Dear friends of the Grin Festival,

As many of you know, in addition to raising awareness of world cultures, one of the principles on which our Festival is based is respect for nature and our planet. This is because we firmly believe that the fight against climate change is crucial for the future of our planet. Nature is increasingly showing its uncontrollable power, and this year we all noticed it. Italian Switzerland has been severely affected by climatic events that are becoming more violent year after year, destroying the things we hold most dear.

On the afternoon of Saturday, July 6th, weather alerts and fear due to recent events led the cantonal authorities to issue an order to cancel the Festival and evacuate all areas occupied by the Grin. It was an extremely difficult decision for us to make, but of course, the safety of our visitors and loved ones was the priority.

We are therefore very happy that the Festival took place in complete safety and that none of the attendees were at risk, but this has dealt a severe financial blow to our Association. Organizing an event like ours requires a full year of planning, with a significant investment of time and money.

Grin is based solely on volunteer work, by people who understand the importance of culture, the fight against racism, inclusivity, and integration. People who bring all their enthusiasm and uniqueness to create a place out of space and time, where one can feel safe and surrounded by beauty. Thanks to all these volunteers, Grin has continued to exist for 7 years, and it is for them that we are now trying to save the Festival.

At this moment, our financial situation is very delicate: there are still many suppliers to pay, many bands and artists who have not yet received their fees or travel reimbursements, and many services that, although only partially used, still need to be paid for.

To succeed in this difficult task, we turn to you who, in one way or another, are close to our Festival. With a donation, even a small one, you can change the fate of this project, giving us a future and allowing us to continue to bring a message of peace, art, and culture to our territory.

You can find the Crowdfunding page by clicking HERE.

If you believe in us, share it with all the people you think can support us, write personal messages that can convince them of the importance of this donation.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for walking with us so far.

Hoping to share more magical moments,

We send you our warmest regards.

Be Grin.

Your,

Grin Team

TICKETS REFUND

It has now been three weeks since the end of the Festival, and for us, these have been very intense weeks during which we have worked hard to find a solution to keep the Grin alive, as it is seriously at risk of having to close its doors.

We have received many gestures of solidarity that make us think that our ideal of a different Festival, open to families, bringing cultures from all around the world, theatrical performances, and workshops, has been appreciated by many. Even though this fills our hearts with joy, unfortunately, it is not enough to cover the financial gap created by the sudden cancellation that occurred on July 6th. We are exploring all possible avenues to resolve the current situation, through crowdfunding, seeking support from the authorities, and from all cantonal and federal offices that already support us. We have also tried our best with the insurance companies, but unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done on this front. A cancellation like this, in our case, is not covered. We also inform you that the insurance does not cover those who took out the policy on our Infomaniak sales service.

With this email, we are writing to those of you who purchased a ticket for an event that only took place partially. Even though, as previously mentioned, we are in a difficult situation, we feel it is right to give you the opportunity to get a refund.

For those who purchased a ticket for the following days, our refund proposal is:

1.       Friday: No refund

2.       Saturday: 50% refund

3.       Sunday: 100% refund

4.       3-day ticket: 50% refund

We are aware that some of you need the refund; however, we do not hide the fact that if you decide not to claim the compensation, you would give us additional hope for the survival of the Festival.

To obtain the refund, please send an email to info@grinfestival.ch indicating:

1.       Name, Surname, and the email address used for the purchase

2.       Full postal address

3.       Type and quantity of the ticket

4.       Bank details: Bank name, address, and IBAN

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, and we hope to see you next year.

Best regards,

Your Grin Team