Klosters Gourmet Mile: “We don’t want a sales fair, but an experience”

For the 11th time, the Brügga district will be transformed into a stage for living tradition. Starting at 11:30 a.m., visitors can stroll between lovingly decorated stalls and take a seat at the 200-meter-long table along the country road and sample the local delicacies. Costumes are expressly encouraged!

Organizing committee president Anja Walter of the Nostalgic Gourmet Mile will give a taste of the program and her personal highlights.

How many visitors do you expect this year, and what does that mean for your organization?
It always depends heavily on the weather. If we're lucky and the sun shines, we can expect around 2,000 guests throughout the day.

For us, this means setting up good signage, working closely with the canton, police, and municipality to ensure the smooth closure of the cantonal road and the traffic diversion, and adjusting the postal bus schedule.

We will also be providing security to ensure the safety of all guests, setting up enough toilets, and ensuring that there is sufficient food and drinks available at all food stalls.

Along the Gourmet Mile, numerous stalls with culinary offerings and traditional crafts line the scene. What criteria do you use to select the participating restaurateurs, artisans, and exhibitors?
A broad mix is very important to us; no one should offer the same thing. This also applies to nostalgic crafts: We are currently searching throughout Switzerland for suitable exhibitors, because we don't want a sales fair, but rather an experience that focuses on our traditions, stories, and old crafts. And of course, we also ensure that there is a strong local connection.

Is there a new idea or program item you're implementing for the first time this year?
Yes, this year we deliberately decided not to occupy the Rössli parking lot. Instead, we're moving the stalls closer together directly on the street so that life takes place even more on the mile itself and the atmosphere is more intense. For the first time, we're also offering stall operators the option of renting parasols – this way we're better prepared for a light rain shower or strong sun.

The Gourmet Mile represents nostalgic costumes and handicrafts up close. What special activities or hands-on opportunities are planned to bring this atmosphere to life?
Our popular photo competition is back again this year. And there are truly generous prizes to be won! We've already got lots of great prizes, so it's definitely worth participating.

Which booth or program item is a real highlight for you personally?
For me, the whole day is the highlight. I think it's simply wonderful when we manage to bring life to the streets. Guests talk to each other, eat, enjoy themselves, and stroll – and everywhere I see shining eyes and smiling faces. When I walk along the mile and everything is alive, everyone is having fun and laughing, then I know: this is exactly why we do this.