As the “Open End” summer of concerts comes to a close, Lucerne Festival reports outstanding results
84,000 guests attended the Summer Festival, achieving an overall attendance rate of 89 percent. In addition, Lucerne Festival Ark Nova, the mobile concert hall, drew 12,000 visitors.
As this year’s summer season draws to a close, Lucerne Festival reports a very positive outcome: over the course of 34 days, around 84,000 visitors – 3,000 more than in 2024 – attended 163 events at the Summer Festival, which centered on this year’s theme, “Open End.” The 2025 Summer Festival marked the final edition under the tenure of Executive and Artistic Director Michael Haefliger. The Festival’s overall attendance rate was 89 percent. Around 60,000 guests attended the 64 ticketed events, while an additional 24,000 visitors enjoyed the Festival’s 99 free events, including the 40min series, the 40min Open Air, school concerts, the world music festival “In the Streets,” and Lakeside Symphony – the popular live broadcast of the Opening Concert in Lucerne’s Inseli Park, where audiences gathered for a picnic-style experience. The Summer Festival concludes this coming Sunday, 14 September, with “Les Adieux,” the sold-out farewell celebration for Michael Haefliger, who will step down at the end of the year after 26 years at the helm, with Sebastian Nordmann set to succeed him as the Festival’s director.