Zibelemärit 2026 in Bern: date, times, tips

When is the Zibelemärit 2026?

On Monday, 23 November 2026. The Zibelemärit (onion market) takes place every year on the fourth Monday in November. The city of Bern calls it the largest market in Bern.

When should you go?

The city's Zibelemärit page says the market officially starts at 6 am and ends at 6 pm, but the first sales happen from 4 am. In its overview “Märkte in Bern” the city gives 5 am to 6 pm. If you want the nicest onion braids, come early.

Where are the stalls?

In Bern's city centre: in the lanes of the upper Old Town between the station and the Zytglogge, on Bundesplatz and Waisenhausplatz, and according to the city also on Münsterplatz and in Münstergasse. The easiest way is to walk from stall to stall.

What can you buy?

Much of it is onions: onion braids like in the photo above, onion wreaths and figures made of onions. There are also textiles, jewellery, ceramics and toys, winter vegetables, Magenbrot (spiced gingerbread bites) and mulled wine. Restaurants serve onion tart (“Zibelechueche”), cheese tart and onion soup.

The Zibelemärit in numbers

In 2025, according to the city of Bern, there were 359 market stalls in the city centre, 98 of them selling onions. Together they offered around 35 tonnes of onions. The record is from 2014, with almost 60 tonnes. Tens of thousands of visitors come every year.

Confetti and plastic hammers

Two customs belong to the Zibelemärit that are not in any official programme: children run around with squeaky plastic hammers, and in the later afternoon confetti flies through the lanes.

Where does the Zibelemärit come from?

It goes back to Bern's autumn fair, the Martinimesse, which is mentioned as early as the 15th century. Around 1850, farm women from the Mont Vully area and the Seeland came to Bern with onions on the day before this fair. That became the onion market. Since 2011 the Zibelemärit has been on the list of living traditions of Switzerland.

A popular story says that people from Fribourg helped Bern after the great fire of 1405 and were given the right to a market in return. It is a legend: according to the Federal Office of Culture, an autumn market was only introduced in 1439.

Water, toilets, a rest

There are many fountains with drinking water in the Old Town. The map Drinking fountains in Bern shows the nearest one. Wheelchair-accessible toilets and benches are in Barrierefrei Bern and Benches in Bern.

Zibelemärit 2027

In 2027 the Zibelemärit is on Monday, 22 November, again the fourth Monday in November. The market calendar lists it under “Once a year”, always with the next date.

Want your own stall?

If you want to sell at the Zibelemärit, the city says to contact the Orts- und Gewerbepolizei (local trade police) of the city of Bern.

Sources: City of Bern, “Märkte in Bern” and “Zibelemärit” (bern.ch); City of Bern, press release “35 Tonnen Zwiebeln und 359 Marktstände am Zibelemärit” (24 Nov 2025); Federal Office of Culture, Living Traditions, “Zibelemärit” (2024); Canton of Bern, Living Traditions; Wikipedia (German), “Berner Zibelemärit”; SRF (25 Nov 2019); swissinfo.ch / SDA (25 Nov 2013). Read in October 2026. The city's information always applies.