Festival ticketing for
your organisation
Organise your festival: day/3-day passes, multiple price tiers, multi-point QR code check-in. 100% free with Donoor.
Why Donoor for this project
The tools you need, already connected and free. No pricing plan, no tiers, no equipment to rent.
Multiple price tiers
1-day pass, 3-day pass, VIP, student, presale, last-minute… Create as many price tiers as you need, with quotas per tier.
0% commission
You keep 100% of the proceeds. On a €30,000 festival, Donoor saves you €2,000–3,000 compared with Eventbrite (6.95% + €0.99 per ticket).
Multi-point QR code check-in
Several simultaneous scanners at the entrance. Real-time sync, double-scan protection, live attendance statistics.
Tap to Pay for the bar
Card payments without a card terminal for drinks, food trucks and merchandise. All on iPhone.
What to prepare
The honest list of equipment and team you need to make your festival a success. No proprietary hardware to buy, you already have 90% of what you need.
Staff
- 1 general managerTechnical lead, artist scheduling, press reception. Often an experienced volunteer or a service provider.
- 4 to 6 entrance controllersScan QR codes in parallel with their iPhone. One per access point if the festival has several gates.
- 8 to 15 bar volunteers2–3 per stand × 4–6 stands, rotating every 4 hours to avoid fatigue. Tap to Pay on iPhone at each stand.
- 2 to 4 licensed security officersMANDATORY above 500 simultaneous attendees. SSIAP or CQP APS agents, specialised provider.
- 1 first-aid managerRed Cross / Civil Protection / volunteer firefighters, present for the entire duration of the festival.
Tools and equipment
- A Donoor account (5 min)1-day/2-day/3-day/VIP passes + early bird + multiple sessions + multi-point QR check-in + Tap to Pay for the bar.
- 4–6 iPhones for check-iniPhone XS or newer, iOS 16.4+. Can be borrowed from volunteers. Continuous scanning, double-scan protection.
- Stage + sound + lightingA professional technical provider is essential above 200 people. Budget €3,000–15,000 depending on ambition.
- Barriers + signageLocal event hire company. Vauban barriers + identification wristbands + evacuation route signage.
- Toilets and water pointsMobile sanitation rental: 1 toilet per 100 people minimum. Free water point mandatory.
What the law says
We explain the legal obligations for your festival in plain language. Checked by our team and up to date for 2026.
Prefecture declaration if more than 1,500 people
Any music or festive gathering of more than 1,500 people must be declared to the prefect one month before the event. File including safety plan, sanitation arrangements and fire-prevention arrangements. Without declaration: immediate ban.
Entertainment promoter licence
If you pay the artists (fee or contract), your organisation must hold an entertainment promoter licence (3 categories depending on your role). Free application to the DRAC, valid for 5 years and renewable. Exemption if fewer than 6 shows per year.
SACEM music rights
Any broadcast of recorded music or live performance requires a SACEM declaration (online before the event). Flat rate based on capacity and paid entry: allow €200–1,500 for a community festival. Additional SPRE if recorded music is used.
Fire safety ERP-PA
A festival is an Establishment Receiving the Public of type PA (open air). Above 300 people: preliminary visit by the safety commission, fire-prevention arrangements (extinguishers, fire service access), evacuation plan displayed. Coordination with the departmental fire service (SDIS).
Bar: licence depending on drinks
An organisation may open 5 drinks stands per year for group 1–3 drinks without a licence. To sell spirits, a category III or IV licence is required (often lent by the village bar). Display of prices and alcohol risk warnings is mandatory.
Your checklist for D-Day
Everything you must not forget, by phase. Print it and tick items off as you go.
6 months before
- Book the venue and obtain the occupation permit
- Approach sponsors / partners
- Choose and contact the artists / speakers
- Apply to the DRAC for the entertainment promoter licence
- Set the capacity and the safety plan
2 months before
- File the prefecture declaration (if more than 1,500 pax)
- File the SACEM declaration
- Book technical, security and sanitation service providers
- Set up ticketing on Donoor with all pass types
- Launch communication (social media, press, posters)
- Recruit 30–50 volunteers
Festival week
- Final visit with the safety commission
- Briefing for the full team (ticket checkers, bar, security)
- Test the check-in iPhones and the bar's Tap to Pay devices
- Equipment delivery and stage set-up
- Artist reception and technical fitting
- Gates open: 1 ticket checker per entrance
They did it
Three organisation profiles that ran their festival with Donoor, so you can picture realistic cases.
Rural community music festival
2-day summer festival in a municipal field. 2-day pass at €25, early bird at €18. 6 local groups + 2 headliners. QR check-in from 4 iPhones (2 entrances). Artisanal bar on Tap to Pay across 5 stands.
Inter-religious cultural festival
3-day festival around intercultural dialogue. Free entry + additional donations at the basket (tax receipts Cerfa 11580). World cuisine stands charged via Tap to Pay. 1,200 visitors over the weekend.
Urban sports festival
1-day skate / breakdance festival in the city centre. Paid competitor registrations (€35 per discipline), free public admission, bar + partner food trucks on Tap to Pay. Local sponsors for the prizes.
A 3-day community festival
800 three-day passes × €25 = €20,000 in ticket sales + €4,000 collected at the bar via Tap to Pay on iPhone across 6 stands in parallel. QR check-in from 4 iPhones simultaneously at the entrance, real-time counter, no card terminal rented. All on a single organisation account with continuous payouts.
Hesitating over another platform?
Compare Donoor with other providers on fees and features.
Other compatible projects
Many organisations run or combine several types of project. Explore the related guides.
Frequently asked questions
How many tickets can I sell without fees?
No limit. Donoor remains 100% free whether you sell 50 or 50,000 tickets. No subscription, no tiers that trigger hidden fees.
Can I offer early-bird pricing?
Yes, create several price tiers with different end dates: Early Bird €25 (until 15/03), Presale €35 (until 15/05), Full price €45 (from 16/05). The system switches automatically.
How does check-in work with several gates?
Install the Donoor app on as many phones as you have scanners (iPhone or Android). Connect them with the same account. Each scan updates statuses in real time on all devices. A ticket scanned at gate 1 is invalidated immediately at gate 2.
What happens if the network goes down?
The Donoor app keeps valid tickets in memory and continues scanning offline. Syncing resumes as soon as the network returns. We recommend having a 4G backup.
Can I refund an attendee?
Yes, in one click from your dashboard. The refund goes directly back to the original card (3–5 days). You can refund partially (just the VIP supplement, for example) or in full.
How do I manage VIP guests / exhibitor passes?
Create a “VIP Pass” tier at €0 accessible via a personalised promo code. Send the code to your guests; they register for free and receive their QR code. No more manual list management.
We take care ofsetting it all up for you.
Create your organization space in a few minutes, or let us set everything up for you. Free, fast, hassle-free.
100% free · No subscription, no commitment
How it works
Set up in under 8 minutes, no technical knowledge needed.
Create your festival
Choose the “event” type with start and end dates. Set up your price tiers (1-day pass, 3-day pass, VIP, student) with quotas per category.
Launch presales
Share the Donoor link on your social networks. Apple Pay / Google Pay enabled for maximum mobile conversion.
Prepare check-in
Download the Donoor app onto the iPhones of your entrance team. Set up scanning points (one per access point).
Open the gates
Fast scanning at the entrance (1 second per ticket). Bar and merchandise via Tap to Pay. Live stats on your dashboard.