Celebrations and customs are an important part of our culture. They satisfy basic human needs and are part of living together in harmony. Today, customs are interesting in that they are an expression of a constantly changing, urbanised society. They provide indicators of basic needs for stability and reliability.

What is a custom?
A custom is a communal practice that occurs on specific occasions, follows firm rules, is repeated regularly and uses a code that is understood above all by those who practice the custom. Customs have an occasion as their foreground, and they also have a background level with symbolic references. A custom is formed of components that recur with many different variations. Customs therefore develop a particular symbolic language that must be deciphered, especially when examining customs from earlier eras, like baroque celebrations.

What are customs for?
Customs play an important role in the life of every society, even modern society. People find common ground that goes beyond their mere everyday needs. In the excitement of a custom, barriers are broken down, life gains meaning and memories are created. Such moments happen even during today’s celebrations. Today’s youth population shows that similar needs still exist, such as when they go to “techno” parties. Customs help forge group identities, as well as those of individuals, because each person feels part of a group and contributes their own expression of culture.
Yet customs also touch upon other areas of the human condition. They may provide enjoyment visually or when listened to, or be a source of delicious food and drink, laughter and cheer. They allow us to forget our everyday worries, at least for a time, and provide a means of communication – this is vitally important in mass society. During celebrations we have time off, because they bring about a different rhythm to the every day.
And that’s not all. Celebrations and customs provide opportunities for creativity, role-play, adventure and gaining prestige. If nothing else, they fulfil the commercial interests of organisations and associations.

Celebrations and customs calendars
Two factors underpin the calendar of celebrations and customs. On the one hand, they are centred around the phases of the natural year, marked by climate, vegetation, sunlight and darkness. On the other, they are based on the church calendar: the cycle of celebrations shaped by the Christian religion, with its 2,000-year history. The church’s celebratory calendar continues to form the basis of celebrations throughout the year, even in today’s less religiously inclined society. Other traditional occasions are based on history or national policy: historical memorial days, rural community occasions and association celebrations. Both systems – the natural and church calendars – form an inseparable symbiosis to guide and shape the year, even to the present day.

Modern folk events
In addition to historical and religious festivals and customs, other major cultural events nowadays include regularly held film and music festivals.
At film festivals, various current productions are shown and discussed. The films are often rated by a jury or the public and, in certain cases, film prizes are awarded (Locarno: Golden Leopard).
At music festivals, several players perform according to a predefined programme in front of large numbers of people. They often last for several days – one of several ways they distinguish themselves from everyday concert performances (e.g. open air festivals in St. Gallen, Frauenfeld, Gurten, Gampel). Often they are targeted towards a particular musical genre or interest group.
Public and trade fairs also enjoy great numbers of visitors and are part of major cultural events. Fairs aimed at the general public are referred to as public fairs (e.g. Züspa, Olma). In contrast, the trade fair is very sector-specific (e.g. Geneva International Motor Show). At these temporary, recurring marketing events, producers and sellers showcase their goods or services. At goods or sample fairs, customers can try, compare and buy different products.