Here is a selection of music and dance events coming up in Nyon, plus three flower/ garden events happening in the local area. Other Events - Did you know that La Côte newspaper has a Facebook page that lists local events? It's in French but clear and easy to understand. Also, don't forget to check out the Nyon tourism website which also has an events page. Living in Nyon will now be taking a short break and will be back on Tuesday 15th May. A reminder that on Thursday the 10th May, it's the Ascension holiday and most shops and businesses will be closed on that day - Some shops (such as Migros Nyon) will also close an hour earlier on Wednesday 9th May. Music La Parenthèse 3 May - Twin Bandit (folk) from California 4 May - Katie-von-Schleicher (pop) from Maryland 11 May - Bryde (alternative) from the UK Usine a Gaz Coquillages & crustacés - Silent party! 3 DJ's present - choose the music of your choice and dance away! Classical 4 May - Temple of Nyon 20:00 - Orchestra da Capo Gardens and Flowers!Flower Market in Founex Saturday 5th May from 08:30 -12:00 Jardins en Fête - Coppet 100 garden themed exhibitors at this lovely garden event in the grounds of the château de Coppet. Outdoor furniture makers to perennial specialist growers and landscape architects. The Swiss Gardening School will be present with a stand this year. Details hereChâteau de Vuillierens The beautiful gardens of this château are now open, with new gardens and areas to wander around. New sculptures have also been added to the collection in the grounds. See our article from May 2014 about these lovely gardens Morges Tulip Festival - Thousands of tulips on display at the Parc de l'indépendance in Morges. See poster below or website here Dance Festival in Gland 4-6 May - Dance activities over 3 days including a Rock and Roll demonstration on Sunday. Programme here.

It's the annual "Neighbours' Day in Nyon and Prangins on Friday 25th May 2018. This day is organised by both neighbours and organisations themselves so take a look out in your neighbourhood for the La Fête des Voisins posters to see if there is an event going on near you. These events usually take place in the evening so it's a great opportunity to meet new people after work for a drink. If there isn't an event going on and you would like to organise one, Nyon council can provide posters, flyers t-shirts balloons etc to get your event off to a good start. All the details are in the link here.

Ideal for those friend and family visits! Discounts on entry fees to Signal de Bougy, wildlife zoo in Le Vaud, Château de Prangins, the watchmaking museum and more. Nyon Région Tourism has teamed up with both Morges Région Tourism and the Vallée de Joux Tourism to create a "Wild Pass" offering a range of discounts. This is to help tourists discover more of the Nyon and west Vaudois region. This pass is available for tourists, friends and family who are visiting the area (not for residents). Nyon Région Tourism is offering a 50% reduction on individual entry fees at the La Garenne Zoo in Le Vaud (see our previous article here about this lovely zoo) and also a 50% reduction on entry to the Swiss National Museum/Château and garden in Prangins. The Vallée de Joux Tourism is offering a 50% reduction off individual entry fees to the Watchmaking museum in Le Sentier and also to the Base Nautique Altitude 1004 at Les Bioux. Morges Région Tourisme is offering 25% off individual entry fees to the Signal de Bougy adventure park and 50% off individual entry fees to La Maison de la Rivière in Tolochenaz. The Wild Pass is free and can be picked up at either Nyon, Morges or the Vallée de Joux (in Le Sentier) tourist offices during opening hours.

Gender Equity in the Sports industry - What about it? Details - click here Speakers at the event include: Giancarlo Sergi, Swiss Basketball PresidentSara Holmgren, UEFA Education, Diversity and Inclusion OfficerPatrick Tran, Servette Rugby Club and Geneva Volley The event is free of charge, but registration will be required. Any questions, please feel free to contact Tatiana Oberson info@womeninsport.com

Artisanal goods handmade by local creators will be on sale at the Moulin de Chiblins in Gingins on Saturday 12th May from 10:00-18.00. On Sunday 13th May from 09:00-17.00 there will be a special Mother's Day menu (reservation fro a table required - details in the flyer below) and wine tasting at the Moulin. The agricultural museum will also be open on that day. See website here (in French) Facebook site here.

The May "Living in the Know" podcast is now out. This podcast is a collaboration between Living in Nyon and Know-it all-passport. On this podcast, Catherine and Lisa discuss going “home" for the summer holidays. Sometimes a trip back “home” for the summer holidays can leave expats feeling a bit disappointed - not everyone is keen to hear about their life in Switzerland. Staying in guest rooms, sleeping on sofa beds and visiting lots of people, often leaves these expats feeling like they haven’t had a proper vacation and they return to Switzerland exhausted! Catherine gives some tips and hints on how to optimise your time and get the best out of these trips, and Lisa gives some great gifts ideas to take home, ones that aren’t too expensive and will arrive intact! She also teaches Catherine a fun French expression. https://soundcloud.com/living-in-nyon/opinion-podcast/s-pNau4 This podcast has kindly been sponsored by Federesque, Coffee table book about Roger Federer.

Four-hour training course (in English) teaching basic First Aid skills in Nyon on Sunday 6 May 2018 from 09:30-13:30. A practical and packed course full of information that is easy to understand and remember. Plenty of opportunities for hands-on practice. Topics covered include the First Aid treatment of: Head injuries and suspected spinal injuries. Major blood loss and shock. Burns. Strains, sprains and broken bones. Cuts, grazes and nosebleeds. Accidental poisoning. Plus, what to have in your First Aid Kit and how to use it. Course certification: HealthFirst Certificate of Attendance in Basic First Aid Skills (valid for 2 years). More details - see Facebook event here or HealthFirst website here.

It's the monthly flea market in Nyon this Sunday 29th April by the lakeside. From 08:00 -18:30 Everything from saxophones to retro-furniture!

BIBLIOTOPIA is the title of a new, first edition weekend of literature from around the world which will take place at The Jan Michalski Foundation from Friday 4th May to Sunday 6th May 2018. The foundation is situated at the foot of the Jura mountains at Montricher. The event will be held in English with simultaneous interpretation into French. Photo above - The foundation building at Montricher - shuttle buses will be in operation from Apples station (near Morges) This first edition of the festival looks at literature “Beyond Borders”, with a programme of readings, debates, interviews, with interludes of music and film. The library inside the Jan Michalski foundation. The invited writers are the following Tahmima Anam, Tahar Ben Jelloun, György Dragomán, Petina Gappah, Xiaolu Guo, Yasmina Khadra, Gazmend Kapllani, Cécile Ladjali, Linda Lê, Katja Petrowskaja, Vladimir Vertlib and music from the singer Noa. Bios of writers here. “Beyond Borders”, will explore the issues of displacement, both by choice and necessity and of geographical uprooting, whether emotional, linguistic or intellectual. How are identities, both personal and political, transformed and shaped by exile? Is literature stateless and transnational? Is language our haven or our memory? What kind of international encounters are negotiated through fiction? How does migrant literature reinvent and question societies? Click here for the full programme. Transport and practical information, click here.

The sun is out and the Base Balcony and Bar is now open. It's a great place to have an after-work drink near the centre of town with a fabulous view over the rooftops onto the Alps and onto the lake. The bar is open from 17:00 to 22:00 from Monday to Saturday. The bar is part of Base Nyon, an award-winning aparthotel just 50 metres from Nyon railway station. To reserve a table simply email bb&b@basenyon.com or call 022 361 36 36

The Belle Epoque CGN boats are now back on the lake for the start of a new season! Photo above taken on Tuesday 17th April CGN have various "special" cruises on offer including one for Mother's Day which is on Sunday May 13th. Details here Photo above - courtesy CGN.

Ronaldinho and Figo will captain all-star teams to raise money for charity in joint UEFA-UN initiative on Saturday 21st April. This joint UEFA-United Nations charity game will take place on Saturday 21 April (kick-off 16.00) at the Stade de Genève in Geneva, Switzerland. The line-ups of the two teams comprise stellar names from the world of football, including numerous former UEFA EURO, UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup winners. The list of players the Figo & Friends team, coached by Didier Deschamps, are: Luis Figo (captain), Dida, Vítor Baía, Míchel Salgado, Frank de Boer, Rio Ferdinand, Cristian Chivu, Dejan Stanković, Robert Pirès, Jari Litmanen, Christian Karembeu, Andrea Pirlo, Raúl, Robbie Keane, Kelly Smith and Nuno Gomes. The players, who will be coached by Carlo Ancelotti and will join the Ronaldinho & Friends team, includes: Ronaldinho (captain), David James, Antonis Nikopolidis, Juliano Belletti, Cafu, Edmílson, Casey Stoney, Éric Abidal, Michael Essien, Youri Djorkaeff, Gaizka Mendieta, Ronald de Boer, Henrik Larsson, Alexander Frei, Patrick Kluivert and Célia Šašić. The renowned former Italian referee Pierluigi Collina will officiate the match. The match is aimed at promoting peace, human rights and well-being in the world, through the Sustainable Development Goals as set out by the United Nations. The proceeds from this event, as well as from the charity dinner and a unique digital football auction, will go to the UEFA Foundation for Children. The funds will be used to finance humanitarian and development projects to help children with disabilities both at a local and global level. The match at the Stade de Genève, which will be distributed to a global audience via the European Broadcast Union, will kick off at 16.00CET. Tickets, priced from CHF 10 up to CHF 22, are available at ticketcorner.ch.