OpenAir St.Gallen

What OpenAir St.Gallen does

OpenAir St.Gallen is Switzerland's oldest continuously operating open-air music festival, founded in 1977 by Freddi 'Gagi' Geiger and held annually in the Sittertobel natural valley near St. Gallen. The four-day event (Thursday-Sunday) accommodates approximately 30,000 attendees across 8 stages — from the 25,000-capacity Sitterbühne main stage to the 5,000-capacity Sternenbühne tent stage, the 800-1,000-capacity INTRO stage for emerging artists, and electronic, acoustic, club, and design areas. Operated by OpenAir St.Gallen AG under the Gadget Entertainment Group AG holding, the festival runs on a lean permanent staff of approximately 6 supported by 20 area managers, 80+ department heads, and 3,500-4,000 volunteers per edition. The festival became the first climate-neutral Swiss open-air festival in 2019 and has held the YOUROPE Green'n'Clean certification continuously since 2007.

The core product is a multi-day festival ticket (CHF 269 for a 4-day Fan Ticket) granting access to all stages, integrated camping, and free public transport in SBB zones 210/211 via a partnership with Swiss Federal Railways. The festival operates mandatory cashless payments through chip-equipped wristbands (Intellipay integration) for all on-site food, beverage, and merchandise transactions. Supporting products include VIP/hospitality packages with brunch add-ons, comfort camping via niuway, Lotus Belle glamping tents, an official mobile app, year-round merchandise via openairsg.shop, a foodie tasting pass, guided festival tours, and festival lockers.

Revenue is generated across multiple streams: ticket sales (multi-day passes, 50% youth discount for year groups 2010-2013, free entry for children born 2014 or later), food and beverage commissions from 50+ vendor stands, VIP/hospitality premium packages, merchandise, parking (CHF 20-80), and a layered sponsorship stack anchored by presenting partner ALDI SUISSE plus major partners Schützengarten, SGKB, Coca-Cola, SBB, SRF, Swissmilk, and Zweifel. The festival also incorporates a CHF 3 voluntary climate contribution per ticket directed to myclimate projects.

Name

OpenAir St.Gallen

Legal name

OpenAir St.Gallen AG

Website

https://openairsg.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

OpenAir St.Gallen is Switzerland's oldest continuously operating open-air music festival (since 1977), held annually in St. Gallen and serving approximately 30,000 attendees over four days across 8 stages with cashless wristband payments, integrated camping, and free public transport.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music Festival Events

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320), All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (71399)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Festival & Event Producers/Organizers (MPAIAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural & Community Festivals (Ticketed) (THAJAFAI), Fan Engagement & Onsite Technology (RFID, Cashless, Apps) (MPAGAAAL)

Keywords

• Music festival events
• Live entertainment concerts
• Festival ticket sales
• Outdoor festival experiences
• Event hospitality services

Headquarters

HQ city

Scherzingen

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: The festival sells multi-day festival passes (4-day, 3-day, 2-day, 1-day passes) and VIP upgrade packages. Ticket categories include Fan Ticket (CHF 269 for 4-day pass), VIP tickets with hospitality upgrades, and Youth Tickets at 50% discount for year groups 2010-2013. Children born 2014 and younger enter free with an adult.
2. Food & Beverage Sales: Over 50 food and beverage stands operated by third-party vendors across the festival grounds. All transactions are cashless via festival wristband. The festival takes a commission or rental fee from vendors. Key partners include ALDI SUISSE Festival Shop, and numerous independent food operators.
3. Hospitality & VIP Packages: VIP tickets include dedicated entrance, access to VIP area with bar and food stations, terrace with stage view, VIP toilets, VIP shuttle, and access to lockers. Additional paid add-ons include Classic Brunch, Prosecco Brunch, and Anti Kater Brunch packages. Festival tours are also offered via hospitality team.
4. Home Delivery Service: Pre-ordered beverages (mineral water in 6-packs, beer in 24-packs) can be pre-ordered and collected at the ALDI SUISSE Festival Shop on-site. Deposits apply and are refunded upon return.
5. Merchandise Sales: Festival merchandise including hoodies, shirts, caps, and artist-specific merchandise sold via on-site shop (central location on main street between stages) and year-round online shop at openairsg.shop.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

OpenAir St.Gallen organizes and operates a four-day outdoor multi-stage music festival held annually in the Sittertobel valley near St. Gallen, Switzerland, hosting approximately 30,000 attendees across 8 stage areas (Sitterbühne, Sternenbühne, Intro, Day Dance, Plaza, Campo, Freedom Music, Design Village). The core product is the multi-day festival ticket (Fan Ticket CHF 269 for 4-day pass) with integrated camping, complemented by VIP/hospitality packages, glamping options (niuway Comfort Camping, Lotus Belle tents), cashless wristband payments, festival merchandise, food and beverage from 50+ vendor stands, and supporting services such as shuttle buses and festival lockers.

Product overview

OpenAir St.Gallen is a four-day music festival (Thursday through Sunday) held annually at the Sittertobel venue near St.Gallen, Switzerland. The festival operates as a temporary city accommodating approximately 30,000 visitors with 8 distinct stage areas: the main Sitterbühne (capacity 25,000), Sternenbühne tent stage (5,000 capacity), Intro tent stage (800-1,000 capacity, focused on emerging artists), Day Dance electronic stage by the river, Plaza food and culture area, Campo acoustic singer-songwriter stage, Freedom Music club venue, and Design Village for Swiss designers. The core product is the festival ticket granting multi-day access to all areas and camping. Ancillary products include VIP Hospitality packages with terrace viewing and brunch options, Comfort Camping via niuway, pre-bookable Lotus Belle glamping tents, and Festival Merchandise. Supporting services encompass a Cashless Payment System (wristband-based), Mobile App for schedules and maps, Foodie Pass tasting option, ALDI Festival Shop, Home Delivery Service for beverages, Shuttle Bus transport, Guided Tours of festival infrastructure, and Festival Lockers. The festival is organized by OpenAir St.Gallen AG under the Gadget Entertainment Group umbrella.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Festival Tickets (4-day, 3-day, 2-day, 1-day Fan Passes) Multi-day festival passes granting access to all 8 festival stage areas, integrated camping, free shuttle bus, and free public transport in zones 210/211. Includes Fan Ticket (CHF 269 for 4-day pass), VIP ticket upgrades, and Youth Tickets at 50% discount for year groups 2010-2013. Children born 2014 or younger enter free with an accompanying adult. Sold via the official ticket-onlineshop portal and the Welcome Desk at Bahnhof Nord.
• OpenAir St.Gallen Festival App Official iOS and Android mobile application for festival attendees, providing real-time updates, personal timetable creation, food stand information, venue maps, and partner information. Available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% tent return rate (2022 Zeltdepot program)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• ALDI SUISSEcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerALDI SUISSE is the Presenting Partner of OpenAir St.Gallen. They operate the ALDI SUISSE Festival Shop on the festival grounds (selling drinks, food, camping supplies, baked goods) and provide free drinking water stations across the site. They sponsor the Home Delivery Service for pre-ordered beverages and have been a partner since at least 2019.
• SchützengartenmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMain partner of the festival. Schützengarten (Swiss brewery) likely provides beverages and may have branding presence.
• St. Galler Kantonalbank (SGKB)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerMain partner and co-presenter of the SGKB Lounge at the Campo stage area. SGKB provides banking services and co-branded festival experiences.
• Coca-ColamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-partner of the festival. Coca-Cola sponsors separation stations (Trennstationen) for waste recycling on the festival grounds in a partnership aimed at improving sustainability.
• SBB (Swiss Federal Railways)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerSBB provides subsidized and free public transport for festival-goers. Since 2024, travel to/from St. Gallen is free with the festival ticket (full discount on both directions). The festival ticket includes free travel in Ostwind zones 210/211.
• myclimatecoreStrategic or Co-development Partnermyclimate is the festival's climate partner since 2016, providing carbon footprint analysis and supporting the festival's climate neutrality. They co-developed the sustainability strategy, analyzed the food & beverage area in 2016, and manage the festival's CO2 compensation through projects in Switzerland, Nicaragua, and Uganda. Since 2020, a voluntary 3rd climate contribution of CHF 3 is added to each ticket.
• SwissmilkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-partner providing the Swissmilk Milchbar (milk bar) on the festival grounds, serving frozen yogurt, milk drinks, and festival supplies.
• Zweifel ChipsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSwiss snack chip brand as co-partner of the festival.
• Senn Resources AGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported the 2022 new sanitary concept that reduced water usage by up to 90% through modern vacuum technology installations.
• OatlyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSwedish oat milk brand as co-partner, likely providing plant-based beverage options at the festival.
• StarzoneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMain partner of the festival, providing ear plug solutions for hearing protection.
• YOUROPEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Festival Association. OASG has been a member and awarded Green'n'Clean since 2007. OASG participates in the Take A Stand campaign initiated by YOUROPE. YOUROPE represents European festivals and promotes best practices in sustainability and social responsibility.
• Stiftung CerebralminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation provides elevated accessible tribunes at both the Sitterbühne and Sternenbühne for wheelchair users. OASG collaborates with Stiftung Cerebral and Herold Taxi to provide free taxi rides for mobility-impaired guests.
• TarzanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner supplying all merchandise and crew shirts made from GOTS-certified organic cotton for the festival's sustainable merchandising.
• Gadget Entertainment Group (parent company)coreOthersOpenAir St.Gallen AG is a festival under Gadget Entertainment Group, which provides the organizational infrastructure. Gadget covers Live-Entertainment, Festivals, Artist Management, Event Management, Hospitality, and Brand Partnerships. Compliance managed via CTS EVENTIM hint system.
• Chimpy (Powerbank Rental)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerChimpy provides power bank rental stations at the festival, allowing attendees to borrow a power bank and charge their phones on the go via the Chimpy app.
• HelvetiarocktminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss nationwide association promoting gender equality in music. OASG partners with Helvetiarockt to run walk-in beatmaking workshops at the festival for women, inter, non-binary, trans, and agender people, providing low-threshold access to music creation.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Paléo Festival Nyon: Switzerland's largest open-air music festival held annually in Nyon with multi-stage programming, ~250,000 capacity over multiple days, and similar 4-day festival + camping model directly comparable to OpenAir St.Gallen.
• Gurtenfestival: Annual Swiss outdoor music festival held on the Gurten hill near Bern with multi-stage programming and similar mid-tier (~25,000) capacity, the closest direct geographic and scale comparable to OpenAir St.Gallen.
• Heitere Open Air: Swiss open-air music festival held in Zofingen with similar multi-stage programming, Swiss-headline-driven lineup, and comparable camping-friendly outdoor experience model.
• Openair Frauenfeld: Switzerland's largest hip-hop and urban music open-air festival; shares the Swiss multi-stage outdoor event format with camping and cashless on-site infrastructure comparable to OpenAir St.Gallen.
• Rock Werchter: Belgian multi-day open-air music festival with comparable international headliner programming, multi-stage setup, and camping, directly comparable in scale and format to OpenAir St.Gallen.
• Pukkelpop: Belgian multi-stage outdoor music and dance festival with similar international line-up, camping, and cashless on-site infrastructure over a multi-day run comparable to OpenAir St.Gallen.
• Hellfest: Major French multi-stage open-air festival with comparable international headliner programming, camping, and large-scale temporary "city" infrastructure model similar to OpenAir St.Gallen.

Broad incumbents

• Sziget Festival: Hungarian week-long multi-stage open-air festival on an island in Budapest, larger in scale and duration, with a comparable broad-genre programming model and on-site cashless / mobile infrastructure.
• Roskilde Festival: Large Danish non-profit multi-stage music festival comparable in format and legacy to OpenAir St.Gallen, but materially larger in scale (~130,000) and with a broader Nordic and pan-European audience.
• Tomorrowland: Belgian mega-festival focused on electronic/dance music with comparable on-site cashless wristband technology, camping, and temporary-city infrastructure; comparable in operational model but distinct in genre focus and global scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/oasg
• Facebookfacebook.com/openairsg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/openair-st.-gallen

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OpenAir St.Gallen