Fairground workers battle rising costs and financial risk

Fairground workers are entering the busiest part of the year as Switzerland’s festival season gets under way, but rising costs, limited customer budgets and the weather are putting their incomes under pressure, SRF reports.

One of the country’s largest folk festivals, Knabenschiessen in Zurich, is taking place this weekend, with larger and smaller autumn fairs soon to follow. For the many fairground operators, the bright lights and smell of roasted almonds conceal long working hours and considerable financial risk.

Jane Lang, a fourth-generation fairground operator, has worked at fairs for as long as she can remember. The trained commercial employee has travelled around the country with her shooting gallery, East-West, since 2019. She also works 40 percent as a commercial employee outside the fairground season and has a son.

During the peak season, operators move from one venue to the next and often live in caravans. They must generate enough income between Easter and mid-November to cover the entire year. Lang said a working day includes at least 12 hours of attendance, in addition to setting up and dismantling the equipment.

Winter is not a six-month holiday, she said, because it is taken up by administration. Excessive heat or rain can also damage business, creating a substantial financial risk.

Lang said it had become increasingly difficult to support herself solely through her shooting gallery after insurance and other costs were deducted. She therefore chose to combine the business with her part-time job. Her family and employees help her manage the workload.

She said rising prices and tighter customer budgets were clearly felt at fairs. Digital entertainment, from cinemas in the past to Netflix today, had also increased competition. Lang said she nevertheless refused to raise her prices because she wanted the attraction to remain affordable for families and people with different budgets.

Fairground operators do not decide how many shooting galleries appear at a particular event. Organisers choose among applicants, and venues are reassigned each year. Lang said operators regarded themselves as one large family rather than competitors.

She said shooting galleries remained part of the tradition for many visitors, including adults who now returned with their children or grandchildren. Lang also said more police and security staff were needed because more property was being damaged and more disputes were taking place.