What Alcatraz does

Alcatraz Open Air is an annual four-day heavy metal and rock music festival held August 6-9, 2026 in Kortrijk, Belgium, operated by Apache Productions VZW (Apache VZW), a Belgian non-profit association (vereniging zonder winstoogmerk) registered in Oudenaarde (VAT BE 0649 510 218). Founded in 2008, the festival is now in its 19th edition and features 123 bands across five themed stages — Prison Stage (headliners), Swamp Stage (extreme metal), Helldorado Stage (heavy/stoner/goth/punk), La Morgue (intimate club setting), and El Presidio (850-capacity metal bar powered by Studio Brussel). The target customer is adult heavy metal music enthusiasts (18+) across European subgenres including heavy, death, black, doom, grindcore, hardcore, punk, and stoner rock. The festival's brand is anchored in a prison/alcatraz island aesthetic with fictional characters (Frank Lee Morris, Officer Nice, Shenandoah, SpiDeR, Zanazabar, Hattori Asakura) protected as registered trademarks, and supported by R.A.G.E. values (Respect, Community, Independence, Diversity, Experience, Local Support).

The core technology footprint is modest and consumer-facing: an iOS/Android festival mobile app providing stage times, custom schedule building, interactive festival park maps, and showtime alerts; a closed-loop cashless payment system called 'Chains' (digital tokens loaded onto wristbands via WeezPay, presale at €3.40 per Chain, on-site at €3.60); and an e-commerce merchandise store at alcatrazshop.be. Back-office integrations are limited to standard web analytics (Google Analytics, Hotjar, App Dynamics), email marketing (Campaign Monitor), ticketing (Eventix exclusive), and club-show ticketing (Ticketmatic). The festival is GDPR-compliant with multilingual operations (English, French, Dutch).

Revenue is generated through four primary streams: (1) festival tickets (day-specific Thursday/Friday/Saturday/Sunday passes and full festival passes, all-in pricing including fees per Belgian legislation) sold exclusively via Eventix; (2) on-site cashless spending through the Chains digital token system with a €1.75 refund transaction fee for unused balances; (3) merchandise (T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, hats, mugs, accessories, MANA powerbanks via Global Charger); and (4) separate club-show tickets (Coroner, Axel Rudy Pell, Hatebreed) via Ticketmatic. GTM relies on lineup-announcement-driven demand, early-bird presales, the festival mobile app for engagement, radio partnership with Studio Brussel, and a multi-outlet media partnership network (Hardrock, RockHard, Aardschok, HBVL, Kink Distortion). Sponsorship revenue comes from Monster Energy, Primus Haacht, Coca-Cola, La Lorraine, Safety Jogger, and Global Charger. The organization is independently owned and founder-led with 1-10 employees, no parent company, and no disclosed institutional investment.

Name

Alcatraz

Legal name

Apache VZW

Website

https://alcatraz.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Alcatraz Open Air is an annual four-day heavy metal festival in Kortrijk, Belgium, operated by Apache VZW since 2008, serving 18+ metal music enthusiasts with five themed stages, 123 bands, camping, cashless payment, and a mobile app.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music Festival

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Festival & Event Producers/Organizers (MPAIAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Event Marketing, Sponsorship Sales & Promotion (MPAGAAAE), Concerts & Music Festivals (THAJAFAA)

Keywords

• Heavy metal festival
• Music festival tickets
• Festival camping
• Cashless payment tokens
• Festival merchandise

Headquarters

HQ city

Kortrijk-dutsel

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Festival Tickets: Day tickets and full-festival tickets sold through exclusive ticket partner Eventix. Day tickets are valid only for the specified day from opening time. Prices include all service and payment fees.
2. Chains (Cashless Payment System): Closed-loop cashless payment system using Chains (digital tokens). Chains are purchased in advance or on-site and used at all bars, food trucks, and festival services. Unused Chains can be refunded after the festival for a transaction fee of €1.75.
3. Merchandise: Festival merchandise including T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, hats, mugs, and accessories sold through the Alcatraz Shop. Powerbanks also sold via Global Charger.
4. Club Shows: Ticketed club shows held separately from the main festival, featuring performances such as Coroner, Axel Rudy Pell, and Hatebreed at partner venues.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Alcatraz organizes and operates an annual four-day heavy metal and rock music festival in Kortrijk, Belgium, featuring 123 bands across five themed stages. The core commercial offering includes day tickets and multi-day festival passes, on-site camping and VIP packages, a closed-loop cashless payment system (Chains) for on-site food, beverages and services, a dedicated iOS/Android festival app, and a merchandise shop. Pre- and post-festival club shows are also programmed and sold separately.

Product overview

Alcatraz is a four-day annual heavy metal and rock music festival held in Kortrijk, Belgium. The core product is the festival itself featuring multiple themed stages (Prison Stage for headliners, Swamp Stage for extreme metal, Helldorado Stage for heavy/stoner/goth/punk, La Morgue for intimate performances, and El Presidio bar for continuous metal atmosphere). The festival ecosystem includes a mobile app for planning and navigation, a cashless payment system called Chains for on-site purchases, camping and VIP accommodation options, club shows as pre/post-festival events, and an online merchandise shop. The festival has operated since 2008 under Apache Productions VZW.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• El Presidio: The festival's metal bar located at the festival grounds, powered by Studio Brussel, accommodating up to 850 festivalgoers for non-stop metal music and festivities.

Products and services

• Alcatraz Open Air Festival Annual four-day heavy metal and rock music festival held in Kortrijk, Belgium, featuring 123 bands across multiple stages (Prison Stage, Swamp Stage, Helldorado Stage, La Morgue Stage, El Presidio) covering heavy, death, black, doom, grind, hardcore, punk, and stoner rock subgenres, serving adult metal fans aged 18 and over.
• Festival Day Tickets Day-specific admission tickets valid only on the stated day (Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday) from opening time, sold through exclusive ticket partner Eventix with all-in pricing that includes service and payment fees per Belgian legislation.
• Full Festival Pass Multi-day admission ticket covering all four days (August 6-9, 2026) of the Alcatraz Open Air festival, sold through exclusive ticket partner Eventix with all-in pricing including service and payment fees.
• Festival Camping On-site camping facilities for festival attendees, providing access to dedicated camping areas near the Kortrijk festival grounds and serving festivalgoers who want multi-day on-site accommodation.
• VIP Packages Premium VIP packages offering enhanced festival experience with exclusive amenities and privileges beyond general admission for festival attendees seeking a higher tier of access.
• Club Shows Ticketed pre- and post-festival club events held at separate partner venues, featuring select artists such as Coroner, Axel Rudy Pell and Hatebreed, with tickets sold separately through the Ticketmatic platform.
• Chains Cashless Payment System Closed-loop cashless payment system using Chains digital tokens linked to festival wristbands, used at all on-site bars, food trucks, and festival services; tokens can be pre-loaded online or topped up at on-site recharge points and refunded post-festival (minus a €1.75 transaction fee) with a maximum balance of €500.
• Festival Merchandise Shop Official online merchandise store selling festival-branded apparel and accessories including T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, hats, mugs, and accessories organized into men's, women's, and accessory collections, alongside merchandise sold on-site at the festival.
• MANA Powerbank Rental Portable powerbank (MANA) rental service operated in partnership with Global Charger, allowing festival-goers to order a powerbank online and pick it up at the mobile charging stand on the festival grounds.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• EventixcoreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial exclusive ticket partner handling all online ticket sales and payment processing for the Alcatraz festival. Eventix applies its own general terms and conditions simultaneously with Alcatraz's terms.
• WeeztixminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTicket support partner referenced for event ticketing inquiries and customer service related to ticket purchases.
• Studio BrusselflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerStudio Brussel powers the El Presidio metal bar (capacity 850) at the festival and provides radio editorial coverage, significantly driving awareness among Belgian music listeners. This is a flagship GTM partnership.
• Monster EnergyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEnergy drink sponsor of the Alcatraz festival, providing marketing support and brand presence.
• Primus HaachtminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBeer brand from Haacht brewery, a Belgian beverage partner for the festival.
• Safety JoggerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSafety footwear brand, promotional partner for the festival.
• Kortrijk CitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe city of Kortrijk is a location and decoration partner, providing the festival venue and municipal support for the annual event.
• Global ChargerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides powerbank (battery external charger) products sold through the festival shop and picked up at the mobile charging stand on-site.
• WeezPaycoreTechnology or IntegrationCashless payment infrastructure provider for the Chains digital token system used throughout the festival site.
• Hardrock MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHard rock media partner providing editorial coverage.
• RockHardminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHard rock/metal media partner.
• AardschokminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDutch/Belgian metal magazine media partner.
• HBVL (Het Belang van Limburg)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional newspaper/media partner covering the Limburg region.
• Kink DistortionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBelgian rock/metal radio station, media partner.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Brutal Assault: Czech metal festival held at Josefov fortress. Comparable in extreme metal focus, multi-stage format, and dedicated subgenre audience.
• Copenhell: Denmark's largest metal and hard rock festival, held in Copenhagen. Comparable multi-day, multi-stage format with overlapping metal subgenre programming.
• Summer Breeze Open Air: German multi-day metal festival held in Dinkelsbühl. Comparable audience, lineup philosophy across metal subgenres, and operational format.
• Hellfest: Major French multi-day metal and rock festival in Clisson. Comparable in scale, audience, and lineup curation across heavy metal subgenres, with similar camping and multi-stage format.
• Wacken Open Air: The largest dedicated heavy metal festival in Europe, held annually in Wacken, Germany. Directly comparable as a multi-day, multi-stage, camping-based metal festival with a similar lineup strategy across metal subgenres.
• Bloodstock Open Air: UK's largest independent metal festival, held annually in Derbyshire. Comparable multi-stage, camping-based format with a similar subgenre-broad metal focus.
• Resurrection Fest: Spain's largest metal and rock festival, held annually in Viveiro. Comparable multi-stage, camping-based format and broad metal subgenre lineup.
• Graspop Metal Meeting: Premier Belgian heavy metal festival held in Dessel, Belgium. The most direct in-country peer, competing for the same Belgian metal audience, sponsors, and headliners.

Regional players

• Nova Rock: Major Austrian multi-genre rock and metal festival. Comparable in scale and operational model but with broader rock/metal programming and a different regional audience.

Broad incumbents

• Download Festival: Large UK-headquartered rock and metal festival brand with global editions. Comparable on metal programming but operates at much larger scale across multiple geographies, giving it stronger artist booking leverage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/alcatrazmusic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alcatraz-festival

Compliance2 records

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 Alcatraz