The Caprices electronic music festival is expected to return to Gstaad, but under stricter operating conditions following a petition submitted by local residents earlier this year.

The Municipality of Saanen has completed its review of the petition, which called for the festival not to be held again because of concerns about noise, environmental impact and disturbance to local residents. Rather than rejecting the event, the municipal council has agreed on a series of additional requirements that must be met before any future edition can receive a permit.

The most significant change concerns sound management. Organisers will be required to install a cardioid sound system, designed to reduce the spread of noise beyond the festival site. According to the municipality, this will be a prerequisite for any future approval.

Further measures include earlier communication with residents, staggered closing times for individual stages, improvements to helicopter logistics, and additional resources for visitor management and cleaning around the Eggli valley station.

Cantonal authorities have also been involved in the review. Any future permit application will include conditions relating to wildlife protection, lighting, sound levels and the festival perimeter before being submitted to the regional governor's office, which remains the final permitting authority.

No wider impact on other events
Municipal President Petra Schläppi stressed that the new conditions apply specifically to the Caprices Festival and will not affect other events in the region. She noted that all organisers are already required to comply with existing cantonal regulations when applying for permits.

Matthias Matti, Regional Governor for Obersimmental-Saanen, echoed this view, explaining that permit requirements have become more comprehensive across the canton in recent years, but that the Caprices petition will not result in stricter rules for other festivals.

A community divided
The debate has revealed differing views within the local community. While the petition attracted around 80 signatures and prompted the municipality to review the event, many residents also voiced support for the festival, arguing that it brings a younger audience to the region and contributes to the vitality of the shoulder season.

Petra Schläppi acknowledged that opinions remain divided, saying it was the municipality's responsibility to take every complaint seriously while balancing different interests.

Mixed reactions
Petition co-initiator Vera Steiner welcomed the fact that authorities had consulted the relevant federal agencies but remained unconvinced that the agreed measures would adequately protect wildlife and reduce the overall impact of the event. She also questioned whether expanding tourism in the shoulder season reflects the priorities expressed by local voters in recent municipal decisions.

Festival organisers, meanwhile, have fully endorsed the new requirements. Co-founder Maxime Léonard said the dialogue with local and cantonal authorities reflects the way Caprices has worked throughout its more than twenty-year history. Many of the agreed measures, including improvements to communication, logistics and visitor management, were already under consideration and will now be implemented in close cooperation with the authorities.

While the municipality has outlined the conditions for a future edition, each new Caprices Festival will still require formal approval from the regional governor's office before it can take place.

Based on AvS | Jocelyne Page