Main Square Festival
Main Square Festival is an annual three-day music festival at La Citadelle in Arras, France, operated by Live Nation France Festivals S.A.S., serving ~40,000 attendees per day with an international and French headliner lineup across multiple stages.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersArras, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Main Square Festival does
Main Square Festival is an annual three-day music festival held at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of La Citadelle in Arras, France, organized by Live Nation France Festivals S.A.S. — a subsidiary of Live Nation Entertainment. Founded in 2004, the festival operates across three main stages (Main Stage, Bastion, plus alternative spaces including Hip-Hop Square and Les Cabanes) and served approximately 40,000 attendees per day at its 2026 (20th) edition, which sold out across all ticket tiers. The event serves general public music fans, VIP and corporate hospitality clients, and eco-conscious attendees, with a roster blending international headliners (Twenty One Pilots, Katy Perry, Orelsan, Marshmello, David Guetta for 2027) and French acts.
The festival operates an event-driven technology stack rather than a technology platform: ticketing is sold through Ticketmaster (primary), France Billet, and SeeTickets with physical retail in major French chains; on-site payments are processed through Weezevent's NFC cashless wristband system (WeezPay); and an official mobile app built by FraGo Labs (iOS/Android) provides schedules, artist bios, cashless top-ups, and interactive site maps. The business model is transactional and event-driven: revenue is generated from tiered ticket sales (1-day €69, 2-day €120, 3-day €169), VIP hospitality packages (€125–€675 inclusive of Lounge, Lodge, and Experience tiers), on-site cashless concession revenue share, bundled festival-plus-accommodation packages (from €100), and sponsorship from Credit Mutuel, Coca-Cola, ENGIE, SNCF/TER, and institutional partners. The 2027 (21st) edition is already announced with David Guetta as headliner, demonstrating multi-year programming continuity.
Main Square Festival firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Main Square Festival
- Legal name
- Live Nation France Festivals S.A.S
- Website
- https://mainsquarefestival.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Main Square Festival is an annual three-day music festival at La Citadelle in Arras, France, operated by Live Nation France Festivals S.A.S., serving ~40,000 attendees per day with an international and French headliner lineup across multiple stages.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Main Square Festival industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Music Festivals
- NAICS
- Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Concerts & Music Festivals (THAJAFAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fairgrounds & Expo Parks (THAHAAAH), Virtual Concerts & Music Festivals (Livestreamed Performances) (MPAGAOAD)
Keywords
Where Main Square Festival is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Arras
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Main Square Festival business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling tickets across multiple tiers including 1-day passes (€69), 2-day passes (€120), 3-day passes (€169), and various VIP packages ranging from €125 to €675.
- Cashless Concessions Revenue: Revenue from food, beverage, and merchandise sales processed through the cashless wristband system. Vendors operate on-site with revenue sharing arrangements.
- VIP Hospitality Packages: Premium ticket packages including VIP Terrasse (€125-€675), VIP Lodge (€420/pp for groups of 12+), and VIP Experience (€500) with backstage tours, free drinks, and exclusive access.
- Festival + Accommodation Packages: Bundled offers combining festival passes with accommodation options starting from €100, facilitated through partner platforms.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | VIP Terrasse Pass - Premium viewing experience with dedicated entrance, parking, VIP bar with free drinks, and concert screens |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | VIP Pass 3 Days - Upgrade option for existing ticket holders with 1 free drink |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | VIP Lodge - Private space for groups with top-of-the-range buffet and full bar |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | VIP Experience - Immersive backstage tour with photo opportunity on Main Stage |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | 1-Day Pass - Access to all 3 stages for one day |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | 2-Day Pass - Access to all 3 stages for two consecutive days |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | 3-Day Pass - Full weekend access to all 3 stages |
| Hybrid | Pay-as-you-go | Festival + Accommodation Package - All-in-one experience with pass and lodging |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Main Square Festival product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Main Square Festival is an annual three-day outdoor music festival held at La Citadelle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Arras, France. It sells day and multi-day passes granting access to multiple stages (Main Stage, Bastion, and secondary spaces) featuring international headliners and French artists. The festival monetizes ticket sales across multiple tiers, premium VIP packages, on-site cashless concessions, and bundled festival-and-accommodation packages, with attendance of approximately 40,000 people per day.
Product overview
Main Square Festival is a three-day outdoor music festival held at La Citadelle in Arras, France. The core offering consists of day and multi-day festival tickets granting access to three stages featuring international and national artists. Key supplementary products include VIP pass upgrades offering premium comfort and amenities, a cashless wristband payment system powered by Weezevent, and an official mobile application for schedules and festival information. Additional offerings encompass the official resale platform for ticket transfers, accommodation packages, and dedicated festival zones such as Hip-Hop Square and Les Cabanes featuring alternative programming and cultural activities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Hip-Hop Square: A dedicated area at the festival featuring hip-hop culture including dance battles, workshops, DJ sets, and freestyle spaces.
- Les Cabanes
Products and services
- Festival Passes (1-day, 2-day, 3-day) Day and multi-day passes (€69 for 1-day, €120 for 2-day, €169 for 3-day) granting general access to all festival stages and attractions at La Citadelle in Arras, France. Personal and non-transferable; 2026 edition sold out with official resale platform available.
- VIP Passes and Packages
Quantifiable outcome
- 71% of festival electricity from renewable grid sources (2025, up from 29% in 2025)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Main Square Festival
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Main Square Festival technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature2 records
Main Square Festival partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
25 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- WeezeEvent SAScoreOperates the festival's cashless payment system. WeezeEvent provides the NFC wristband technology and payment processing infrastructure for all on-site transactions including food, beverages, and merchandise sales.
- TicketmastercorePrimary ticketing platform for all festival tickets. Also provides terms and conditions governing ticket purchases, refunds, and exchanges.
- Credit MutuelflagshipMajor private partner and sponsor. Provides festival Info Point branding and marketing support as the festival's banking partner.
- Coca-ColaminorBeverage partner providing products and marketing support for the festival.
- HomeCamper | CampspacecoreOfficial accommodation partner for micro-camping. Offers 75,000+ spots across 45+ countries, with dedicated Arras-area listings. Provides opportunities for local residents within 30km of Arras to host festival-goers.
- Riffx.frminorMedia partner providing promotional support for the festival.
- SNCF / TERminorOfficial transport partner. TER Hauts-de-France offers special deals to festival-goers and adjusts train schedules to match festival timings.
- Ville d'ArrasflagshipInstitutional host city partner. Provides venue access to the UNESCO World Heritage Citadelle and municipal support services including Artis free shuttles and Handimobile accessibility service.
- Communauté Urbaine d'ArrasflagshipMajor institutional partner. Manages free Artis shuttle buses, partners on sustainability initiatives, and provides electrical infrastructure for reduced diesel generator usage.
- SMAV (Syndicat Mixte Artois Valorisation)coreOfficial waste management partner. Manages festival waste sorting, recycling, and sustainability workshops. Also provides furniture made from recycled materials for VIP areas.
- Hauts-de-France RegionflagshipRegional institutional partner providing funding and promotional support for the festival.
- GEM L'AVISminorDisability inclusion partnership. GEM L'AVIS (Group d'Entraide Mutuelle) runs a creative workshop creating shadow boxes for festival-goers. Festival offers micro-donation option on tickets to support the organization.
- Conservatoire d'Espaces Naturels Hauts-de-FranceminorBiodiversity partnership. Organizes nature worksites and tree planting projects. Present at the Village des Associations during the festival.
- HophopfoodminorFood redistribution partner. Association d'intérêt général that redistributes excess food from festival stands and organization canteens to people in precarious situations.
- France TélévisionsflagshipMajor media partner providing broadcast and promotional coverage of the festival.
- La Voix du NordminorRegional media partner providing press coverage and news promotion.
- Rolling Stone FranceminorMedia partner providing music journalism coverage and promotional support.
- Amnesty InternationalminorHuman rights organization present at the Village des Associations to raise awareness among festival-goers.
- Greenpeace FranceminorEnvironmental organization present at the Village des Associations for sustainability awareness.
- Les Restos du CœurminorCharitable food organization present at the Village des Associations during the festival.
- Sea Shepherd FranceminorMarine conservation organization present at the Village des Associations.
- World CleanUp Day FranceminorEnvironmental organization that recycles cigarette butts collected at the festival.
- EnediscoreElectricity distribution partner working with the festival and Communauté Urbaine d'Arras to reduce diesel generator usage and increase renewable energy connection to the grid.
- ENGIEcoreEnergy partner providing 100% renewable origin guarantees for electricity purchased from the grid. Works with festival on decarbonization strategy.
- Live Nation EntertainmentflagshipGlobal entertainment company and parent organization. Live Nation France Festivals S.A.S operates the Main Square Festival under the Live Nation Entertainment umbrella.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Main Square Festival competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Solidays: Solidays is a Paris-based music festival held at Hippodrome de Longchamp. It operates a similar multi-genre, multi-stage, multi-day format with comparable attendee scale and headliner tier, with a charitable/social-mission overlay.
- Rock en Seine: Rock en Seine is a major multi-genre music festival held annually in the Paris region (Domaine national de Saint-Cloud). Comparable in scale, line-up strategy, and multi-tier ticketing approach, and represents a direct competitor for the Greater Paris festival audience.
- Hellfest Open Air: Hellfest is the largest rock and metal music festival in France, held annually in Clisson. It is the most comparable French festival in scale (180,000+ attendees/day) and operates under a similar multi-day, multi-stage model with international headliner rosters and VIP offerings.
- Garorock: Garorock is a major multi-genre music festival held annually in Marmande, southwestern France. Comparable in scale, line-up strategy, and 3-4 day format to Main Square Festival.
- Festival de Beauregard: Festival de Beauregard is a multi-genre music festival held annually in Hérouville-Saint-Clair, Normandy. Comparable in audience scale and headliner tier to Main Square Festival, with a similar 3-day outdoor format.
- Les Eurockéennes de Belfort: Eurockéennes is a multi-genre music festival held at the Malsaucy peninsula in Belfort, eastern France. Comparable multi-stage format, tier of headliners, and audience scale to Main Square Festival.
- Vieilles Charrues Festival: Vieilles Charrues is the largest music festival in France, held annually in Carhaix, Brittany. It is a multi-genre French festival of comparable scope and tier to Main Square, featuring international headliners, multi-day passes, and VIP packages.
Broad incumbents
- Sziget Festival: Sziget is one of Europe's largest multi-genre music festivals, held annually in Budapest, Hungary. While not French, it operates a comparable multi-stage, multi-day, sustainability-positioned festival model and serves as a benchmark for international festival scale and brand development.
Emerging players
- Download Festival France: Download Festival France is the French edition of the global Download rock/metal festival, held at Hippodrome de Longchamp. Comparable in scale and Live Nation ecosystem affiliation, with a narrower genre focus than Main Square's multi-genre programming.
Regional players
- Cabaret Vert: Cabaret Vert is a northern France multi-genre festival held in Charleville-Mézières. Geographically closest direct competitor to Main Square Festival and operates a similar mid-sized, multi-stage, sustainability-focused format.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Main Square Festival social profiles
Digital presenceMain Square Festival financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Main Square Festival leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Main Square Festival funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Main Square Festival M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Main Square Festival
What does Main Square Festival do?
Main Square Festival is an annual three-day outdoor music festival held at La Citadelle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Arras, France. It sells day and multi-day passes granting access to multiple stages (Main Stage, Bastion, and secondary spaces) featuring international headliners and French artists. The festival monetizes ticket sales across multiple tiers, premium VIP packages, on-site cashless concessions, and bundled festival-and-accommodation packages, with attendance of approximately 40,000 people per day.
Is Main Square Festival a public or private company?
Main Square Festival is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Main Square Festival founded?
Main Square Festival was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Main Square Festival based?
Main Square Festival is headquartered in Arras, France, in the Europe region.
How does Main Square Festival make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are cashless Concessions Revenue, VIP Hospitality Packages and festival + Accommodation Packages.
Who are Main Square Festival's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Solidays, Rock en Seine, Hellfest Open Air, Garorock, Festival de Beauregard, Les Eurockéennes de Belfort and Vieilles Charrues Festival. Sziget Festival is listed as a broad incumbent. Download Festival France is listed as an emerging player. Cabaret Vert is listed as a regional player.
Does Main Square Festival have an API?
No public API is recorded for Main Square Festival.
What industry is Main Square Festival in?
Main Square Festival's product category is Live Music Festivals. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJAFAA, Concerts & Music Festivals, with a secondary code of THAHAAAH, Fairgrounds & Expo Parks. Its NAICS code is 711 and its SIC code is 7900.