Pastoo

What Pastoo does

Pastoo ASBL is a Belgian non-profit federation (Association sans but lucratif) founded in 2013, headquartered in Brussels, that operates a portfolio of sustainable cultural events and a sector-support program. The federation manages four distinct brands: LaSemo, a multidisciplinary sustainable festival held at Parc d'Enghien since 2008 (and under Pastoo since 2013); Namur en Mai, a large street arts and circus festival in Namur that Pastoo took over in 2016 and which traces back to 1996; Magic Cabaret, an immersive winter cabaret experience launched in 2022 at Gare Maritime, Tour & Taxis in Brussels; and EventChange, a sustainable-transition accelerator for the cultural and event sector launched in 2020.

The organization is staffed by approximately 20–26 professionals supported by over 100 year-round volunteers, and reaches roughly 250,000 attendees annually across its events (Namur en Mai ~200,000–250,000; LaSemo ~50,000; Magic Cabaret ~15,000 in 2025). Its business model is diversified across four revenue streams: ticket sales (transaction fees), exhibitor/participant fees from foodtrucks and artisans (one-time license), corporate partnerships aligned with sustainability values (professional services), and institutional sponsorships (advertising). Distribution is event-driven and domestic (Belgium — Wallonia and Brussels), with B2B outreach for exhibitors and partners, direct consumer ticketing, and venue-based access. Core operations are not technology-platform based; the website is built on Odoo eCommerce, and there is no disclosed proprietary technology, API, or AI capability.

The organization is led by Director Samuel Chappel and is supported by a network of public-sector financial partners (Wallonie, Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Province de Namur, Ville de Namur, START, Tax Shelter du Gouvernement Fédéral), making it materially dependent on public and institutional funding alongside earned revenue. No parent company, external investors, acquisitions, or funding rounds are disclosed.

Name

Pastoo

Legal name

Pastoo ASBL

Website

https://pastoo.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pastoo ASBL is a Belgian non-profit federation operating sustainable cultural events — LaSemo, Namur en Mai, Magic Cabaret, and the EventChange sector program — reaching ~250,000 attendees annually with a small staff and institutional public-sector funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Festival and Cultural Event Management

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)

SIC

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

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAGAEAB

Cultural Heritage & Traditional Festivals (Folk, Ethnic, Indigenous)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Cultural Festivals & Community Events

SECONDARYMPAGAEAE

Community Parades, Carnivals & Street Fairs

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Cultural Festivals & Community Events

SECONDARYMPAGAGAB

Professional & Association Conferences

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Conventions & Conferences (Business Events)

Keywords

• Sustainable cultural events
• Festival organization
• Event production services
• Cultural sector consulting
• Event sustainability training

Headquarters

HQ city

Bruxelles

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from ticket sales for festival events including LaSemo, Namur en Mai, and Magic Cabaret.
2. Exhibitor Fees: Foodtrucks, artisans, and creators pay fees to participate as exhibitors at Pastoo events.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Custom partnerships with companies aligned with Pastoo's values, including visibility and engagement opportunities at events.
4. Sponsorships: Support from institutional and corporate sponsors for festival operations and programming.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Pastoo ASBL is a Belgian federation that organizes and produces sustainable cultural events. It directly operates and produces four event properties: LaSemo (sustainable multidisciplinary family festival), Namur en Mai (street arts and circus festival), Magic Cabaret (immersive winter cabaret), and EventChange (a sustainable transition accelerator program for the cultural and event sector). The federation also sells exhibitor slots and corporate partnerships tied to these events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EventChange: Project aimed at accelerating the sustainable transition of the cultural and event sector through tools, resources, training, workshops, personalized support, networking, and events like the Forum de la Culture Durable.
• LaSemo
• Namur en Mai
• Magic Cabaret

Products and services

• LaSemo Festival A sustainable, family, and festive multidisciplinary festival held at Parc d'Enghien, featuring music, circus, street arts, theater, and sustainable food options for approximately 50,000 attendees annually.
• Namur en Mai Festival A 30-year-old street arts and fairground arts festival held in Namur featuring circus, street theater, magic, and cabaret, attracting over 200,000 attendees over the Ascension Day weekend.
• Magic Cabaret An immersive winter cabaret experience inspired by 1920s elegance and Parisian cabaret glamour, held at Gare Maritime, Tour & Taxis in Brussels, reaching 15,000 spectators in 2025.
• EventChange Sustainable Transition Program A program accelerating the sustainable transition of the cultural and event sector through tools, resources, training, workshops, personalized support, networking, and the Forum de la Culture Durable, delivering 15 practical guides and dozens of accompagnement sessions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 250,000+ attendees annually across all events
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Province de NamurcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial government partner supporting Namur en Mai festival with regional development and cultural promotion funding.
• Ville de NamurcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity of Namur hosts and supports Namur en Mai festival, providing venue access and municipal support for the event.
• VISITWalloniaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial tourism body supporting LaSemo festival as regional tourism promotion initiative.
• Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles - Service des Arts forains, du Cirque et de la RuecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment service providing specialized funding and support for street arts, circus, and fairground arts sector including Namur en Mai.
• SNCB (Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Belges)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBelgian national railway providing reduced-price transport options for LaSemo festival attendees to encourage sustainable mobility.
• Confluence (Espace Culturel)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural venue partnership for Namur en Mai festival events and programming at Confluence cultural space.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Esperanzah!: Belgian eco-responsible music and arts festival. Most directly comparable to Pastoo's LaSemo because it shares the sustainability-first positioning, family-friendly multidisciplinary programming, and Belgian festival market.
• Tomorrowland: Belgium's largest music festival and global live-events brand. Comparable as a fellow Belgian festival operator at scale, though operating commercially rather than as a non-profit — useful benchmark for Belgian festival economics and sponsor dynamics.
• Boom Festival: Portuguese biennial festival built around sustainability, culture, and community values. Comparable to Pastoo's LaSemo/EventChange combination due to a shared sustainability-first identity and large-scale cultural programming.
• Festival de Liège: Large multi-disciplinary Belgian cultural festival. Comparable to Pastoo's federation model in producing a major regional festival drawing tens of thousands of attendees across music, performing arts, and street programming.
• Eurosonic Noorderslag: European music festival combined with a professional industry conference. Comparable to Pastoo because it pairs a public festival with a B2B professional programming element similar in spirit to EventChange's Forums de la Culture Durable.
• Couleur Café: Brussels-based urban cultural festival blending music, arts, and sustainability themes. Comparable to Pastoo's festival portfolio due to its Belgian capital base, multidisciplinary programming, and direct competitor for Brussels cultural-event audiences.

Emerging players

• Julie's Bicycle: UK-based charity supporting the cultural sector's response to climate change. The closest functional analogue to Pastoo's EventChange arm — sustainability advisory, training, and resources for cultural organizations — and a potential partner or competitor in Europe.

Broad incumbents

• Montreux Jazz Festival: Long-established Swiss cultural festival. Comparable to Pastoo as a multi-decade European festival brand with diversified programming, institutional partnerships, and a winter/off-season programming extension akin to Magic Cabaret.
• Hellfest Productions: French festival operator running Hellfest Open Air and sister events. Comparable to Pastoo as a multi-event operator with established festival brands, repeat annual attendance, and significant sponsor and institutional relationships.
• Sziget Cultural Management: Hungary-based operator of multiple festivals across Europe including Sziget Festival. Comparable to Pastoo as a federation of multiple large-scale cultural events, though commercial rather than non-profit and at significantly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@pastooasbl
• Facebookfacebook.com/FederationPastoo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pastoo-asbl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Pastoo