ConvivaPlus candle-dipping calendar
Every venue in one list — with a run instead of a single date, filterable by canton and weekday, and fixed dates only at a click.
Exactly what a search engine cannot deliver in its results: not one venue, but all of them side by side — with start and end, published opening hours, wax prices, age limits and the link to the page on which we read the run.
- Start
- 13:30–16:45
- Opening hours
- Three fixed one-hour slots: 13:30–14:30, 14:40–15:40 or 15:45–16:45. You book one of them, not the whole afternoon.
- Meeting point
- Schulhaus Tellenmatt, 6370 Stans
- Organiser
- Frauen Gemeinschaft Stans
The earliest candle dipping in the entire calendar — and the only one in September, on a Wednesday afternoon, well before Advent. It is also the only one advertised expressly for children without an adult: from age 5, on their own, for one booked hour — everywhere else the organiser requires an accompanying adult.
Good to know- For children from age 5, unaccompanied. Cost CHF 6.00 per child and slot — the only session in this calendar charging a participation fee rather than a wax price; everywhere else you pay by weight or per candle. Registration is required; places are limited.
- A regional event calendar lists the same event at «Schulzentrum Turmatt». The organiser itself writes «Schulhaus Tellenmatt» — we follow the organiser.
Source: fgstans.ch · checked on 20 October 2026
- Start
- 14:00–18:00
- Opening hours
- Wed 21 Oct, Sat 24 Oct and Sun 25 Oct, 14:00–18:00 each day
- Meeting point
- Jugendkeller Kirchgemeindehaus, Gerichtshausstrasse 55, 8750 Glarus
- Organiser
- Gestaltungspädagogin Fabia Hadorn mit Team, in Zusammenarbeit mit der Evangelisch-reformierten Kirchgemeinde Glarus-Riedern
It is not the parish that dips candles here but a design educator with her own team — the parish provides the room and backs the event. She is thus the only individual named as the holder of a candle-dipping event in this calendar — everywhere else the field carries a parish, an association, a centre or a company.
Good to know- The three dates have been in the parish agenda since 18.09.2026 («Bereitgestellt: 18.09.2026») — a good four weeks earlier than the 2022 edition went online (14 October).
- Price CHF 3.00 per 100 g of candle; according to the announcement the Glarus-Riedern parish covers a substantial part of the material costs so that candle dipping is open to everyone. Bring boxes to carry the candles home.
- Children under 12 with an accompanying adult, no registration needed, refreshment corner with cake, fruit, coffee, syrup and tea. Extra dates can be reserved for closed groups and school classes.
Source: reformiert-glarus.ch · checked on 19 October 2026
- Monday, 2 – 12 November 202611 daysWinterthur · VeltheimZHKerzenziehen Winterthur Veltheim✓Open page
- Start
- 16:00–19:00
- Opening hours
- Mon, Tue, Thu 16:00–19:00 · Wed and Fri 14:00–20:00 · Sat and Sun 10:00–16:00
- Meeting point
- Quartierzentrum Veltheim, Bachtelstrasse 71, 8400 Winterthur
- Organiser
- Unabhängige Freiwilligengruppe unter dem Patronat des Ortsverein Veltheim
The earliest multi-day candle-dipping event in the whole calendar: the first wax pot here is warm on 2 November — before a single Christmas market in Switzerland has been set up.
Good to know- On Thursday 12.11 the organiser states there is «only candle dipping for schools» — the last public day is 11 November.
- Mornings as well as Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons until 16:00 are reserved for school classes.
- Prices: beeswax CHF 4.60/100 g, coloured wax (paraffin/stearin) CHF 4.20/100 g.
- No registration needed for individuals. Maximum occupancy 30 people at a time; when busy, a limit of 2 candles per person applies.
- Schools from Veltheim have priority when registering.
Everything on Winterthur · Veltheim →
Source: kerzenziehen-veltheim.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
- Start
- 15:00–20:00
- Opening hours
- Tuesday to Friday 15:00–20:00 · Wednesday from 14:45 · Saturday and Sunday 10:00–18:00
- Meeting point
- Foyer der Hofmatt, 6315 Oberägeri
- Organiser
- Jufrii Oberägeri
The association advertises its candle dipping as a fixture, not a single date: «Das jährlich vom Verein organisierte Kerzenziehen findet jeweils im November statt.» Accordingly the six days of 2026 were set as early as September — and Oberägeri was thus, until early October, the only Zug entry in this calendar with a confirmed date for 2026.
Source: jufrii.ch · checked on 19 October 2026
- Meeting point
- Exagon AG, Räffelstrasse 10, 8045 Zürich
- Organiser
- Exagon AG / Kerzenwerk
The earliest opening day in the city of Zurich — the first wax pot here is warm ten days before the Zurich candle dipping on Hechtplatz. (In the canton, Winterthur-Veltheim opens two days earlier.) And it is the only place in the calendar with a «candle cloakroom»: unfinished candles are hung up and completed on another day.
Good to know- For 2026 the organiser publishes only the opening day («The next candle dipping will be open again from 4 November 2026») — no end date and no daily opening hours. We do not write down an ending that is stated nowhere.
- Published prices: coloured candles CHF 3.80/100 g, beeswax CHF 4.80/100 g, white blanks for over-dipping CHF 4.00/100 g. Wick CHF 1.50 (deducted again from the finished candle, except for multi-wick candles).
- Minimum price CHF 3.00 per candle.
- The self-service café Franzl in the gallery serves home-made specialities.
Source: kerzenwerk.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
- Start
- 12:00–20:00
- Opening hours
- SAT 12:00–20:00 · SUN 10:00–18:00 · Public holidays: 24 December 10:00–17:00, 25 December 10:00–17:00, 31 December 10:00–17:00, 1 January 12:00–20:00
- Meeting point
- Hotel UTO KULM, Uetliberg, Räume «Foresto» / «Legno», 8143 Uetliberg
- Food and drink
- Das Kerzenziehen lässt sich als Gruppenanlass mit einem Weihnachtsessen im Hotel kombinieren.
- Organiser
- UTO KULM AG
The only event in the calendar that runs past New Year: it starts on 7 November and only ends on 3 January 2027 — at a point when, everywhere else in the calendar, no wax pot has been warm for a fortnight.
Good to know- Open only at weekends (plus the public holidays listed) — anyone arriving on a weekday finds the door shut.
- The price is CHF 5.50 per 100 grams including the wick.
- Book a 45-minute slot via the online form; a candle typically takes 20 to 30 minutes.
- Groups of 31 or more go through the banqueting team, not the form.
Everything on Zurich · Uetliberg →
Source: utokulm.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
- Start
- 11:00–20:00
- Opening hours
- Sat 07.11 and Sun 08.11 11:00–20:00 · Mon–Fri 09.–13.11 13:30–20:00 · Sat 14.11 11:00–20:00 · Sun 15.11 11:00–17:00
- Meeting point
- Bertschikerstrasse 6, 8625 Gossau ZH
- Organiser
- Viva Kirche Gossau
Nine days in a row until 20:00, including all the weekdays in between — Gossau has the densest evening coverage of the early November week.
Good to know- According to the organiser, the proceeds go entirely to charitable projects.
- Prices are not published on the organiser's website.
Source: vivakirche-gossau.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
- Start
- 14:00–18:00
- Opening hours
- Monday to Friday 14:00–18:00 · Wednesday also 18:00–20:00 · Saturday and Sunday 13:00–18:00
- Meeting point
- Kirchgemeindehaus, Zentralstrasse 40, 8610 Uster
- Organiser
- Evangelisch-reformierte Kirche Uster
Uster has two independent candle-dipping offerings — the Neuwies church and this one. This one also dips for the market: the team makes beeswax candles for sale at the UsterMärt on 26 and 27 November 2026.
Good to know- From 2 to 7 November 2026 the dipping is reserved for schools (fully booked). Open to the public from Saturday 7 November, every day until Saturday 21 November.
- Coloured candles and candles of 60 % beeswax are dipped; decorate on your own or with help. Next to it a story tent: Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons 14:00–17:00, stories at 15:00 and 16:00.
Everything on Uster · Kirchgemeindehaus Zentralstrasse →
Source: refuster.ch · checked on 5 October 2026
- Start
- 12:00–18:30
- Opening hours
- Sun 08.11 12:00–18:30 · Wed 11.11 14:00–18:30 · Fri 13.11 18:00–22:00 · Sat 14.11 12:00–18:30 · Sun 15.11 12:00–18:30 · Wed 18.11 14:00–18:30 · Fri 20.11 18:00–22:00 · Sat 21.11 12:00–18:30 · Sun 22.11 12:00–15:30
- Meeting point
- Kirche Neuwies, Neuwiesenstrasse 10, 8610 Uster
- Organiser
- Kirche Neuwies Uster
Two Friday evenings until 22:00 — the latest dipping time confirmed for 2026 in this calendar, and the only place to offer it twice (the Guthirt youth centre in Zurich-Wipkingen reaches it on a single evening; the Schaffhausen dipping ran until 22:30 in 2025 but has not yet published its 2026 hours). Anyone who only has time after work finds a window here that barely exists anywhere else.
Good to know- Prices: paraffin wax CHF 3.60/100 g, beeswax CHF 4.60/100 g.
- Nine dipping days across two weekends — in between it is not open continuously.
Everything on Uster · Neuwies →
Source: kirche-neuwies.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
- Start
- 14:00–21:00
- Opening hours
- Daily 14:00-21:00 · on Wednesday 2 December only until 18:00
- Meeting point
- Begegnungsort VIVA, Rheinstrasse 46, 8500 Frauenfeld
- Organiser
- Evangelische Kirchgemeinde Frauenfeld und Katholische Kirchgemeinde FrauenfeldPLUS
23 days in a row, each of them open for seven hours — and ecumenically so: the Protestant and Catholic parishes run the same room together. Four stations, three with paraffin and one with beeswax, plus white blanks to dip in colour.
Good to know- Open from kindergarten age, i.e. from 4 years; children accompanied by an adult.
- Groups of 10 or more can book on selected mornings. During regular opening hours no reservations are possible, according to the organiser.
- The net proceeds go to charitable organisations; in 2026 the beneficiaries are Stiftung Wunderlampe and Stiftung Sonnenhalde Münchwilen.
Source: evang-frauenfeld.ch · checked on 11 September 2026
- Start
- 13:30–17:30
- Opening hours
- Mon–Fri 13:30–17:30 · Sat and Sun 10:00–17:30
- Meeting point
- Zelt im Klus Park, Asylstrasse 130, 8032 Zürich
- Organiser
- Verein Quartierleben Hottingen mit dem GZ Hottingen und dem Gesundheitszentrum für das Alter Klus Park
Good to know- The dipping takes place in the tent in Klus Park, on the grounds of the health centre for older people — not in the community centre itself. Free entry; you pay for the weight of the finished candle.
- Children from age 4, only under adult supervision. School classes and groups reserve slots (8:00–12:00 and 13:30–15:30).
Everything on Zurich · Hottingen →
Source: kerzenziehen-hottingen.ch · checked on 19 October 2026
- Meeting point
- Schlossstrasse 5, 3110 Münsingen
- Organiser
- Verein Schlossstrasse 5
The dipping takes place in a workshop and community house with open studios, a wood workshop and a Repair Café — and the association expressly takes bookings from school classes outside opening hours.
Good to know- The association has not yet published daily hours or prices for 2026 (as of 05.10.2026); the page lists the run as a «preview».
Source: schlossstrasse5.ch · checked on 5 October 2026
- Start
- 13:00–19:00
- Opening hours
- By booking only, in 2-hour slots: Wednesday 11 Nov 13:00–19:00 · Thursday 12 Nov and Friday 13 Nov 08:00–12:00 and 13:00–19:00 · Saturday 14 Nov 09:00–17:00 · Sunday 15 Nov 10:00–16:00 · Monday 16 Nov and Tuesday 17 Nov 13:00–19:00 · Wednesday 18 Nov 13:00–17:00
- Meeting point
- Gewächshaus der Gartenbauschule Hünibach, Chartreusestrasse, 3626 Hünibach
- Organiser
- Kerzenziehen Hünibach
Candles are dipped in the greenhouse of the Hünibach horticultural school — for the second time in 2026 — and by booking only: two-hour slots with seven places each for those dipping.
Good to know- Priced by weight: candles CHF 31.– per kilo; floating candles, tealights and torches at unit prices. Cash or Twint. Children aged 5 to 8 accompanied; bring a cloth and a transport box.
- Parking is very limited along Chartreusestrasse.
Everything on Hilterfingen · Hünibach →
Source: kerzenziehen-huenibach.ch · checked on 5 October 2026
- Start
- 18:00–22:00
- Opening hours
- Fri 13.11 18:00–22:00 · Sat 14.11 14:00–21:00 · Sun 15.11 13:00–18:00
- Meeting point
- Jugendraum unter der Kirche Guthirt, Guthirtstrasse 3–7, 8037 Zürich
- Food and drink
- Gemütliches Kafistübli — auch für Leute, die nur einen Halt einschalten wollen.
- Organiser
- Pfarrei Guthirt Zürich
Three days, one weekend, and the wax pot is cold again: together with Bülach the shortest multi-day dipping window in the calendar. Shorter still is only the single evening in Pfäffikon SZ. The sales proceeds go to local charitable institutions.
Good to know- The event is organised by volunteers.
- The parish publishes exactly these three dates; no further days are announced for 2026.
Everything on Zurich · Wipkingen →
Source: guthirt.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
- Start
- 10:00–20:00
- Opening hours
- Sunday to Thursday 10:00 to 20:00 · Friday and Saturday 10:00 to 21:00
- Meeting point
- Hechtplatz, 8001 Zürich
- Food and drink
- Wer eine dicke Kerze zieht, bleibt lange: der Veranstalter rechnet mit Stunden, nicht mit Minuten.
- Organiser
- Stiftung Zürcher Kerzenziehen / Zürcher Eingliederung
The oldest public candle-dipping event in Switzerland: first held in 1969, in 2026 for the 58th time — and it is no longer where a whole generation looks for it. The organiser writes that it «takes place on Hechtplatz again»; Bürkliplatz, with which the event was equated for decades, is no longer the venue.
Good to know- School classes and groups can book Monday to Friday between 8:00 and 10:00, that is before the public opening. The organiser says it is «largely booked out» as a result.
- Groups without a reserved morning slot can come from 10:00 — but then share the marquee with other visitors.
- The number 044 211 26 00 is only in service from 14 November; before that, call 044 388 49 03.
- The net proceeds historically went to social institutions; the seed capital of Zürcher Eingliederung came from this event.
Everything on Zurich · Hechtplatz →
Source: zuercherkerzenziehen.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
- Meeting point
- VFK-Räume im Untergeschoss des Zentrum Schluefweg, Schluefweg 10, 8302 Kloten
- Organiser
- Vereinigung Freizeit Kloten (VFK)
Kloten dips its candles in the basement of a sports and leisure centre — no marquee, no church cellar, but two course rooms beneath the indoor pool.
Good to know- For 2026 the organiser so far publishes only the outer dates «Sat 14.11.2026 10:00 – Wed 02.12.2026 18:00». Day-by-day opening hours for 2026 were not yet announced as of 08.09.2026 — so we do not copy last year's.
- Target audience according to the listing: «young and old».
Source: vfk-kloten.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
This date comes from an events portal, not from the organiser itself.
- Start
- 13:30–17:30
- Opening hours
- Wed 13:30–17:30 · Thu 15:15–17:30 (parent and child) · Fri 17:00–21:00 (experimenting with wax, from age 14) · Sat and Sun 13:30–17:30
- Meeting point
- Freizeitanlage Chrüzacher, Holzmattstrasse 6, 8953 Dietikon
- Organiser
- Freizeitanlage Chrüzacher
Dietikon separates its audiences cleanly: Thursday belongs to parents with small children (3 to 7), Friday evening to adults and teenagers from 14 who want to experiment with wax.
Good to know- as of 08.09.2026 the Chrüzacher leisure centre does not list the dates on its own website; we read them directly in the regional Limmatstadt events calendar (not in a search-result summary). That is one step further from the organiser than every other entry on this list — a phone call before travelling is worth it.
- Parent-and-child candle dipping (ages 3 to 7): Thursdays 19 and 26 November and 3 and 10 December 2026, 15:15–17:30.
- «Experimenting with wax» (from age 14): Fridays 20 and 27 November and 4 and 11 December 2026, 17:00–21:00.
Source: limmatstadt.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
- Start
- 14:00–17:15
- Opening hours
- Tue 19:00–21:30 · Wed–Fri 14:00–17:15 and 19:00–21:30 · Sat 14:00–16:30 · Sun 12:00–15:30 (closed Mondays)
- Meeting point
- GZ Bachwiesen, Werkräume/Atelier, Bachwiesenstrasse 40, 8047 Zürich
- Organiser
- GZ Bachwiesen, Atelier
A published capacity limit: 50 people at a time — Winterthur-Veltheim states 30. Anyone coming on a Sunday afternoon may, the organiser says, have to wait.
Good to know- For safety reasons, children under 5 are not admitted to candle dipping; children under 7 only with an adult. For the youngest there is instead the «candle workshop for minis» on Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 December 2026, 09:00–11:30.
- Prices: paraffin CHF 4.–/100 g, beeswax CHF 5.–/100 g.
- No registration needed; large groups and after-school clubs are asked to register. Bring your own carrier bags.
- ⚠️ Caveat about the final day: the community centre's date list is capped at 25 entries and visibly ends on 4 December 2026. Its running text names «Sun 13 Dec.» as the end — with a leftover year «25», while all the weekdays fit 2026. We list 13 December as the final day and recommend checking with the centre about the last week.
Everything on Zurich · Bachwiesen →
Source: gz-zh.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
- Start
- 14:00–17:30
- Opening hours
- Tuesday and Thursday 14:00–17:30 and 19:00–21:00 · Wednesday 14:00–17:00 · Friday 14:00–17:30 · Saturday and Sunday 14:00–16:30 · closed on Monday
- Meeting point
- GZ Loogarten, 8048 Zürich
- Organiser
- GZ Loogarten
Good to know- Priced by weight: coloured wax CHF 4.–, beeswax CHF 5.– per 100 g; a CHF 5.– deposit (cash only) is due when you collect the wick and is deducted at the till. No booking, room for 50 people — expect waits. Children under 4 are not admitted, under 7 only accompanied.
- Mind the spelling: the centre is called «Loogarten», not «Loorgarten» — with the wrong spelling you find neither the house nor the offering.
Everything on Zurich · Loogarten →
Source: gz-zh.ch · checked on 5 October 2026
- Start
- 14:00–17:30
- Opening hours
- Tue–Fri 14:00–17:30 · Sat 10:00–16:00 · Sun 13:00–17:00 · closed Mondays · additionally Fri 27 Nov 18:00–20:00 (Open Friday) and Wed 2 Dec 18:00–21:00 (18+)
- Meeting point
- GZ Leimbach, Kursraum, Leimbachstrasse 200, 8041 Zürich
- Organiser
- GZ Leimbach
Good to know- Priced by weight: paraffin CHF 4.00, beeswax CHF 6.00 per 100 g.
- Mornings are reserved for schools; afternoons and weekends are open to the public without registration. On Thursdays step stools are available for toddlers. Pre-school children only with an accompanying adult.
- On 4 and 5 December the centre also offers candle pouring — with registration, separate from the public dipping.
Everything on Zurich · Leimbach →
Source: gz-zh.ch · checked on 19 October 2026
- Start
- 14:00–17:30
- Opening hours
- Wed and Fri 14:00–17:30 · Thu 16:00–19:00 · Sat and Sun 13:00–17:00 · additionally Fri 27.11 19:00–21:00 (adults)
- Meeting point
- Lettenkirche, Imfeldstrasse 51, 8037 Zürich
- Food and drink
- Selbstbedienungskafi mit Getränken und Knabbereien.
- Organiser
- GZ Schindlergut in Kooperation mit der reformierten Kirche Kirchenkreis 6
On Friday 27 November from 19:00 to 21:00, adults dip candles with a glass of sparkling wine and live music — the only candle-dipping evening in the calendar with a musical programme.
Good to know- Suitable for children from age 4 — the lowest published age limit in the Zurich calendar.
- Price: by weight, at least CHF 4.00 per candle.
- No registration needed (applies to the public dipping only); the remaining time slots are reserved for school classes.
- The candle dipping does not take place in the community centre itself, but in the Lettenkirche.
Everything on Zurich · Letten →
Source: gz-zh.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
- Start
- 12:00–18:30
- Opening hours
- Monday–Friday 12:00–18:30 · Saturday and Sunday 10:00–18:30 · on Sunday 20 December closing already at 17:00
- Meeting point
- Sempacherplatz (Vögeligärtli), 6003 Luzern
- Food and drink
- Der Verein rechnet mit mindestens zwei Stunden pro Besuch; angefangene Kerzen lassen sich im Pavillon kostenlos zwischenlagern und an einem anderen Tag fertigziehen.
- Organiser
- Verein Luzerner Kerzenziehen
The largest quantity of wax in the calendar: over five weeks, more than 1,500 kg of beeswax is turned into candles in three linked containers at 8 wax pots. Running since 1978.
Good to know- Only beeswax is dipped here — no coloured paraffin.
- The proceeds go to projects for people with disabilities, to holiday camps, shared housing and mobility.
- Registration is required for groups of 8 or more; opening hours can then be adjusted.
Everything on Lucerne · Vögeligärtli →
Source: luzernerkerzenziehen.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
- Start
- 14:00–17:00
- Opening hours
- Wed 18.11 14:00–17:00 · Sat 21.11 10:00–17:00 · Sun 22.11 10:00–17:00 · Wed 25.11 14:00–17:00 · Sat 28.11 10:00–17:00 · Sun 29.11 10:00–17:00 · Wed 02.12 14:00–17:00
- Meeting point
- Tommasini, 5600 Lenzburg
- Food and drink
- Das Kafi Tomm bietet an allen öffentlichen Kerzenzieh-Terminen Getränke, Kuchen, Snacks oder Suppe.
- Organiser
- Elternverein Lenzburg
The only place in the calendar where adults can cast wax lanterns in the evening instead of dipping candles — in addition to the classic offering.
Good to know- Public opening only on Wednesday afternoons and at weekends — seven published dates.
- The adult evenings (Thursday/Friday, wax-lantern casting and candle dipping) are «in the calendar» according to the organiser and carry no dates on the offering page. We therefore list only the published public afternoons.
- Besides school classes, clubs, teams and groups can also book the offering.
Source: elternverein-lenzburg.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
- Meeting point
- Life Hall, Schweizersbildstrasse 41, 8207 Schaffhausen
- Organiser
- Kerzenziehen Schaffhausen (Royal Rangers Schaffhausen und Life Church Schaffhausen)
Dipping is not all that happens here: there are torches and fire pots outdoors, gel candles in a glass, bowls made from recycled wax, beeswax wraps and amaryllis dipped in wax. It is run jointly by the Royal Rangers and Life Church, not by a parish.
Good to know- For 2026 the confirmed period is 18 to 29 November. The opening hours and price list on the same site still carried the 2025 figures as of 11 September 2026 — we do not carry them forward.
- Published structure of the 2025 edition, no guarantee for 2026: Wednesday and Friday afternoon 14:00-18:00, Friday evening from age 16 19:00-22:30, Saturday and Sunday 10:00-18:00. On Friday evening a raclette meal was additionally offered in 2025.
Source: kerzenziehensh.ch · checked on 11 September 2026
- Meeting point
- Kirchgemeindehaus Marien, Untergeschoss, Wylerstrasse 26, 3014 Bern
- Organiser
- Reformierte Kirchgemeinde Bern-Nord und Katholische Pfarrei St. Marien
The lowest published wax price in the whole calendar: CHF 3.– per 100 grams — level with the Stephanus parish house in Basel, which charges the same for coloured stearin.
Good to know- As of 08.09.2026 the organiser publishes the period and the price, but not yet any opening hours («a flyer with opening hours and further details will follow»).
- Mind the address: the event is not held in the Markuskirche, but in the Marien parish house at Wylerstrasse 26.
Everything on Bern · Wylerquartier →
Source: kirchen-nordquartier-bern.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
- Start
- 10:00–20:00
- Opening hours
- Mon–Fri 10:00–20:00 · Sat/Sun 10:00–18:00 · doors open on Friday 20 November at 14:00 · final day Saturday 5 December until 18:00
- Meeting point
- Jurte auf dem Bahnhofplatz Baden, 5400 Baden
- Organiser
- Verein Kerzenziehen Baden
Dipping takes place in a yurt on the station square — and over more than 50 years the association has raised over two million francs for projects for people with disabilities, including CHF 700,000 for the new zeka centre in Baden-Dättwil.
Good to know- Dipping is done exclusively with beeswax.
- No prior knowledge needed, no registration for individual visitors — «just drop by spontaneously».
- Finished hand-dipped beeswax candles can also be bought at the stand.
- The association works entirely on a voluntary basis; donations are possible on site or via TWINT.
Everything on Baden · Bahnhofplatz →
Source: kerzenziehen-baden.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
- Start
- 12:00–18:00
- Opening hours
- Sat/Sun 12:00–18:00 · Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 16:00–18:00 · Wed 13:30–18:00 (published daily calendar, 16 opening days)
- Meeting point
- GZ Oerlikon, Aktionsraum EG
- Organiser
- GZ Oerlikon in Kooperation mit der Reformierten Kirche Zürich Kirchenkreis zwölf und der Katholischen Kirchgemeinde Herz-Jesu
A coloured children's candle costs «around 5 francs» here for an hour of dipping — the community centre charges by time, not by weight.
Good to know- Monday to Friday 08:00–12:00 as well as Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 14:00–15:30 are reserved for school classes and, according to the organiser, already fully booked.
- The registration list for school classes goes online on Tuesday 20 October at 12:30.
- Groups are asked to register in advance.
Everything on Zurich · Oerlikon →
Source: gz-zh.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
- Start
- 14:00–17:30
- Opening hours
- On all published days 14:00–17:30 (Wednesday to Sunday, with gaps — see the notes)
- Meeting point
- Kirchgemeindezentrum St. Franziskus, Kilchbergstrasse 1 (Eingang Albisstrasse), Foyer, 8038 Zürich
- Food and drink
- Getränke und Kuchen aus dem Bistro.
- Organiser
- GZ Wollishofen in Kooperation mit der Kirche St. Franziskus
In 2026 it moves for the first time into the foyer of the St. Franziskus parish centre — anyone with the old address in mind ends up in the wrong place.
Good to know- The centre has changed its calendar: as of 19.10.2026 the daily calendar lists 13 opening days from 21 November to 12 December (previously 18 from 14 November), 14:00–17:30 each. Among other days it is closed from 27 November to 1 December; on 28 and 29 November you can dip candles at the Wollishofen Christmas market instead.
- Besides paraffin in all colours, beeswax is available too.
- No KulturLegi discount on material costs.
Everything on Zurich · Wollishofen →
Source: gz-zh.ch · checked on 19 October 2026
- Start
- 14:00–18:00
- Opening hours
- Saturday to Monday 14:00–18:00 · Tuesday 14:00–19:00 · Wednesday 14:00–18:00
- Meeting point
- Thomaskirche Liebefeld, grosser Saal, Buchenweg 21, 3097 Liebefeld
- Organiser
- Evangelisch-reformierte Kirchgemeinde Köniz, Kirchenkreis Mitte
Five days of beeswax in the large hall of the Thomaskirche, CHF 3.50 per 100 grams — and the proceeds are donated.
Good to know- On Sunday 22 November there is a craft activity for children in the workshop (14:00–15:00 and 15:30–17:00); on Wednesday 25 November at 16:00 a Christmas story in the children's corner.
Everything on Köniz · Liebefeld →
Source: kg-koeniz.ch · checked on 5 October 2026
- Opening hours
- Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The exact daily hours are published by the organiser via poster and agenda; they were not yet fixed as of 11 September 2026.
- Meeting point
- Jugendhaus Chur, Gäuggelistrasse 10, 7001 Chur
- Organiser
- Kinder- und Jugendarbeit Chur
The guidance here does not come from adults but from young people of Chur: for three weeks they stand at the wax pots as experts and answer questions. The candle dipping is therefore also what it produces — a youth-work project open to the public.
Good to know- For school and kindergarten classes there are slots outside the public hours. Registration runs through an online form and opens, according to the organiser, on 1 October 2026 at 15:00.
- For clubs, companies or private groups the organiser expressly offers no exclusive slots — they are welcome during regular opening hours.
Source: jugendarbeitchur.ch · checked on 19 October 2026
- Meeting point
- Gemeindehaus Stephanus, Furkastrasse 12, 4055 Basel
- Organiser
- Reformierte Kirchgemeinde Basel West
The lowest published price for coloured wax: stearin candles at CHF 3.– per 100 grams — the same floor as the Marien parish house in Bern.
Good to know- Prices: coloured stearin candles CHF 3.–/100 g, beeswax candles CHF 4.50/100 g.
- The parish publishes the four days but no times. School classes and groups by prior registration with Brigitt Küng, tel. 061 301 65 45.
Everything on Basel · Gemeindehaus Stephanus →
Source: erk-bs.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
- Start
- 14:00
- Opening hours
- Tue 24.11 14:00 · Wed 25.11 14:00 · Thu 26.11 14:00 · Fri 27.11 14:00 · Sat 28.11 11:00 · Sun 29.11 11:00 — only the start is published, not the closing time.
- Meeting point
- Reformierte Stadtkirche Solothurn, Westringstrasse 14, 4500 Solothurn
- Organiser
- Reformierte Kirchgemeinde Solothurn
Six days in a row, and the start time shifts with the weekend: Tuesday to Friday it begins at 14:00, Saturday and Sunday already at 11:00. Beeswax is used, and in 2026 the event is back inside the church itself.
Good to know- Only the start of each day is published, not a closing time — if you come late, call ahead.
- Contact, per the organiser, by text message only: 079 713 58 78.
Source: reformiert-solothurn.ch · checked on 11 September 2026
- Start
- 11:00–20:30
- Opening hours
- daily 11:00–20:30 · on 23.12.2026 only until 20:00
- Meeting point
- Barfüsserplatz, 4051 Basel
- Organiser
- Kanton Basel-Stadt, Aussenbeziehungen und Standortmarketing
The event with the latest final day before Christmas: on 23 December, this is the only place in the entire calendar where you can still dip a candle — the Uetliberg does run longer, but only at weekends. It is possible because the dipping here hangs on a Christmas market rather than on a volunteer team.
Good to know- The candle dipping is an offering within the Christmas market; what is published are the market hours, not separate dipping times or prices.
- Basel's Christmas market was voted Europe's best Christmas market by «European Best Destinations» in 2021 and awarded «Excellent European Christmas Market» in 2026.
Everything on Basel · Barfüsserplatz →
Source: bs.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
- Start
- 13:30–19:00
- Opening hours
- Mon–Fri 13:30–19:00 · Sat/Sun 11:00–19:00 (lumberjack bar daily 11:00–20:30)
- Meeting point
- Münsterplatz, 4051 Basel
- Organiser
- Verein Robi-Spiel-Aktionen
Candle dipping is only one of several craft stations here: in the «Märchenwald» there is also tin casting, gingerbread decorating and blacksmithing, and the puppet theatre plays a Christmas story.
Good to know- What is published are the Märchenwald's opening hours, not separate candle-dipping times or prices.
- The Märchenwald closes one day before the Christmas market on Barfüsserplatz.
Everything on Basel · Münsterplatz →
Source: bs.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
- Meeting point
- Rathausbögen, Altstadt Bülach
- Organiser
- Stadt Bülach / Weihnachtsmarkt Bülach
Bülach no longer has a standalone candle dipping, but one under the town hall arcades — embedded in the Christmas market and therefore tied to its three days.
Good to know- Only the market dates are published (27–29 November 2026), together with the sentence «Under the town hall arcades you can dip candles». Separate dipping times, prices or an organiser of the dipping were not announced as of 08.09.2026.
Source: buelach.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
- Start
- 11:00–18:00
- Opening hours
- Monday–Thursday 11:00–18:00 · Friday 11:00–21:00 · Saturday/Sunday 10:00–18:00
- Meeting point
- Markthalle Aarau, Färbergässli, 5000 Aarau
- Organiser
- insieme Aarau-Lenzburg
The 50th edition. Half a century carried by a single association — insieme Aarau-Lenzburg funds its holiday and leisure programme for people with a cognitive disability from it.
Good to know- Beeswax price per 100 g: school classes CHF 4.00, other visitors CHF 4.50.
- ⚠️ The opening line on the organiser's site still carries a date from last year. The published 2026 period (27.11–13.12) and the recurring weekday hours are unaffected; for the opening Friday it is worth checking.
- The organiser recommends coming on foot, by PubliBike or by public transport; by car, the Kasino, City-Märt or Kaserne car parks.
Source: insieme-aarau-lenzburg.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
- Start
- 10:00–17:00
- Opening hours
- Friday 15:15–21:00 · Saturday 10:00–17:00 · Sunday 10:45–17:00
- Meeting point
- Calvinhaus, Allschwil
- Food and drink
- Kleines Angebot an Kaffee, Tee und Kuchen.
- Organiser
- Freiwillige der Evangelisch-reformierten Kirchgemeinde Allschwil-Schönenbuch
For the impatient: alongside classic dipping, blanks are ready that only need colouring.
Good to know- The parish lists the three days without a year («Freitag 27 November · Samstag 28 November · Sonntag 29 November»). 27 November is a Friday only in 2026, and the weekend is exactly the «weekend of the first Sunday of Advent» it publishes as its rule — hence the date is listed as confirmed.
- Coloured candles and beeswax candles can be dipped; the offering is aimed at school classes and the general public.
Source: refallschwil.ch · checked on 5 October 2026
- Start
- 12:00–18:00
- Opening hours
- Monday to Friday 12:00–18:00 · Saturday and Sunday 11:00–17:00 · schools from middle level Monday to Friday 09:00–12:00 by booking
- Meeting point
- Gallusstrasse 16, 9000 St. Gallen
- Organiser
- Katholisches Dom Zentrum mit der Jugendarbeit und der reformierten Cityseelsorge
After 35 years, Cevi St. Gallen has handed over the candle-dipping marquee: it is now run by the Catholic Dom Zentrum together with the youth ministry and the Reformed city chaplaincy — and it no longer stands by the station, but on Gallusstrasse as part of the Sternenmarkt.
Good to know- The 2026 edition is now published by the Catholic Church of St. Gallen itself; the old Cevi page still shows the 2025 dates. Groups by booking only.
- Candles are dipped in 60 % beeswax, charged at CHF 5.– per 100 g. Groups by booking only; schools from middle level Monday to Friday 09:00–12:00.
- Anyone searching for the «Cevi candle dipping by the station» is searching for an event that no longer exists under that organisation or in that place.
Everything on St. Gallen · Gallusstrasse →
Source: kathsg.ch · checked on 5 October 2026
- Meeting point
- Kirchgemeindehaus, Bahnhofstrasse 29, 6460 Altdorf
- Organiser
- Evangelisch-Reformierte Landeskirche Uri
The only date in this calendar that was not on an events page but in the room-booking calendar behind it: «Kerzenziehen 2026», Saturday 28 November, hall, foyer and kitchen at once. The same system already carries the 2027 reservation — an event that blocks a room two years ahead.
Good to know- This is how precise the evidence is, and how far it reaches: the cantonal church's events and room-booking calendar — the same data service ref-uri.ch itself reads — lists «Kerzenziehen 2026» for Saturday 28 November 2026 from 08:00 for the hall, foyer and kitchen at Bahnhofstrasse 29. On the rendered agenda page the entry was not yet visible as of 12 September 2026. Visitor opening hours and prices are not published; 08:00 is the start of the room booking, not a door opening. Ask the parish office before travelling (041 870 86 80).
- Published structure of an earlier edition, no guarantee for 2026: the Altdorf candle dipping ran in 2019 over six days in the youth room of the same building — set-up on Friday morning, then Saturday and Monday to Thursday with afternoon openings and two evenings until 21:00. For 2026 the calendar books exactly one day.
Source: ref-uri.ch · checked on 12 September 2026
- Start
- 10:00–20:00
- Opening hours
- Sun 29.11 10:00–18:00 (last entry 17:00) · Mon 30.11 to Sat 05.12 10:00–20:00 (last entry 19:00) · Sun 06.12 10:00–15:00 (last entry 14:00)
- Meeting point
- Unterer Waisenhausplatz, 3011 Bern
- Organiser
- Verein «Kerzenziehen für Jung und Alt, Bern»
The only heated candle-dipping marquee in the calendar that staggers its stations by body height: 8 stations at different heights so children and adults can dip side by side. First held in 1991.
Good to know- Mind the last entry: it is one hour before closing, and on the final Sunday as early as 14:00. Anyone going by the closing time instead of the last entry arrives too late.
- Prices: beeswax CHF 4.20/100 g, coloured wax CHF 4.00/100 g.
- Time needed according to the organiser: beeswax candle thickness 1 (2 cm) one hour, thickness 2 (5 cm) 2 to 3 hours. Coloured wax is much faster (thickness 1: 30 minutes).
- With beeswax you can dip up to 8 candles at once, with coloured wax only one.
- Schools and groups only Mon–Fri in the morning (09:00–10:30 or 10:30–12:00), 90 minutes maximum, registration mandatory up to two weeks before the start. Registered groups receive a 10% discount.
Everything on Bern · Waisenhausplatz →
Source: kerzenziehen.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
- Start
- 12:00–19:00
- Opening hours
- Mon–Fri 12:00–19:00 · Sat 10:00–17:00 · closed Sundays · Fri 11 Dec and Wed 23 Dec 12:00–17:30
- Meeting point
- Berner Generationenhaus, Bahnhofplatz 2, 3011 Bern
- Organiser
- Berner Generationenhaus in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Verein UND Generationentandem
The only place in the calendar with a tiered solidarity price: you choose the price per candle yourself — CHF 4.– for a small budget, CHF 8.– to cover costs, CHF 12.– as a solidarity price.
Good to know- Groups Mon–Fri 10:00–12:00, by advance reservation only with the association UND Generationentandem.
- The dipping takes place in wooden huts in the inner courtyard; hosts help where needed.
Everything on Bern · Bahnhofplatz →
Source: begh.ch · checked on 19 October 2026
- Meeting point
- Spritzenhaus Sarnen, Dorfplatz, 6060 Sarnen
- Organiser
- Freizeitzentrum Obwalden
Dipping takes place in the old fire-engine house on the village square. On the same page the organiser lists every edition since 2017 without a gap — anyone wanting to know whether an event really happens every year reads it off year by year instead of taking it on trust.
Good to know- As of 05.10.2026 the leisure centre announces «Kerzenziehen im Spritzenhaus Sarnen, 1. – 13. Dezember 2026». Daily opening hours are not yet published — we will add them once they are, and invent none.
- Published structure without a year: children, young people, adults, clubs, school classes and companies are welcome; individuals and families drop in, groups register in advance (041 662 08 44 or via the contact form on fzo.ch).
Source: fzo.ch · checked on 5 October 2026
- Start
- 13:30–17:30
- Opening hours
- Wed, Sat, Sun 13:30–17:30 · Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 14:00–17:00 · additionally Thu 3./10./17.12 18:30–21:30 (adults only)
- Meeting point
- GZ Heuried, Werkatelier, Döltschiweg 130, 8055 Zürich
- Organiser
- GZ Heuried
The only place in the calendar with three adults-only evenings — and one of the few that offer public dipping only through ONLINE-reserved slots, here one hour each, with a published no-show rule: after 15 minutes the place goes to the next person.
Good to know- Prices: coloured candles CHF 3.20 per 100 g, beeswax CHF 4.80 per 100 g, plus CHF 1.00 per wick.
- According to the community centre, the booking windows for the afternoons only open from mid-November.
- On days without fully booked slots, signing up on the spot is also possible — with no guarantee of a place.
- Mornings from 09:00 to 11:30 are reserved exclusively for school classes and larger groups.
- The event only starts on 2 December — the last new start of the Zurich season, and in return it runs furthest into December.
Everything on Zurich · Heuried →
Source: gz-zh.ch · checked on 8 September 2026
- Start
- 13:00–21:00
- Opening hours
- Daily 13:00–21:00 · Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 · Saturday 12 December only until 15:00 · mornings reserved for classes and groups
- Meeting point
- Beheiztes Zelt an der Langfurrenstrasse 2, Areal der FEG Wetzikon, 8620 Wetzikon
- Organiser
- Verein KulturFeld und Freie Evangelische Gemeinde Wetzikon
Open every day until 9 pm, in a heated tent — and only from December, when most candle-dipping events in the canton of Zurich have already packed up.
Good to know- Priced by weight: a thin candle about 20 cm long costs around 5 francs depending on the wax. Coloured paraffin and beeswax candles are dipped.
- Classes and groups book a 2-hour slot on a morning. Inside the tent there is a café corner with hot drinks, cake and snacks.
Source: kerzenziehen-wetzikon.ch · checked on 5 October 2026
- Start
- 14:00–17:00
- Opening hours
- Wednesday 14:00–17:00 and 18:30–21:30 · Thursday, Saturday and Sunday 14:00–17:00
- Meeting point
- GZ Affoltern, Bodenacker 25, 8046 Zürich
- Organiser
- GZ Affoltern
Good to know- Priced by weight: coloured candles CHF 3.50, beeswax CHF 5.00 per 100 g, cash or Twint. No booking; when busy the centre hands out numbers and you wait in the Kafi-Treff. Schools and after-school clubs are invited separately, groups book «Kerzenziehen exklusiv» (3 to 15 December).
Everything on Zurich · Affoltern →
Source: gz-zh.ch · checked on 5 October 2026
- Start
- 14:00–20:00
- Opening hours
- Wednesday 14:00–20:00 · Thursday 16:00–20:00 · Friday 14:00–21:00 · Saturday 11:00–21:00 · Sunday 11:00–17:00 · Monday and Tuesday for groups only
- Meeting point
- Goethekeller, Goethestrasse 6, 8712 Stäfa
- Organiser
- Reformierte Kirchgemeinde Stäfa-Hombrechtikon zusammen mit der römisch-katholischen Pfarrei St. Verena
Stäfa dips its candles ecumenically — the Reformed and Catholic parishes run the event together.
Good to know- New venue in 2026: after two years in a tent on Kirchbühl, the Stäfa candle dipping moves back to the Goethekeller (Goethestrasse 6) — «with much more space», plus an extra Wednesday afternoon and a Thursday evening. There is no parking at the Goethekeller; paid public parking nearby. Proceeds go to selected social projects.
Source: pfarreistaefa.ch · checked on 5 October 2026
- Start
- 14:00–19:00
- Opening hours
- Wednesday to Friday 14:00–19:00 · Saturday and Sunday 10:00–19:00 · closed Monday and Tuesday
- Meeting point
- Pfarreiheim St. Fiden, 9000 St. Gallen
- Organiser
- Kerzenziehen im Pfarreiheim St. Fiden (Katholische Kirche St. Gallen)
St. Gallen's second candle dipping, in the parish hall in the east of the city: red paraffin or beeswax, with a café corner — and at weekends from 10:00 to 19:00, nine hours straight.
Good to know- School classes and other groups on request, also outside opening hours.
Everything on St. Gallen · St. Fiden →
Source: kathsg.ch · checked on 5 October 2026
- Opening hours
- Wed 2 Dec 13:30–17:00 (KJAT team) · Thu 3 Dec 14:00–17:30 · Fri 4 Dec 14:00–17:30 · Sat 5 Dec 11:00–18:00 (Jubla Rotbach) · Sun 6 Dec 10:00–14:00 (Jubla Rotbach) · Wed 9 Dec 13:30–17:00 (KJAT team) · Thu 10 Dec 14:00–17:30 · Fri 11 Dec 14:00–17:30
- Meeting point
- Pfarreizentrum Stofel (Untergeschoss), Stofelweid 1b, 9053 Teufen
- Food and drink
- Alte Kleider und Schuhe anziehen; Schachteln oder Tasche für den Transport der Kerzen mitbringen.
- Organiser
- Katholische Pfarrei Teufen-Bühler-Stein (Jugendarbeit, KJAT und Jubla Rotbach)
The only session in this calendar that publishes which team runs the wax pots on which day: the KJAT team on both Wednesdays, Jubla Rotbach on Saturday and Sunday. Elsewhere the calendar gives only the hours.
Good to know- Price: CHF 4.– per 100 g of coloured wax. Children under 8 only when accompanied by an adult. Insurance is, according to the organiser, the participants' own responsibility.
- Advance booking via the online tool Nuudel is requested; dropping in is possible but without guarantee.
- Cross-checked on 12 September 2026: the run and the eight operating days carry the year 2026, and every weekday-date pair fits 2026 (2 December = Wednesday) and no other year. The registration link and the linked flyer on the same page, however, are still labelled «Kerzenziehen 2025» — open the flyer and you read last year's figures.
Source: kath-rotbachtal.ch · checked on 12 September 2026
- Start
- 19:00
- Meeting point
- Ref. Kirchgemeindehaus Pfäffikon, Hofstrasse 2a, 8808 Pfäffikon SZ
- Organiser
- Evangelisch-reformierte Kirchgemeinde Höfe
No organiser in this calendar has published more days for 2027: for 2026 a single evening is in the calendar, for 2027 already eight days in a row (28 November to 5 December). If you want to dip by day in 2026 you have no date yet — if you are planning 2027, you do.
Good to know- «Kerzenziehen Deluxe» is an evening event from 19:00, not the daytime offering. The ordinary dipping days for 2026 were not published as of 11 September 2026 — for those the parish gives only its rule, «as a rule in the first week of Advent».
- According to the organiser the dipping setup is also available to schools and clubs outside opening hours, by arrangement.
Everything on Freienbach · Pfäffikon →
Source: refkirchehoefe.ch · checked on 20 October 2026
- Meeting point
- Freiruum, Aabachstrasse 16, 6300 Zug
- Organiser
- Freiruum Zug
Not a standalone session but a station inside the winter market: «Kerzenziehen im Genussbereich vor den Meetingräumen (5 Franken, keine Voranmeldung nötig)». That was the 2025 edition: a fixed price per candle instead of payment by weight. For 2026 the Freiruum has not yet published price and conditions.
Source: zug-tourismus.ch · checked on 5 October 2026
- Start
- 14:00
- Opening hours
- Wed 9.12 14:00–17:30 · Thu 10.12 14:00–19:30 · Fri 11.12 14:00–17:30 · Sat 12.12 11:00–16:00 (Landhof fair)
- Meeting point
- Tribüne Landhof, ooink ooink Productions Kinder- und Jugendarbeit, 4058 Basel
- Organiser
- ooink ooink Productions, Kinder- und Jugendarbeit Landhof
Good to know- The dipping runs Wednesday to Friday before the third Sunday of Advent and ends on Saturday 12 December at the Landhof fair, with a Christmas bazaar and food stalls in and in front of the grandstand.
Everything on Basel · Wettstein →
Source: landhof.ch · checked on 21 October 2026
- Meeting point
- Soledurner Wiehnachtsmäret, Solothurn
- Organiser
- Reformierte Kirchgemeinde Solothurn
Not a hall but a stand in the middle of the Christmas market: here the candle dipping is part of a larger event rather than a place of its own. The organiser says plainly what it depends on — without enough volunteers it does not happen.
Good to know- The period is taken verbatim from the parish's call for volunteers of 8 September 2026 («vom 16.12.2026-20.12.2026»). Opening hours and the exact spot within the market were not yet published for 2026 as of 11 September 2026; the details of the 2023 edition are not carried forward here.
Source: reformiert-solothurn.ch · checked on 11 September 2026
- not published yetAppenzellAIVorweihnachtliches Kerzenziehen im Klostergartendate still openOpen page
The event usually takes place, but the date has not been published yet. We keep checking.
- Meeting point
- Kloster Maria der Engel, Poststrasse 7, 9050 Appenzell
- Organiser
- Seelsorgeteam der Pfarrei St. Mauritius Appenzell, zu Gast im Kloster Maria der Engel
The only session in this calendar held in a convent garden: the workshop is set up each year in the garden of the Maria der Engel convent, guided by teenage volunteers — with punch and Appenzell Biberli.
Good to know- As of 12 September 2026 the organiser has published no date for 2026. The most recent dates on the convent's own site are from 2022 (five dates from late November to mid-December). We do not carry them forward.
- Published structure without a year: five individual dipping days during Advent, not one continuous run. The convent's 2026 Advent programme currently lists concerts, exhibitions and the Advent breakfasts — the candle dipping is usually announced separately by the parish.
Source: kloster-appenzell.ch · checked on 21 October 2026
- not published yetBasel · ThomaskircheBSKerzenziehen im Saal der Thomaskirchedate still openOpen page
The event usually takes place, but the date has not been published yet. We keep checking.
- Meeting point
- Thomaskirche, Hegenheimerstrasse 229, 4055 Basel
- Organiser
- Evangelisch-reformierte Kirche des Kantons Basel-Stadt
On Saturday there is traditionally a spaghetti happening from 18:00 — the only candle dipping in the calendar with a supper of its own.
Good to know- As of 08.09.2026 the entry in the church's events calendar still carries last year's date. 2026 date open.
- Published structure (without a year): daily 14:00–20:00, Thursday and Saturday until 22:00.
Everything on Basel · Thomaskirche →
Source: erk-bs.ch · checked on 21 October 2026
The event usually takes place, but the date has not been published yet. We keep checking. The Frauen Menzingen run the candle dipping in the Sprützehüsli; as of 13.09.2026 no 2026 date is published. The 2025 edition ran from Friday 28 November to Wednesday 3 December.
- Meeting point
- Sprützehüsli, Neudorfstrasse 14, 6313 Menzingen
- Organiser
- Frauen Menzingen
Six days, six different time windows — from 15:30 to 20:00 on Friday, two afternoons, down to a Tuesday open for just ninety minutes. The organiser charges literally «by weight».
Good to know- As of 19.10.2026 the organiser already lists the 2027 edition (26 November to 1 December 2027, now at the Ochsenmatt civil-protection facility) — there is no date for 2026. We infer neither a cancellation nor a date from this.
- Published structure of the 2025 edition, no guarantee for 2026: Fri 28.11 15:30–20:00 · Sat 29.11 14:00–17:00 · Sun 30.11 14:00–17:00 · Mon 1.12 15:30–20:00 · Tue 2.12 15:00–16:30 · Wed 3.12 13:30–16:30.
Source: frauenmenzingen.ch · checked on 21 October 2026
The event usually takes place, but the date has not been published yet. We keep checking.
- Meeting point
- Reformierte Kirche Sarnen, Ennetriederweg 2, 6060 Sarnen
- Organiser
- Evangelisch-reformierte Kirchgemeinde Obwalden
Dipping happens inside the church itself, and the guidance comes from the confirmation class — parents may expressly hand their children over into the team's care. In Sarnen a parish and a secular leisure centre each run their own candle dipping, independently of one another — in the same village, a few minutes apart on foot.
Good to know- As of 12 September 2026 the parish has published no 2026 date; its own candle-dipping page still carries the 2021 edition. The 2021, 2022 and 2025 editions are documented — the 2025 one across three days in early December. We carry none of it forward.
- Published structure without a year: price by weight; the Antenne team serves coffee, tea and cake. Everyone is welcome, young and old.
Source: refow.ch · checked on 19 October 2026
The event usually takes place, but the date has not been published yet. We keep checking.
- Meeting point
- GZ Riesbach, 8008 Zürich
- Organiser
- GZ Riesbach
Good to know- As of 05.10.2026 the centre is recruiting volunteers for «Kerzenziehen 2026» and outlines the frame: November and December, Wednesday to Saturday (morning), open to the public afternoons and evenings, school classes on weekday mornings. No first or last day published — date open.
Everything on Zurich · Riesbach →
Source: gz-zh.ch · checked on 21 October 2026
The event usually takes place, but the date has not been published yet. We keep checking.
- Meeting point
- GZ Witikon, 8053 Zürich
- Organiser
- GZ Witikon
Good to know- As of 05.10.2026 still no published candle-dipping offering for 2026 on the community centre's page. Date open.
Everything on Zurich · Witikon →
Source: gz-zh.ch · checked on 21 October 2026
The places in detail
The longest season is in Zurich · Uetliberg: 58 days. In Altdorf it is all over after a single day — 36 pages of their own, each with everything to know before you go.
Candle dipping in the canton of Zurich
All of the canton of Zurich →Candle dipping in the canton of Bern
All of the canton of Bern →Candle dipping in the canton of Aargau
All of the canton of Aargau →Candle dipping in the canton of Zug
All of the canton of Zug →Candle dipping in the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden
Candle dipping in the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden
Candle dipping in the canton of Basel-Landschaft
Candle dipping in the canton of Basel-Stadt
All of the canton of Basel-Stadt →Candle dipping in the canton of Glarus
Candle dipping in the canton of Grisons
Candle dipping in the canton of Lucerne
Candle dipping in the canton of Nidwalden
Candle dipping in the canton of Obwalden
Candle dipping in the canton of Schaffhausen
Candle dipping in the canton of Schwyz
Candle dipping in the canton of Solothurn
Candle dipping in the canton of St. Gallen
Candle dipping in the canton of Thurgau
Candle dipping in the canton of Uri
What are you dipping in 2026?
One click – anonymous, no sign-up required.
🗺️ Where the wax vats stand
In 34 municipalities across 19 cantons, the wax pots are ready for 2026. Candle dipping is a German-speaking Swiss custom — the westernmost place where we could document it is Köniz.
The darker the canton, the more wax pots. Many community centres only post their winter programme in the autumn — we add each one as soon as it is online.
Where candles are dipped across the country
Source: ConvivaPlus candle-dipping calendar, Switzerland 2026
| Canton | Events | date set | First date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZurichZH | 24 | 22 | Mon 2 Nov |
| BernBE | 6 | 6 | Wed 11 Nov |
| Basel-StadtBS | 5 | 4 | Mon 23 Nov |
| AargauAG | 3 | 3 | Wed 18 Nov |
| ZugZG | 3 | 2 | Tue 3 Nov |
| ObwaldenOW | 2 | 1 | Tue 1 Dec |
| SolothurnSO | 2 | 2 | Tue 24 Nov |
| St. GallenSG | 2 | 2 | Sat 28 Nov |
| Appenzell AusserrhodenAR | 1 | 1 | Wed 2 Dec |
| Appenzell InnerrhodenAI | 1 | 0 | date still open |
| Basel-LandschaftBL | 1 | 1 | Fri 27 Nov |
| GlarusGL | 1 | 1 | Wed 21 Oct |
| GrisonsGR | 1 | 1 | Sat 21 Nov |
| LucerneLU | 1 | 1 | Wed 18 Nov |
| NidwaldenNW | 1 | 1 | Wed 23 Sep |
| SchaffhausenSH | 1 | 1 | Wed 18 Nov |
| SchwyzSZ | 1 | 1 | Thu 3 Dec |
| ThurgauTG | 1 | 1 | Tue 10 Nov |
| UriUR | 1 | 1 | Sat 28 Nov |
🧭 The five planning traps that cost you the afternoon
The venue is not the problem — the conditions around it are. Five patterns recur throughout the verified data, and none of them appears in an ordinary list of places.
- 1The most famous venue is no longer where everyone looks for itThe Zürcher Kerzenziehen — Switzerland's first public candle dipping in 1969, in its 58th edition in 2026 — takes place on Hechtplatz, not on Bürkliplatz. The foundation says so on its own homepage. Anyone travelling to the old address finds an empty square off Bahnhofstrasse.
- 2Opening time is not dipping timeOn Bern's Waisenhausplatz the last admission is one hour before closing, and on the final Sunday as early as 2 p.m. A beeswax candle 5 cm in diameter takes two to three hours according to the organiser. Arrive at 6 p.m. and the thick candle is off the table.
- 3The run has holes in itAt the St. Franziskus parish centre in Zurich-Wollishofen just over three weeks separate the first and last dipping day, but the workshop opens on only 13 of them — closed, among others, on the weekend of the local Christmas market. In Uster it is nine opening days spread across two weeks. Such gaps cannot be read from a run; with us they sit in the entry's notes.
- 4Small children are not admitted everywhereAt GZ Bachwiesen children under 5 are explicitly not admitted for safety reasons and those under 7 only when accompanied; for the youngest there are two separate mornings in December instead. At the Lettenkirche the limit is 4 years. Anyone travelling with a three-year-old should know beforehand — it is on the organisers' pages, but right at the bottom.
- 5The morning belongs to school classesAt the Zürcher Kerzenziehen the 8 to 10 a.m. slot is reserved for schools, the Oerlikon workshop reports its class slots as fully booked, and in Winterthur-Veltheim the last advertised day is for schools only — for the public the offering ends a day earlier than the run suggests.
📜 Where the custom comes from — and why in Switzerland it is almost always a charity event
Public candle dipping is not a medieval tradition but a recent Swiss invention: the first event of its kind was held in Zurich in 1969. What defines it today is not the wax but who runs it — almost everywhere associations, parishes and community centres, with earmarked proceeds.
The data shows this directly. In Zurich the event supplied the seed capital for founding the Zürcher Eingliederung. The Luzerner Kerzenziehen has been running at the Vögeligärtli since 1978 and works through more than 1500 kg of beeswax in eight vats over five weeks; the proceeds go to projects for people with disabilities. The Baden association has raised more than two million francs in over fifty years — including CHF 700,000 for the new zeka centre in Baden-Dättwil. In Aarau, insieme Aarau-Lenzburg is running the 50th edition in 2026 and funds holiday and leisure programmes with it. And in Bern the tent on Waisenhausplatz is carried by an association founded in 2002, whose event has run since 1991. That is the real difference from the cliché of “cosy crafting”: in Switzerland, candle dipping is a funding model that smells of wax. It nevertheless remains one of the cheapest family afternoons of the year — published wax prices range from CHF 3.– to CHF 6.– per 100 grams, which puts it in the same bracket as our 50+ outings under 20 francs.
🔍 What we do not yet know — and why it is written here
Of 58 venues in the calendar, 6 have no confirmed run for 2026 yet. We list them anyway — as open, not as a date.
Two sentences that stood here in September are now out of date — and both show why we never fill a gap with last year. In St. Gallen the Cevi (the Swiss YMCA youth movement) handed over its candle-dipping tent after 35 years; today the Catholic Dom Zentrum runs it with the youth service and the Reformed city chaplaincy, on Gallusstrasse instead of by the station — and the date, open back then, is now published: 28 November to 13 December. In Allschwil the parish names three days without a year, “Friday 27 November” to “Sunday 29 November”; in 2026, 27 November falls on a Friday, and that weekend is exactly the “weekend of the first Sunday of Advent” it publishes as its rule — so the date is evidenced, not estimated. That is why every entry shows whether its date is published, calculated from a fixed rule or still open. And one is missing on purpose: in Thalwil the 2026 edition is cancelled — the parish writes that it unfortunately has to be dropped because of renovation work on the parish hall; it only runs every other year anyway. If you know a run: send us the link, not the date.
Frequently asked questions about candle dipping in Switzerland in 2026
Short and sourced — every answer rests on the organisers' own information.
People also ask
Related questions from our magazine
The turnip lantern parades — the same mechanics of scattered association pages, worked into the same verified calendar.
The Christmas markets — with runs, opening hours and closing days instead of bare place names.
Candle dipping is charged by weight, plenty of other things cost far more. We collected over 50 outings that stay under 20 francs.
By canton
10 weeks between the first canton and the last: Nidwalden starts on 23 September 2026, Schwyz not until 3 December 2026.
Related
The ConvivaPlus verdict on the 2026 season
When we last checked: on 21 October 2026 — 58 venues, each read on the organiser's own page; for 52, the 2026 dates are fixed. Missing one? Tell us — we add it as soon as its dates are published.
Check the latest: ConvivaPlus candle-dipping calendar, Switzerland 2026 →
- ◆The Zürcher Kerzenziehen is no longer on Bürkliplatz. It takes place on Hechtplatz — the 58th edition since 1969, Switzerland's very first public candle dipping. Anyone searching for “Bürkliplatz” is looking for the right event in the wrong place.
- ◆The busiest day of the season is 2 December 2026. 28 of the 52 venues run simultaneously that day. On the first day of the season it was exactly one. That curve appears in no list of venues — it can only be computed with a start AND an end for every venue.
- ◆In Thalwil the 2026 candle dipping is cancelled. The Reformed parish writes it themselves: because of renovation work on the parish hall. The event is only held every two years anyway — yet on lists that copy last year forward, Thalwil is still there.
- ◆More than 1500 kg of beeswax in five weeks. That is what the Luzerner Kerzenziehen works through in eight vats inside three joined containers. The entire proceeds go to projects for people with disabilities.
- ◆In Switzerland this is a charity event that smells of wax. The Baden association has raised more than two million francs in over fifty years, including CHF 700,000 for the new zeka centre in Baden-Dättwil. In Aarau, insieme Aarau-Lenzburg is running the 50th edition in 2026.
- ◆The wax price varies by a factor of two. From CHF 3.– per 100 grams at the Marien parish hall in Bern up to CHF 6.– for beeswax at GZ Leimbach — for the same candle, a noticeable difference that no directory places side by side. Some venues charge the wick on top.
- ◆The last wax vat burns into the new year. Kerzenziehen auf dem Uetliberg (UTO KULM) runs for 58 days and is the only one in this calendar open on Christmas Eve — with its own hours on 24, 25 and 31 December and on 1 January.
ConvivaPlus Editor · Family & Day Trips
Writes about day trips, family and local life – honestly assessing what's worth it.
- Day trips
- Family
- Local
- Cities & regions
All information without guarantee. Found an error? → support@conviva-plus.ch
On 2 December 2026, 28 of the 52 verified Swiss candle-dipping venues are open at the same time — the busiest day of the season. On 23 September 2026 it was exactly one.
Found an error or have feedback? Let us know or write to us directly.
🕯️ Family · 21 October 2026