RTL Today - A look behind the scenes: The supervision network that keeps the Schueberfouer running smoothly

Attracting millions over just 20 days, the Schueberfouer is a major economic driver, but behind the scenes it is the extensive network of supervision and safety inspections that keeps the event running smoothly and securely for visitors and vendors alike.

It's a real small town, spread over 4.4ha and attracting around two million visitors in 20 days – an annual attraction record in the Grand Duchy – with enormous economic potential, to the extent that fairground owners are jostling for one of the 200 available places. As Charel Hary, President of the Federation of Commercial Stall Owners, pointed out earlier this week, fairground workers earn 50–60% of their seasonal income here: "So we have to earn money here, it has to work’.

But, as Patrick Goldschmidt, the Luxembourg City alderman in charge of the fair and mobility, reminded RTL earlier this week, "the safety of visitors and people working at the fair is our priority".

"We try to keep an eye on everything", says Laurent Schwaller, head of the city's Public Spaces, Festivals, and Markets Department (EFM). "Incidents or ride breakdowns happen, but we have procedures in place for all these things. Every day there are unforeseen circumstances that we have to deal with, because this is an event that welcomes a lot of people and a lot of fairground stallholders too", he further explains.

Head of the Public Spaces, Festivals, and Markets Department at the City of Luxembourg, Laurent Schwaller is the conductor of the fair, so to speak. / © Maurice Fick / RTL

Schwaller is well aware that an incident – such as the ‘Top Scan’ merry-go-round getting stuck in the air on the first Saturday of the fair – is an inherent part of the event. But behind the scenes, every precaution is taken to ensure that the well-oiled machine is safe, welcoming, and reassuring for visitors: "A whole network of teams carry out checks during the event, which attracts an average of two million visitors and provides a livelihood for thousands of people’.

For example, even before the first ride starts, Luxcontrol is commissioned by the municipality to check the rides during assembly. Because without a control certificate, there's no Schueberfouer for the ride operators.

Luxcontrol checks that the rides are set up properly and that all safety-related elements are in order. The Labour and Mines Inspectorate (ITM) checks everything to do with personnel, and the Luxembourg Veterinary and Food Administration (ALVA) carries out checks on the catering industry.

Finally, the Luxembourg Institute of Standardisation, Accreditation, Safety and Quality of Products and Services (ILNAS) checks the remaining goods. "Any product or lottery cuddly toy must have a European certificate", explains Schwaller, while also underlining that ‘the number of checks is not defined, but the various authorities carry out different checks throughout the Schueberfouer".

On standby, day and night

For its part, the EFM also carries out "daily checks on opening and closing times, products, prices, volume of music, condition of establishments, and so on", Schwaller elaborates. This means the municipality actively monitors the prices that fairground vendors charge, as well as if the temporary half-price and reduced rates are respected.

"And if something is not in order, they don't open. That's perfectly normal. It's up to the operator to ensure that their equipment is up to standard", argues Schwaller. This surveillance work is carried out jointly with the fairgoers, but also with the Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps (CGDIS), the police, and the additional security guards guarding the site at the municipality's request.

While the Schueberfouer accounts for 80% of the EFM's daily work, there are also other City services involved, such as those in charge of water, sewage, or public transport, who all cooperate to ensure that the fair runs smoothly.

The EFM has a staff of 20, including a dozen people who work "on a loop, except between 2 and 8am. We work on a shift basis, and even at night we're on standby, so no matter what happens at night, we're there to help", assures Schwaller. For the department, the Schueberfouer represents a huge amount of behind-the-scenes preparation that goes on all year round.

But, the EFM always works on several projects simultaneously. In July, for example, just before the Schueberfouer, "we finalised the plans for the Christmas market", highlights Schwaller.