On Saturday, October 3, 2026, the City of Prilly entrusted Slackline Events with organizing the balance activities for its Sustainability Day for the second consecutive year. A free slackline workshop, open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the foot of Prilly Castle, was held alongside a clothing swap, repair workshops, and sheep-themed activities.
Slackline Events, a Swiss company specializing in slackline performances and workshops based in Veytaux on the Vaud Riviera, independently set up and supervised this slackline activity for all ages, from the time they arrived on site at 8 a.m. until the equipment was taken down.
In short
- Client: City of Prilly, Energy & Environment Department (Vaud)
- Event: Sustainability Day
- Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Location: around the Château de Prilly, 40 Route de Cossonay, 1008 Prilly
- Audience: All ages; free admission and activities
- Activity: Introductory slackline workshop, held continuously for 6 hours
- Team: one instructor Slackline Events, who arrived on site at 8 a.m.
- Collaboration: Second participation, following the event on September 27, 2025
The City of Prilly's Goals for its Sustainability Day
Prilly Sustainability Day is a free festival that invites “young and old” to enjoy a day dedicated to the environment and responsible consumption, according to the city’s description. The Energy & Environment Department is organizing the event around the Château, featuring a clothing swap, a yard sale, repair services, an object library, a beekeeping workshop, and a participatory vegetable garden project.
In this program, slacklining has a specific place: the “It’s Your Turn!” area, next to the Nepalese wheel. The purpose of the workshop is simple:
- to offer a free physical activity that is accessible to both children and adults;
- keep the party going all day long, with no registration or set time slots;
- create a welcoming gathering spot between two secondhand or repair booths.
A slackline event that has been held year after year
For a municipality, continuing an event from one year to the next is a sign that it has found its place in the event calendar. Following the September 27, 2025, edition, the City reached out to Slackline Events again in April 2026 to plan the next edition.
The reservation was made directly online through our workshop booking platform. At the City’s request, the billing process was adapted to the practices of a public administration: a single invoice, issued after the event.
The main challenge was integrating the space into a very densely packed site. The city’s event plan allocates several dozen numbered booth locations around the castle, along with a drop-off zone, pedestrian walkways, and an area designated for sheep. The workshop had to find a location that was both visible and safe, without obstructing the flow of visitors.
Our solution: a self-contained balance workshop at the foot of the castle
Slackline Events set up the workshop in a designated area, adjacent to the “Sheep and Activities” zone, east of Prilly Castle, in accordance with the event layout approved by the City. This location, set back from the main walkways, allows participants to try slacklining in a quiet setting, while remaining visible to visitors as they walk by.
The schedule for the day:
- 8:00 a.m.: Our instructor, Julien Enderlin, arrives, and we set up. Our page on introductory slackline workshops states that setup takes 30 to 60 minutes: arriving at 8:00 a.m. gives us plenty of time before the event opens.
- 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.: Continuous workshop, open to all. Everyone can try it out for as long as they like, then come back whenever they want.
- After 4:00 p.m.: Take down the setup and clean up the site.
The sound system is intentionally kept simple: a single speaker plays background music throughout the workshop area. On the logistics side, the City has provided the service provider with information on parking lots near the venue (Coop and Corminjoz) and a single point of contact for the day of the event.
As with every supervised slackline introductory session, the workshop includes lines suited to different skill levels, guidance from a professional instructor, and balance games for younger participants.
Highlights of the Day
The highlight of an open-access slackline workshop is when spectators become participants. In Prilly, the workshop was held alongside a wide variety of other activities: the Nepalese wheel, the “My Life as a Shepherdess” event at 2 p.m., the beekeeping workshop for 4- to 12-year-olds, and the mobile vegetarian kitchen. Families moved from one booth to another, and the slackline offered an active break between shopping at the yard sale.
Results: A long-term initiative
The first result of this collaboration is its renewal. Following the 2025 event, the City of Prilly has once again booked the slackline workshop for its 2026 Sustainability Day, and slackline is explicitly listed on the official flyer for the 2026 event.
For a municipality, this type of event offers three concrete benefits:
- A free event open to the public, funded by the organizer and open to everyone.
- A lightweight setup, with no heavy framework or significant power requirements: a single speaker is all it takes to set the mood.
- A continuous format that runs throughout the event, from opening to closing.
Tips for Incorporating a Slackline Workshop into a Community Event
Are you organizing a sustainability festival, a mobility day, or a neighborhood festival? Here’s what we’ve learned from Prilly:
- Book early, then confirm the logistics two weeks in advance. In Prilly, the date was announced as early as November, the package was booked in the summer, and the logistics were finalized in late September.
- Set aside an area that’s set back from the main flow of traffic but visible from the walkways. Participants are more likely to give it a try when they’re not right in the middle of the walkway.
- Designate a single point of contact for the big day, with a phone number where they can be reached on-site. This makes it easier for the team to arrive and to handle any unexpected issues.
- Please designate a parking spot for the service provider's vehicle. The equipment will be delivered by car early in the morning.
- Think about the overall sound system on your end. The workshop speaker is meant to provide background sound for that area, not to provide sound for the entire site.
- Include the activity in your schedule and on your flyer. A clear name (“Balance and Slackline Activities”) attracts families.
- Keep in mind the importance of continuity. An activity that returns from one edition to the next becomes a point of reference for the audience.
To learn more, find out how we helped celebrate the 175th anniversary of the City of Onex with a slackline workshop, or the Animai family festival in Vevey.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to the City of Prilly and its Energy & Environment Department, especially Kim Tschopp, Climate and Sustainability Project Manager, for her continued trust and consistently clear organization. Thank you also to our instructor, Julien Enderlin, and to all the exhibitors and partners who participated in the event. Follow the City of Prilly on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Organize Your Slackline Workshop
Are you planning a sustainability day, a community festival, or a family event in French-speaking Switzerland? Slackline Events sets up and runs slackline workshops for municipalities and communities, handling everything independently. You can also book your workshop online or browse all our case studies. Let’s discuss your project!
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of sports activity should be offered during a Sustainability Day?
An open-access slackline workshop is a great option for a sustainability day: in Prilly, it was featured in the “It’s Your Turn!” area from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., surrounded by secondhand and repair booths. The activity is physical, free to the public, and open to all ages. Details on the workshop formats can be found on our introductory slackline workshop page.
Does a slackline workshop belong at an eco-friendly event?
Yes: At Prilly’s Sustainability Day, the workshop operated using equipment reused from one event to the next and a single speaker for background music. It produces no waste and requires no heavy-duty structures. The team leaves the site clean.
What time does the team arrive for a workshop that starts at 10 a.m.?
In Prilly, our instructor arrived on site at 8:00 a.m. for the 10:00 a.m. opening to the public. Setting up a workshop takes 30 to 60 minutes, which allows some flexibility to adapt to the site layout and other exhibitors.
Can a public entity receive a single invoice after the event?
Yes: For the City of Prilly, the deposit was canceled at its request, and a single invoice was issued after the event. Payment terms are finalized at the time of booking on our booking platform.
Can the workshop's sound system provide sound for the entire event?
No: The speaker provided with the workshop is used for background music in its own area. To cover a larger area, as Prilly had envisioned, the organizer will provide its own sound system.