On Saturday, October 26, 2024, the “Mässglöggli” will sound in the Martinskirchturm at 12 p.m. sharp. Before the ringing bell, District President Conradin Cramer welcomed people to Martinskirchplatz and balloons were distributed to the children. For 16 days, until November 10th, there will be a lot of hustle and bustle at the seven venues in the middle of the city. The indoor trade fair in Hall 1 is also open again this year until November 10th. The Basel Autumn Fair 2024 even lasts until November 12th on St. Peter’s Square and Hääfelimäärt.
33 new products
This year, the Basel Autumn Fair presents 53 rides, 48 toy shops, 87 food stalls, 62 confectionery stalls and 218 trading stalls. A total of 33 offerings are at the Basel Autumn Fair for the first time this year, including several new rides: “Spuk,” the ghost coaster on the Rosental complex, is a unique combination of ghost ride and roller coaster with rotating gondolas. Inside, creepy ghosts and figures lurk on every level – some of which seem more alive than visitors would like. The 85-meter-high “Aeronaut” chain carousel, in iconic steampunk style, makes the dream of flying come true in the barracks area. And the twelve gondolas of the “Air Jump” ride, a Swiss innovation on the barracks area, move horizontally and vertically and give passengers the brief feeling of free falling.
Among the food stalls, the “Food Tram” stands out: here you can find stuffed toasts with vegetarian and lactose-free options as well as delicious beef baguettes. The shop “the honey spoon” presents a honey spoon from the television show “Lion’s Den”, which allows you to handle liquid honey without dripping. “Tacos la Piratita” and “Giuri Gourmet Arancini” will also be at the autumn fair for the first time.
Well-known classics
In addition to new products, this year’s Basel Autumn Fair is also presenting numerous classics, including the “Bellevue” Ferris wheel on Münsterplatz, the “Polyp” on the Messeplatz, the “Swing Up” on the Rosentalanlage, the “Break Dance” on the barracks area and “Calypso » and “Tagada” in the exhibition hall. On Barfüsserplatz is the high-rise classic “Kamikaze”, which was last at the Basel Autumn Fair in the 1990s.
The “Handwerkerdörfli” is located on St. Peter’s Square, where six stand operators demonstrate their craftsmanship in glass processing, ointment production and old printing processes and invite visitors to join in. The performances take place every half hour between 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. every day. At Hääfelimäärt near Peter’s Square you can buy all kinds of crockery and pottery just like a hundred years ago.
All offers from this year’s autumn fair as well as further information can be found at www.herbstmesse.ch/messeplaetze-offer.
Free travel with the “Golden Jeton”
This year, the Basel Autumn Fair will be promoted in German-speaking Switzerland, among other things, with a comprehensive social media campaign. Under the motto “Mäss with me!” For the first time, the “Golden Jeton” will be raffled off, with which the winning family can travel for free on all railways during the first weekend of the trade fair. The prize also includes an overnight stay in Basel and meal vouchers. The deadline for entries is Thursday, October 17, 2024 (link to the competition: www.herbstmesse.ch/wettbewerb).
Pilot project with PET deposit bottles
In a pilot project, PET bottles with a deposit are being sold at the exhibition center and at the Rosentalanlage in order to increase the recycling rate. At the other trade fair sites, PET bottles will continue to be sold without a deposit, although waste stations ensure that PET and residual waste are separated.
