FAQ
Here you will find information about what to expect at Bäläkä and how you can prepare yourself well. If you still have questions, please contact info[at]baelaekae.org.
Arrival
Info on how to get to the camp you can find here.
There is a carpooling pad for joint arrival and departure.
Barriers
Info regarding the barriers during the camp you can find here.
Camping und Couchsurfing
Most of the events and public camp life take place around the farmstead. Separately from this, there are designated tent areas on the adjacent site. You can set up camp there for the duration of BäLäKä and make yourselves comfortable.
There are many young fruit trees on the tent area that are not suitable for tent guy ropes or hammocks, and we must be considerate of them. As the trees are still very small, the tent area is not shaded, so we recommend bringing sun sails (including poles) or similar.
The tent area is not suitable for cars, campers, or motorhomes! If you want to sleep in your vehicle, we recommend the nature campsite in Machern, from where you can reach the camp in 20 minutes by bike. Please keep this in mind when planning your journey.
There will also be the possibility for couchsurfing, so please indicate your need for a bed in the online registration form and contact us at info[at]baelaekae.org! Accommodation in beds is not available in the immediate vicinity of the camp (distance: 20 min walk or 10 min by bike or in Leipzig). We will be happy to discuss your exact needs with you when you contact us.
Dogs
Please leave your dogs at home! (Goats, cows, and cats too ;))
If it is not possible for you to leave your dogs at home, please be considerate of other camp participants who may be afraid of dogs. This means always keeping dogs on a leash, using a muzzle if necessary, and assuming that the other person does not want to be greeted by your dog. Coordinate with other dog owners.
Please also bring poop bags and always pick up after your dog.
Food and Water
Three meals a day will be cooked at the camp by the Küfa (kitchen for everyone). For cost and logistical reasons (refrigeration capacity), all meals are vegan. Many intolerances and/or allergies can be accommodated. Please indicate any allergies/intolerances on the online registration form or at the information point on site.
We are not a vegan camp, which means that animal products may be consumed at the camp.
There will be designated drinking water stations.
Infrastructure on site
There will be sanitary facilities, access to drinking water, and meals (3 meals a day) on site. Since wastewater is treated on site, please only bring biodegradable hygiene products (shampoo, soap, toothpaste, etc.)!
The terrain is not paved and therefore not wheelchair accessible everywhere. However, we will try to lay out the main paths so that they are also accessible by wheelchair. See more under “Barriers.”
Kids’ Space
There will be a kids’ space during the camp where children can stay and childcare can be provided if needed. Please indicate your needs when registering online or contact the information point on site or the kids’ space directly.
Packliste
What you can or should bring with you, you can find here
Parking
There are no parking facilities on site. If you are arriving by car, please park in the public parking lots in Taucha. If you want to sleep in your car/camper, we recommend the nature campsite in Machern.
If it is not possible for you to reach the campsite on foot or by bike, please contact the information point (phone number to follow), where the shuttle service is coordinated.
Self-organization
The entire camp is self-organized. This means that many people volunteer their time and energy to prepare, run, and follow up on the event. We rely on your support for setting up, taking down, and running the gathering! In addition to various tasks that need to be done, such as chopping vegetables, childcare, and cleaning toilets, we are also glad if you use the open spaces to initiate discussions on topics or spontaneously offer a program contribution.
We have received funding and donations for the camp, but these do not cover the total costs. We have deliberately decided against a fixed participation fee, as we want to make this camp accessible to as many people as possible. To cover the outstanding costs for materials and meals, we would be grateful for a donation of 0-10€ per day you are there, if you can afford it.
Translation/Interpretation
We want to make this camp accessible to as many people as possible, but we do not have the capacity to interpret the entire program simultaneously. We have therefore decided that one contribution per program slot will be interpreted from Monday to Wednesday and two contributions per program slot from Thursday to Sunday. This mainly involves translation into English and French. Some program contributions will also be in English, which will be translated into German and French if necessary.
Please indicate your translation needs in the online registration form. There you can also indicate translation needs into other languages (except German, French, and English). For languages that we do not cover, it may be possible to organize flexible whispered interpretation on site. Please contact the information desk if you require this service.
If you have any questions, please contact translation[at]baelaekae.org.
If you would like to help with the interpretation of program contributions, you can join the signal group here.
Registration
If you would like to come to Bäläkä, we kindly ask you to register here in advance. The form can be filled out anonymously and helps us to better estimate how many people will be there and what your needs are.