Organizing a large event like Ironscout 2025 presents not only logistical but also technical challenges. The Ironscout is an annual 22-hour orienteering challenge for scouts, organized by a different team each year, where participants navigate a demanding route and complete various tasks at checkpoints. To efficiently manage various processes—from registration and payment reconciliation to internal communication—we rely on a combination of established open-source solutions and specialized cloud services.

Technology Stack

To implement this setup, we use a combination of WordPress, Pretix, Brevo, Nextcloud, and FreeScout, distributed across different hosting providers.

1. Website & Communication

WordPress with Neve

The official Ironscout website runs on WordPress with the Neve theme, which provides a modern and lightweight design. Newsletter sign-ups are handled via Contact Form 7 (cf7), which is integrated with Brevo.

Brevo for Newsletter & SMTP Sending

For regular communication with participants and staff, we use Brevo (formerly Sendinblue). To ensure that important emails such as confirmations and updates do not end up in spam folders, we have configured Pretix to send emails via Brevo as an SMTP relay.

2. Ticketing & Payment Reconciliation

Pretix for Registration

Registration for Ironscout is managed through Pretix, a powerful open-source ticketing system. To optimize the process, we have implemented several enhancements:

• Aggregator script: Displays orders in Nextcloud Analytics for better tracking of registration numbers.
• Automated bank reconciliation: A PHP script synchronizes account transactions with Pretix, automatically marking paid tickets as confirmed.

Ticket Structure & Add-ons

There are three main ticket types for participating in Ironscout:

• Hike: For teams of 4 to 8 people participating in the 22-hour hike.
• Stations: For teams of 6 to 12 people operating a checkpoint.
• Helping: For individuals assisting with the event organization.

Additionally, two optional add-ons are available:

• T-Shirt: The official Ironscout 2025 T-shirt, available in various sizes.
• Cup: A reusable cup as an eco-friendly alternative for the event.

3. Optimizing the Pretix Installation

1. Adding Swap Memory

sudo fallocate -l 1G /swapfile
sudo chmod 600 /swapfile
sudo mkswap /swapfile
sudo swapon /swapfile
echo '/swapfile none swap sw 0 0' | sudo tee -a /etc/fstab
free -h

2. Optimizing Services

Reducing Gunicorn workers:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/pretix-web.service

ExecStart=/var/pretix/venv/bin/gunicorn pretix.wsgi \
--name pretix --workers 2 \
--max-requests 1200 --max-requests-jitter 50 \
--log-level=info --bind=127.0.0.1:8345

3. Regular Database Backups

su pretix
cd /etc/pretix
pg_dump -U pretix -d pretix -f backup_file.sql

4. Inquiry Management with FreeScout

Direct Inquiry Routing via the Website

To facilitate quick and targeted communication, the Ironscout website features an inquiry form, allowing users to select the relevant topic. The available categories are:

• General inquiries
• Hike
• Stations

Based on the selection, the request is automatically forwarded to the correct email address and assigned to the corresponding FreeScout team. This ensures that inquiries are handled promptly by the right people, reducing response times.

5. Data Sharing with Nextcloud

For internal collaboration, we use Nextcloud, which is operated by our diocesan association. It securely stores and shares important documents, schedules, and other key event information.

Hosting & Infrastructure

• Pretix runs on a virtual server at IONOS for just €1 per month.
• Webgo hosts both the website and FreeScout – a classic shared hosting model.
• Nextcloud is hosted as a Storage Share at Hetzner, ensuring reliable and GDPR-compliant data storage.