Foire du Valais welcomes its nine millionth visitor in Martigny
- La Foire du Valais crossed a historic milestone on October 7, 2026, welcoming its nine millionth visitor since the event's creation.
- Mylène Grichting from Salquenen was identified as the jubilaire, marking the nine millionth entrance since the event originated in 1960 under the name Comptoir de Martigny.
- Fair president Vincent Claivaz and director Carole Moos greeted the milestone visitor alongside committee members.
La Foire du Valais crossed a historic milestone on October 7, 2026, welcoming its nine millionth visitor since the event’s creation. The landmark was reached on a Wednesday afternoon at the major Romandie trade fair held in Martigny.
Reaching Nine Million Visitors in Martigny
Mylène Grichting from Salquenen was identified as the jubilaire, marking the nine millionth entrance since the event originated in 1960 under the name Comptoir de Martigny. She received a permanent lifetime pass along with an assortment of gifts upon her arrival at the exhibition grounds.
Fair president Vincent Claivaz and director Carole Moos greeted the milestone visitor alongside committee members. Claivaz noted that while the event has scaled up significantly over the decades, its core identity around commerce, personal encounters, and regional hospitality remains unchanged.
Tracking Attendance Milestones Since 1960
Historical data shows how visitor growth accelerated significantly after the earliest decades of the fair. The first millionth visitor threshold was reached in 1975, fifteen years after the inaugural edition.
Subsequent million-visitor milestones followed in steady intervals through the late 20th and early 21st centuries:
- One million additional attendees reached in 1984
- Milestones crossed again in 1992 and 2000
- Later thresholds achieved in 2007, 2012, 2017, and 2022
With annual attendance currently exceeding 250,000 visitors, the autumn exhibition stands as the largest trade fair in Romandie. Nationally, the manifestation ranks third behind the Olma in Saint-Gall and the BEA in Bern.
Valais Recognizes Gathering as Intangible Cultural Heritage
The visitor milestone arrives shortly after the canton officially recognized the annual gathering as an element of Valais intangible cultural heritage. The event weaves together local traditions, culinary items like Grand-Père Cornut sugar products, and specialized thematic programming.
Organizers project that the ten millionth visitor threshold will likely be crossed around 2030, maintaining the current pace of attendance growth at the Martigny exhibition center.