The Lenzerheide Magic Forest - a multisensory experience

The Magic Forest in Lenzerheide shone resplendent for the first time in December 2013. Already at the premiere, the combination of surprising light installations, captivating live concerts and mouth-watering culinary delights in the middle of the snow-covered Squirrel Forest delighted numerous visitors. Since then, this festival for the senses has been continuously developed further. Last year, the Lenzerheide Magic Forest already attracted more than 40,000 visitors, four times more than at its premiere.

Successful thanks to a novel concept and great passion
«We're really very proud of 'our' Magic Forest», says Claudia Züllig, co-initiator and vice-chairman of the Magic Forest's organising committee. Since the first performance, she has been beating the drum for the Magic Forest in Lenzerheide together with Giancarlo Pallioppi (OC chairman), Primo Berera (artistic director) and the whole organising committee. What is remarkable is the passion invested and passed on to others by everybody involved in this project since the very first second. 
 
The three initiators were totally convinced about the Magic Forest's success from the outset, but they too were surprised by the speed of its development. «By combining light art, food and music, we brought together three separate forms of festival to create something totally new», Giancarlo Pallioppi explains the enthusiasm engendered by the Magic Forest format. «We've managed to create an event for different target groups. Friends, families, couples, kids, culture lovers and music fans all meet at the Magic Forest», adds Claudia Züllig.

New children's programme
This year, the Lenzerheide Magic Forest will be aglow from 14 to 30 December 2018. This year's open-air festival for the senses will also have a separate children's programme for the early evening hours. In addition to a concert by Papagallo & Gollo, the children will be entertained by songwriter Linard Bardill, Clown Pepe and the storyteller Caroline Capiaghi. The new children's programme is very important for the organisers. «The Magic Forest is a great place for everybody of all ages. Families mostly visit us during the early evening hours and seldom stay until the concert starts at 8.00 p.m. With the children's programme we want to also give families the opportunity to enjoy the full Magic Forest experience», says Giancarlo Pallioppi.

About singing trees and winter fireflies
Artistically, the Magic Forest 2018 promises to deliver new and surprising highlights. Visitors will enter a world in which trees sing, lighthouses broadcast wishes to the world, and winter fireflies fly through the cold nights. And they will discover a fascinating winter landscape of crystal trees, light waves and angels. Performance artists will not only make the visitors' flesh creep in an eerily wonderful way, but also give them beautiful and poetic moments.

From this year on, the organisers themselves are responsible for the light installations, which in the past were handled by external parties. «We've gained much know-how and experience in this field in the past few years and now have a very good idea of what makes our Magic Forest special», explains Primo Berera, artistic director of the Lenzerheide Magic Forest. 

An extraordinary line-up
When it comes to music, the Magic Forest has captivated audiences with a good mix of well-known musicians and promising insider tips from the outset. Giancarlo Pallioppi wants to continue this concept. «The concerts in the Magic Forest aren't ordinary performances. Thanks to the proximity of the audience, the atmosphere in the Forest directly infects the musicians. This creates a very special and unique mood, which is much appreciated by the musicians», confides Giancarlo Pallioppi.

The diverse line-up includes well-known Swiss and foreign artists. Among others, audiences can look forward this year to Seven, Baschi, Nemo, Crimer, Nickless, Bibi Vaplan, Stevans and Stu Larsen. Other artists like Philipp Fankhauser, Martin O. and also Carrousel by now deserve to be described as genuine Magic Forest fans as they will be performing on the wintry Magic Forest stage for the umpteenth time.

Advance ticket sales
Tickets for the Lenzerheide Magic Forest can be bought online in advance and are also available at the evening box office. This year, the advance-sale Priority Pass (CHF 15 for youths, CHF 28 for adults) includes guaranteed entry on the evening in question as well as a drink in the market village. A Culinary Package (CHF 58) including entry, two drinks, main course and soup or dessert is also sold in advance. As usual, the evening box office sells single entries (CHF 10 for youths, CHF 20 for adults) as well as season tickets (CHF 180). Children up to age 11 can enter free of charge.