The Näfelser Fahrt is considered one of the highest Glarus holidays.

At the Landsgemeinde in 1387, the people of Glarus had adopted a constitution that included secession from foreign rule. The Habsburgs did not put up with this and attacked the people of Glarus in April 1388. Supported by some people from Uri and Schwyz, the people of Glarus countered the attack on the Rautiberg in Näfels with a hail of stones. They took advantage of the confusion and drove the vastly superior army to flight. The Näfelser Fahrt is considered the highest holiday in Glarus. Fahrtsfeier The "Näfelser Fahrt" cantonal holiday dates back to a resolution passed by the Landsgemeinde in 1835. On the first Thursday in April (unless it falls during Holy Week), at 7.15 a.m., a military guard of honor, harmony music, tambourines, the Glarus Cantonal Choral Society and some Glarner men and women march from the Glarus arsenal towards Näfels. At the same time, the Catholic procession, led by cross bearers and flag bearers, makes its way from St. Fridolin's Church in Glarus to Näfels, where the two processions join up with the Unterländer in Schneisingen. There, at the first memorial stone, the ceremony begins after the arrival of the government with a highly official speech by the Landammann or Landesstatthalter, accompanied by music and song. The procession then makes its way past the memorial stones, where the procession performs prayers, to the fairground. The song "Grosser Gott, wir loben Dich" (Great God, we praise you), accompanied by the choral society and harmony music, is followed by the reading of the medieval charter. This describes the history and course of the battle and lists the names of those who died in connection with the Battle of Näfels in 1388. A Reformed or Catholic clergyman then gives the sermon, followed by a musical performance. The procession then moves to the battle memorial, where the two associations can be listened to and the national anthem can be sung. After the walk to the eleventh memorial stone, the procession and official celebration end with a solemn high mass in the parish church of Näfels, while the streets of Näfels have long been bustling with market activity.


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