Come and celebrate with us! On 22 August 2026, the Pestalozzi Children’s Village is hosting its summer festival. Live music, activities for the whole family and a wide range of food and drink options make the summer festival a colourful celebration.
Live acts: Andrew Bond, YESHE and the Goofechörli Gonten
Andrew Bond, YESHE and the Goofechörli Gonten will ensure a fantastic atmosphere on stage. With their rousing songs and performances, they’ll create unforgettable moments for young and old alike.
Anniversary highlight
Alongside a varied programme of events, a very special anniversary surprise awaits. We’re not giving away exactly what it is just yet. Suffice to say: a well-known guest is coming to visit the Children’s Village.
Huge sandpit & bungee trampoline
Create something big in the largest sandpit in the Appenzell region, defy gravity on the bungee trampoline, or be transformed into an animal, a superheroine or a butterfly with Kids-Color’s popular face painting – there’s something for everyone here.
Discovery Tour & Children’s Village Guided Tour
On the Discovery Tour, children can get to know the Children’s Village in a fun and playful way. At a variety of interactive stations, they learn more about their children’s rights, record an audiobook, solve tricky puzzles and take part in other exciting activities. Anyone wishing to find out more about the foundation’s history and educational work can gain in-depth insights behind the scenes on a guided tour.
Enjoy the special atmosphere at the Pestalozzi Children’s Village and join us for a colourful summer festival.
- 11.30 am – 12.30 pm: Concert by Andrew Bond (main stage)
- 1.30 – 2.15 pm: Performance by Goofechörli Gonten (main stage)
- 3.00–4.00 pm: Puppeteer (puppet show in the Andachtshaus)
- 4.30 pm: YESHE (main stage)
Andrew Bond
The well-known Swiss children’s songwriter Andrew Bond brings his dialect hits to the stage live – and hardly a child will be able to sit still.
Goofechörli Gonten
Even the youngest children are leading the way: with their repertoire of Appenzell songs, the Goofechörli Gonten bring music from the region to the Children’s Village.
YESHE
The Tibetan-Swiss singer YESHE, who grew up at the Pestalozzi Children’s Village, combines electronic sounds with her own unique, captivating voice.
- Face painting for children with Kids-Color
- Guided tours of the Children’s Village (meeting point: Visitor Centre)
- Bungee trampolines
- A special highlight featuring a well-known surprise guest (details to follow)
In addition to the stage programme and the activities, the discovery tour, with its various stations, invites children to explore the Children’s Village and its various aspects – such as children’s rights education – in a fun and interactive way.
As well as the stage programme and guided tours, there are other activities in the Children’s Village inviting you to explore and get involved:
- Play Dreams
- powerup_radio
- Projects worldwide
- Educational projects in Switzerland
Enjoy interactive radio entertainment live at the summer festival. This year, the Radio Bus will be parked right next to the stage. Not only will the Radio Bus set the musical mood, but it will also be recording the radio play ‘The Secret of Trogen – An Adventure in the Pestalozzi Children’s Village’ with the children.
Refreshments will also be available: various stalls will offer a varied selection of food and drink, including vegetarian and vegan options. Refreshment is guaranteed with chilled drinks, including specialities from NUBIA Brew, as well as the popular soft-serve ice cream stall. Delicious cakes from the Trogen Women’s Gymnastics Club provide the perfect sweet finish.
Support wristbands: a small gesture with a big impact
With a support wristband, you’re not only taking part in the summer festival, but you’re also supporting our educational projects at home and abroad.
Adults aged 18 and over: 10 CHF
Children: free
The summer festival is a cashless event. You can pay with TWINT at all stalls. Cash can be exchanged for a prepaid card at the information point.
We recommend travelling by public transport. From St. Gallen, take the S21 to Trogen station; from there, it’s a short walk with lovely views to the Children’s Village.
A free shuttle bus runs every half hour between Trogen railway station and the Children’s Village (with a stop at Landsgemeindeplatz) – the first journey departs at 10.52 am and the last at 5.00 pm.
A wheelchair-accessible Tixi taxi with a lifting platform is also available.
The number of parking spaces at the Kinderdorf is limited. Further parking is available in the surrounding area. A charge of CHF 5.– applies for parking at the Kinderdorf (payment via TWINT).
The summer party will go ahead whatever the weather. We recommend wearing weather-appropriate clothing, as most of the activities take place outdoors.
The organiser reserves the right to make changes at any time without being liable for compensation. Photographs and video footage will be taken at this event. The organiser, its partners and partner organisations will use the footage for promotional purposes. If you do not wish to appear in the photos or videos, please speak to staff at the visitor centre/information point or contact the filming team directly.
Partnerships
