Things are becoming busier as the city opens up after the summer break. And don’t forget this week’s Kreisflohmi offering. This Saturday, Kreis 7 takes its turn. With all the money in that part of the city, there must be something interesting to rummage through, oder?

Thursday: Micah Shemaiah Brings Roots Reggae To Dynamo

Thursday: Wine, Drunk Differently: Planscher Wine Festival

Fri - Sun: The Niederdorf Turns Into One Big Party (Scroll ⬇️)

Saturday: Dance The Day Away At Haus Am Wasser

Sunday: Street Food With Stars

Tuesday: Animation With A Difference. Fantastic Fantoche (Scroll ⬇️)

This Friday the peaceful and tranquil streets of the Niederdorf give way too… Oh who am I kidding? It’s always buzzing there but this weekend it gives up the pretence. Dörflifäscht takes over the Old Town for three days, filling its streets and squares with live music, DJs, street food, bars, market stalls and plenty of opportunities for dancing. By day, there’s entertainment for the whole family; after dark, things become considerably less wholesome as the cobbles turn into one enormous dancefloor. It all kicks off Friday and runs through Sunday.

Fri - Sun | Dörflifäscht, Various Locations Niederdorf, 8001

If you think animation is just for kids then Fantoche is here to challenge that. Switzerland’s biggest animation festival returns to Baden for six days of wonderfully weird, beautiful and boundary-pushing filmmaking. This year, 101 shorts were selected from more than 3,000 submissions, alongside animated features, exhibitions, talks, games and plenty more. There’s even a programme called Punk Is Not Dead, exploring resistance, freedom and anti-establishment movements through animation. Basically, if you think animation begins with Mickey Mouse and ends with Pixar, Fantoche might just have something to say about that.

1st – 6th September | Various locations, Baden, 5400

A big election is looming. No, I’m not talking about a ballot to decide if a new school is built or which country can write the best song, but an election that could shape the direction of the whole world, both politically and economically. I’m talking, of course, about the US midterms, which could prove to be a historic turning point in world affairs.

But what does this have to do with me? Well, 32,000 American citizens live in Switzerland, with many living in Zurich, but more than a fair few do not realise that they still have the right to vote or that they have to request a ballot.

That is where VoteFromAbroad.org comes in. It’s a non-partisan voter registration and overseas ballot request service available to all US citizens overseas, regardless of political affiliation.

If you are a US voter, or know someone who is, please forward the details to them. This election is important stuff, not just for people living within the US, but for the entire world. Every vote counts!

P.S. In the interest of transparency, whilst Vote From Abroad is non-partisan it is provided by DemocratsAbroad.org

As the last stragglers return, bleary-eyed and sunburnt from their holidays, the city is filling up and, pretty much as you’d imagine, so is the concert calendar as we move from festival season into the autumn touring cycle. From indie and jazz to hip-hop, pop, metal and plenty in between, September has a lot going on. Here’s my guide to the live music coming to Zurich this month.