"Platz für mehr" at Züri Fäscht

Three fireworks displays, drone shows, dozens of funfair rides, food stalls, festival restaurants and booming basses that can be heard even in the Agglo - on the second weekend in July, Zurich will once again put on its party hat after four years:

Züri Fäscht is the name of the state of emergency.

Some are impatiently awaiting the three-day party, others can hardly wait to get on the train and breathe in the mountain air of Graubünden instead of black powder and sweet clouds of alcohol on hot asphalt.

Yet there is also an oasis in the middle of the festivities that not only invites you to take a deep breath, but also comes up trumps with a colourful programme that makes you think twice about whether you really want to throw yourself into the hustle and bustle around the lake promenade.

"Platz für mehr" is the name of the refuge on the Schipfe, which wants to be more than just another party hotspot on the Fäscht fold. "The place is supposed to be a platform for exchange, culture and diversity," is how co-initiator Olivier Mächler describes the concept. "Of course you can just party, we have a bar, there are live concerts and DJ sets. But there is also the possibility to listen to a reading, to get information on topics like awareness." A team of eight people who are active in the cultural and communication sector and the local gastro scene have been putting their heads together over the last few months to come up with a concept that brings fun and celebration together with culture and socio-political issues. An important element is the cooperation with plentii, an organisation that networks non-profit organisations (NGOs) and supporters. Part of the money raised through cash bar, raffle ticket sales and other solidarity activities will go directly to the NGOs. The social aspect is one of the main concerns of "Platz für mehr", as Olivier emphasises: "With the programme, but also the decoration and the messages on site, we want to stimulate people to think and discuss". The questions that the organising team has been working on over the past few months can be read on serpentine writing walls - inviting visitors to take up a pen and tell us what moves them, what their concerns and wishes are.

when asked what the word "Schipfe" actually means, the dictionary spits out the words "support pillar of a bridge attached to the shore" - as if the initiators had guessed it when they chose the location for their project. After all, the Züri Fäscht oasis on the Limmat is also meant to be a bridge that connects the most diverse people in the city.

Olivier's highlights:

Fri | 7.7. | 9.30 - 10.30 p.m. | Live concert by Ameli Paul
Sat | 8.7. | 4.00 - 5.00 p.m. | Talk with author Samira El-Maawi and art and culture researcher Marilyn Umurungi on the topic of "Heimat"
Sun | 9.7. | 6.30 - 8.00 p.m. | Live concert by To Athena

You can find the entire programme on the website or on the Instagram channel of "Platz für mehr".