Festival
Redesigned food stands, new VIP area and mostly good weather forecasts – what you should know before Summerdays in Arbon
Summerdays in Arbon is entering the next round. Our list with the most important information for a successful festival visit: What should you take with you? What should you leave at home? What is the best way to get there?
Last summer the weather was very changeable.
Image: Arthur Gamsa (Arbon, 24 August 2023)
Located directly on the lake, music for all age groups and a wide range of food and drink options: Summerdays in Arbon has been attracting numerous visitors since 2007. This year’s festival will take place on August 30th and 31st. What’s new? Where are the tried and tested events being used, and who actually comes to the festival on the lake? We have put together a list of everything you need to know before and during Summerdays.
Which acts are coming to Summerdays?
Screenshot: Summerdays Arbon
As every year, Summerdays starts on Friday at 4 p.m. This year, the Irish musician Gavin James will be kicking things off. He will be followed by the Swiss dialect band Plüsch, the British band The Kooks, the British singer James Blunt and the Swiss rapper Bligg. The headliner of the evening, James Blunt, will have the longest stage time at one and a half hours. He rose to worldwide fame in 2004 with his songs “You’re Beautiful” and “Goodbye My Lover”.
On Saturday, the musical program begins at 1 p.m. The Swiss pop singer Dana opens the second day of the festival at the lake. She is followed by the Swiss singer Baschi, the German singer Elif, the Swiss rapper Stress, the German band Tokio Hotel, the British singer Rag’n’Bone Man and the German band Scooter. The acts at this year’s Summerdays come exclusively from Switzerland, Germany and Great Britain.
Are there still tickets available?
Overall, Summerdays has capacity for 12,000 visitors per day. As media spokesperson Nora Fuchs announced on Monday, the 1-day VIP passes for Friday and the 2-day VIP passes are sold out. “All other categories are selling well, and the current weather forecasts are certainly playing a role.” Tickets for all regular categories are currently still available.
What is the weather forecast?
According to Roger Perret, meteorologist at Meteonews, it is not yet possible to give precise forecasts for the weekend. At the moment it looks like it will remain summery warm on both Friday and Saturday. Small local thunderstorms are possible: “It is also possible that these will pass Arbon.” However, slight humidity is possible on both days. Perret therefore recommends that festival-goers prepare themselves for warm and wet weather.
What’s new?
According to media spokesperson Nora Fuchs, the stage will have a “new, refreshed look” this year. The entire VIP area and some of the food stands will also be redesigned.
What should you definitely have with you – or not?
Take along
- ID or driving license: Before entry to the festival grounds, an age check will be carried out in order to comply with youth protection regulations.
- Campingstuhl: For many visitors, Summerdays means sitting in a camping chair by the lake and enjoying musical entertainment. But be careful: The camping chairs you bring with you may only be placed in the marked area in the stage area.
- Something to drink: A maximum of 0.5 litres of drinks (in PET bottles or Tetra Pak) may be brought per person.
- Baggage: Smaller backpacks with a capacity of ten to 30 liters are allowed to be brought onto the site. They have plenty of room for the essentials for the festival visit – rain jacket, water bottle, sunscreen.
Also well attended in 2023: the marked area for visitors with camping chairs.
Picture: Benjamin Manser (Arbon, 25. 8. 2023)
Leave at home
- Waffen: Unlike last year, the prohibited items are specified on the website. The following are not permitted: all firearms, spray weapons, stabbing weapons, blunt weapons and cutting weapons, as well as other items classified as dangerous, in particular pocket knives. Pyrotechnic items, firecrackers and dry ice are also not permitted on the site.
- Cameras and GoPros: The organizers point out that taking photographs for private use is permitted. However, bringing cameras with interchangeable lenses, film cameras, GoPros and audio recording devices is prohibited.
- Groceries: Food from outside may not be brought onto the festival grounds.
- Animals: Pets are not allowed on the premises. Loud music, lots of people, hot weather – it certainly doesn’t sound like an event for our four-legged friends.
- screen: Media spokesperson Nora Fuchs points out in the run-up to the festival that neither umbrellas nor kids are allowed on the grounds. Neither are flagpoles or selfie sticks, for safety reasons.
What is the best way to get there?
Anyone with a festival ticket can travel for free this year. This includes a return trip in Switzerland in 2nd class. The organizers want to make travel by public transport more attractive and further expand their commitment to sustainability. Tickets can be purchased via SBB using codes (arrival: SDF24PublicAn, departure: SDF24PublicAb). However, the free ticket is only valid in conjunction with an entry ticket or festival wristband.
There is a separate parking lot for Arbon residents or those traveling from the surrounding area who come to the festival by bike. This is located at the festival harbor entrance.
It is also possible to arrive by car: only parking spaces allocated by the festival staff may be used. These will be signposted from the Arbon Süd motorway exit.
However, since the organizers are focusing on encouraging people to travel by public transport and there is now a 100 percent discount on tickets for visitors, the price of parking has increased. Media spokesperson Nora Fuchs says: “There are only a limited number of parking spaces available and we want to encourage the public to travel to Arbon by post bus or train.” According to the website, the parking fee for one day is 20 francs and for the entire festival it is 40 francs. The costs can only be paid in cash.
Where can you camp?
As an additional service, you can also reserve a campsite at the Buchhorn campsite in Arbon via the Summerdays ticket shop. This is located directly on Lake Constance and there are still a few tickets available. Nora Fuchs says: “Campsites have always been available, even at short notice.” Shuttle buses run to the festival site. There are also pitches for campers directly behind the site within walking distance; however, these tickets are no longer available.
The Buchhorn campsite is located directly on the lake.
Image: zvg
Good to know
- Visitors who purchased their festival tickets after July 24th must exchange them for a wristband at the welcome desks before entering the grounds.
- Only cashless payment is possible throughout the festival grounds. According to the website, cash transactions are only possible at the cash point behind the Divino wine bar.
- A deposit of 2 francs is charged on cups and bottles. The refund will be made on the festival wristband when returned.
- There is a ban on glass and aluminum on the premises.
- There is a fire ban throughout the entire festival area.
- The entire Summerdays area is under video surveillance.
More articles from these communities
Everything about the Summerdays Festival