Midway’s Swiss Days preparation is in full swing with Labor Day weekend fast approaching.
Max Willis is the Swiss Days committee chair. He has been working to bring Swiss Days to life each year for 25 years, though he only became chair of the committee in recent years.
“We pull this thing off every year,” Willis said.
Willis, who spent time in Switzerland as a child, said he loves the Swiss tradition Midway brings to town each year.
“I heard about the event, and I volunteered, and I just fell in love with it from day one,” Willis said.
The Swiss Days committee does not advertise for the event; it’s entirely word-of-mouth. Over the past 25 years, Willis said he has seen the event grow from a humble gathering to a somewhat overwhelming festival.
“The scale and different activities we do around Swiss Days has changed a little over the years,” Willis said. “If you don’t like crowds, it’s probably not your favorite thing to do.”
Willis said Swiss Days is a nod to the end of summer, ushering in autumn. Swiss Days began in 1947 as the harvest festival. There would be apples and fall-themed produce and trinkets for sale over the years.
The festival changed to Swiss Days more than 15 years later. Throughout the years, the focus of Swiss Days has remained true: community.
“What I love about it is it’s a volunteer force of about 3,000 in the community that comes together,” Willis said.
Elise Jones is the social media lead for Swiss Days. She said that even online, the Wasatch Back community has been coming together over Swiss Days. She said this year there has been plenty of engagement with Swiss Days both online and offline.
Like Willis, Jones said the community aspect of the festival is the best part. Everyone volunteers, she said, from community cooks who start barbecuing a week ahead to women from wards of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who bake and prepare Swiss bread and treats.
“Everyone’s just coming together every single day to pull it together and, behind the scenes, it’s magical,” Jones said.
As of Tuesday, tents are being raised, baking is in its final stretch and smoke is coming from barbecues in Midway.
“You can smell the fresh Swiss bread baking from the cannery building,” Jones said. “It’s really fun.”
Jones said there is also a larger emphasis on handmade crafts and goods this year, and it’s a great way to connect with makers across the Wasatch Back. Willis added that a good portion of visitors start their holiday shopping early at Swiss Days.
Willis and Jones said that while Swiss Days is an epic festival, what people may not know is that the event is also a massive fundraiser.
“They just see trinkets that are being sold, they hear the music, they see the crowds, they see the food,” Willis said. “When vendors pay for their space to rent out that location, those proceeds go to alleviate suffering around the world.”
Willis said his team has heard “tremendous stories” come in over the years about the fundraising that was accomplished.
“They raise money for Midway and the humanitarian department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and that goes to aid suffering all over the world,” Willis said.
Profits are split between Midway Boosters to pay for local events and the church’s humanitarian efforts. Locally, Swiss Days helps fund classic Midway events such as the annual tree lighting ceremony each winter.
Beautification has also been completed on Midway’s Main Street, and scholarships are awarded to local high school students seeking to further their education.
“It comes from Swiss Days money,” Willis said.
Jones said she loves that everyone is working toward a “good cause.”
“And knowing that the money is going to something very real and very helpful to not only our own community, but outside of our own community out there in the world,” Jones said. “All the food and the boosters merchandise booth and things like that, those proceeds go to the fundraiser, so that’s what makes it really nice.”
The festival will start on Friday and the annual Swiss Days parade will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday.