Montreux, Switzerland, and all that jazz Jun 28, 2019

Montreux, Switzerland, and all that jazz

We’re looking at Montreux, Switzerland, where the Montreux Jazz Festival begins today. Despite its name, the festival isn"t just about jazz. It highlights different styles of music across multiple venues over two weeks. This year"s lineup includes three farewell-tour stops (Elton John, Anita Baker, Joan Baez) and big names in jazz (Chick Corea, Bobby McFerrin), as well as young artists representing a variety of genres. The festival began in 1967 at the original Montreux Casino, which famously burned down during a December 1971 Frank Zappa performance. The fire was memorialized by Deep Purple in their hit "Smoke on the Water." A monument commemorating the band and their song can be found next to the rebuilt casino.

© Westend61/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Jun 28, 2018A unique perspective from Italy’s ‘golden sands’
Jun 28, 2020Keep shining
Jun 28, 2021A medieval celebration in the Mediterranean
Jun 28, 2022Tafilalet oasis in Morocco
Jun 28, 2023Pride Month
Jun 28, 2024Pride 2024
Jun 28, 2025Pride 2025
Jun 28, 2026Saguaro cacti, Windgate Pass, McDowell Range, Arizona

More Desktop Wallpapers:

May 29, 2023Memorial Day
Oct 18, 2023Alaska Day
Jan 22, 2025Ad-Deir, Petra, Jordan
Apr 26, 2018National Park Week: Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Dec 6, 2024Finnish Independence Day
Jan 27, 2025Zoroaster Temple, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Jan 7, 2021Of balloons and lost pantaloons
Apr 17, 2024Black bear cub emerging into spring
Mar 18, 2018Christmas Tree Point Road and Twin Peaks, San Francisco
Mar 25, 2023Cecil Brewer Staircase, London
Oct 31, 2025Happy Halloween!
May 15, 2024The Blue City of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
Nov 29, 2019Opt outside today
Feb 4, 2023Rosa Parks Day
Apr 19, 2021Rays on parade
Jun 17, 2022Grand Teton National Park
Sep 11, 202120 years later
Feb 20, 2026Horsetail Fall in Yosemite National Park, California
Jul 27, 2022Mada in Saleh, Saudi Arabia
Sep 3, 2025Annivesary of the Wilderness Act of 1964
Apr 27, 2023South Padre Island, Texas
Jun 11, 2026Limpets at low tide on the coast of Praia da Ursa, Portugal
Jan 4, 2025Bản Giốc–Detian Falls, Vietnam
Feb 1, 2021Reflecting on Black History Month
Apr 10, 2022Siblings Day
Mar 26, 2024Vinh Hy Bay, Vietnam
Oct 1, 2025Clark Range, Yosemite National Park, California
Nov 22, 2020Birds of the Drömling
Oct 9, 2022Earth Science Week
May 10, 2021An ancient sailing tradition takes to the water