Market Day
On the first Monday in October, the village of Grindelwald, Switzerland, closes down Main Street and celebrates “Market Day.” The festive day marks the beginning of the fall season and has been a tradition in Grindelwald for decades. No car or bus traffic is allowed through the center of town as the village is transformed into something similar to an American fair. Stalls are set up on the street where shopkeepers, bakers, farmers, craftsmen, and restaurants owners offer their products to customers, often at greatly reduced prices. Even then, Market Day is not so much about buying and selling but about community, fellowship, and the anticipation of the fall season.
The holiday atmosphere provides something for everyone. The aroma of traditional Swiss food wafts through the throng of people. Raclette cheese, melted then poured over potatoes, a Swiss favorite, lures appetites in the chilly mountain air. Fondues, cured meats, regional beer, and an assortment of grilled sausage dishes such as bratwurst are impossible to resist. My wife and I throw caution to the wind and try as many mouth-watering temptations as our stomachs will allow. I remember, prayerfully, the words of the ancient rabbis: “God will hold you accountable for every good thing he put before you that you refused.” (Don’t ask me where that sacred text is found!) Now who am I to criticize the esteemed rabbis? Reverently, I ask for another piece of apple strudel!
There are also rides and games for children who run and play up and down Main Street, only occasionally pausing long enough to indulge in an ice cream cone or munch on a bratwurst. Children’s laughter can be heard everywhere. There is no school on Market Day, so children gleefully participate in the Grindelwald tradition. There is a strong emphasis on family and community in Switzerland, and I’ve come to admire how parents have placed spending time with their children above jobs and private interests.
Both traditional Swiss music as well as contemporary popular songs can be heard up and down the street, and, believe it or not, there is even Country Western music! Grindelwalders dance to Garth Brooks, Kenny Rogers and Loretta Lynn. Some are even dressed in country attire and hoop and holler as they sing the lyrics in English, perhaps the only English words they know. Imagine, the reserved Swiss letting their hair down. It is a sight to see. Tables and chairs align Main Street where families, neighbors, and even tourists sit, talk, play, eat and drink, and listen to music throughout the day.
People from across the Bernese Oberland region, as well as hundreds of tourists, flock to Grindelwald on Market Day, looking for a bargain on a winter coat, or a new pair of boots, or even a new tractor to plow their fields. The Market last all day and into the night. Finally, though, it comes to an end, and the stalls close down, the unsold merchandise is loaded back into vans and trucks, the tables and chairs are stored, and the people return to their homes.
Early the next morning, my wife and I stroll down Main Street and are amazed that few traces are left of the Market Day festivities. Only the chalk markings on the street, designating where the different kiosks were to be located, remain. Otherwise, not a chewing gum wrapper, a piece of strudel, or someone’s lost mitten can be seen. The street has been completely cleaned and made ready for another day.
In a few days, we will leave Grindelwald and return to the U.S. We realize how fortunate we have been through the years to have spent time in this enchanting land. Our legs are tired from hiking up and down the mountains for almost four weeks. But we have enjoyed and savored every moment. Maybe we’ll be able to visit this beautiful land next year. But, if not, we will always have the memories!
