Survival Guide

This is your survival guide. Read the whole thing! No, really! everything! you lazy penguin! It will redeem your soul from the burden of ignorance and maybe death.

Ding Dong

Ding Dong!

Are you ready? This is a Ding Dong

Ding Dong was not always the name of the popular burn in the snow. In fact, it was originally called Bingbong, after the inventor of the first electric doorbell, Benjamin Bingbong. He was a brilliant but eccentric engineer who wanted to create a device that would alert him when his guests arrived, without having to rely on a servant or a knocker. He experimented with various sounds, such as clangclang, boingboing, and pingpong, but none of them satisfied him. He wanted something that was pleasant, catchy, and easy to remember. One day, he had a breakthrough when he accidentally dropped a metal spoon on a glass plate. The sound it made was bingbong, and he immediately knew that was the perfect sound for his doorbell. He quickly wired up a circuit that would produce the same sound when someone pressed a button outside his door. He was so proud of his invention that he invited all his friends and neighbors to try it out. They were amazed by the novelty and convenience of the bingbong doorbell, and soon everyone wanted one for their own homes. Bingbong became a household name and a synonym for doorbell.

However, not everyone was happy with the bingbong sound. Some people found it annoying, especially when it rang at night or early in the morning. Some people thought it was too childish, and wanted something more sophisticated or elegant. Some people just wanted to be different, and not follow the crowd. So they started to modify their doorbells, changing the pitch, the tone, or the rhythm of the sound. Some of the most popular variations were dingdong, ringring, chimechime, and dongdong. These new sounds spread across the country and the world, creating a diversity of doorbell sounds that we still hear today. But none of them could ever replace the original bingbong, which remains in the hearts and minds of many people as the true sound of hospitality and friendship.

How Ding Dong was Born (Theories)

Was pooped by Batman
Was stolen from Church (are we a cult?)
Got URGHed into existence
Ding Dong descended from space and landed in the snow (WTF where is the beach???)

Ding Dong! - Event Date and Duration

Build: 24th - 28th of February

Event: 29th of February - 3rd of March

Strike: 3rd - 5th of March

Ten Principles

How it Works: The Ten Principles

Ding Dong generally follows the principles of Nowhere and Burning Man. Please read them if you are unfamiliar with them (there will be a test at the entrance and you don’t wanna be „that“ person).

Self-expression

Be the person you are. Be the person you want to be. We respect and value you, and expect the same from you. You have the freedom to be yourself. Become who you are.

Self-reliance

You are responsible for you, mentally and physically. Bring what you need, give yourself what you need – and ask others for help when you need it.

No Commerce

Forget about money – there’s nothing to buy. By removing commerce from our community, we create co-operation and participation. We plan ahead and work together. We live without money to remind us of what’s really important.

Leave No Trace

From dust to dust, we leave only footprints.We care for the environment, and we take care of our home. We clean up after ourselves; we leave nothing behind; we leave no trace we were there. From dust to dust, we leave only footprints.

Participation

Get involved – This event is what we make it. The more you do, the more you get back. When you join others in play and in work, you are part of it. Your contribution is more valuable than you realise.

Inclusion

Everyone is welcome at our event. We welcome everyone for their unique contribution to our community. Include others as you want to be included, with respect, consideration and tolerance.

Gifting

We give our time, effort and gifts freely.We give to help others and because it makes us feel good. From a cold beer to digging out a tent pole to a small badge, our gifts are from our heart.

Co-operation

Together we are stronger.From how we work together to how we communicate, co-operation is at our core. If we can make life easier, we will. If we can make life better, we will. Together we are stronger.

Community

A family of individuals, we look after each other. A diverse group of separate self-reliant beings, we are united in our need to be part of something larger than ourselves. Community, others, self – united by tolerance and joy.

Immediacy

Make now count. All this will soon be gone, so enjoy now. Experience, participate, be. This is all there is, so enjoy.

Be a Meister!

We believe that everyone is a Meister! Your personal space bubble has a radius of two meters, it follows you, you’re the Meister of it. Make sure everything within your realm is going smooth and no one is harmed.
Remember: Volunteering is fundamental for our event. All participants are encouraged to contribute. Set up a structure on the snow field (Shnaya) that provides comfort and shelter, bring art, perform, help in the various fields of volunteering like greeting people at the gate or cleaning the toilets.
To learn how to participate, go to "Get Involved"!

Consent

Consent (aka "The 11th Principle")

In the open and experimental environment we are trying to create, it is crucial that you always check with others before practicing your self-expression.

Be aware that people from different cultures and generations come together. What’s OK for you might not be for somebody else. And how can you know if you don’t ask?
Consent isn’t just about sexual actions but anything involving another person or their personal belongings.

Remember: A no is a no, always. Even if a yes has been expressed earlier!
On the flipside, however, a yes is a yes and why would you go for anything less than “Hell, YES!”?

Photo Consent

Consent also applies to photography:
Anybody who is identifiable in a photo you take has to be asked for consent. Consent for publishing a photo publicly, especially on social media, has to be explicitly given.

Getting there

How to Get Ding Donged!

Important Information on

Trains, Busses, Parking, Campervans, Shuttles and Logistics

Direct link to house on Google maps

Address:

Ferienheim Waldhaus

Louetli 86 c
3156 Riffenmatt (BE)
Switzerland

Arrival by Public Transport

Train

Take the train to "Schwarzenburg". Check www.sbb.ch (Swiss railways) for the best connections and fares (have a look at the supersaver/ Sparbillet option for early booking). The SBB app also works pretty well.

This is the closest you can get by train. Once you've made it here, you're only about 7km away from our site - uphill. Meaning you will need additional means of transport.

Busses

#B615

There is a bus going up all the way to Schwarzenbühl very close to our site with the number B615.

However this bus only runs Saturdays and Sundays and the last one to go up leaves Schwarzenburg at 15:15.

At the weekends there are four journeys per day. The ones going up from Schwarzenburg station leave at:

09.15 12.15 13.48 15.15

These departure times are aligned with the suburban train number S6 arriving from Berne.

The bus ticket cannot be paid in advance or through the SBB ticket page or app and has to be paid in cash or through the Swiss payment app "Twint".

A single fullprice ticket for adults costs CHF 8.00, for children or holders of a Swiss "GA" or "Halbtax" subscription it's CHF 6.00.

All this information can also be found on the website of the bus company (in German and French only).

Take the bus right to the final stop, the journey takes 30mins. From there walk back down the road for about 10mins and you will find some crazy hippies jumping around in the snow...

#B612

For the most of participants that first bus won't be an option.

Bus number B612 is another option, which runs much more often, but will only go until Riffenmatt. The village of Riffenmatt is 3.6km from our location.

From there you will either have to organise a ride or walk for about one hour until you arrive at the Waldhaus.

This bus goes almost every hour and is mostly aligned with those S6 suburban trains that leave Bern at 6 past the hour. For best connections search at the SBB website or app. You can search directly from Berne to Riffenmatt.

Bus departures in Schwarzenburg are:

6:13 7:13 7:43 9:43 11:43 12:43 13:43 14:43 15:43 16:43 17:43 18:13 18:43 19:43 20:43

Taxi

There is also a taxi company that is happy to assist you getting from Schwarzenburg up to the site. The number of the owner is +41 79 432 08 09

Shuttle

Do you want one? We want one! We have a car but we need a Meister who can organise driving shifts and coordinate arrival times of participants. Can YOU help? Then please get in touch.

For now it looks like you will have to contact someone on site and get someone to pick you up.

Arrival by Car

Parking

You can park your car on the public parking called "Schwarzenbühl Nord". Its located after the Waldhaus continuing on the road for 2 minutes up the mountain. Parking fee is 5 CHF per day paid cash (coins) or by the mobile apps "Paybyphone" or "sepp-parking". You can leave your car overnight and for several days, but camping (including sleeping in a car) is not allowed here.

From the parking its a 10 minutes walk downhill back to the Waldhaus. You can stop and unload your luggage at the gate while driving past Waldhaus, but please don't leave your car there and be aware of traffic since the house is situated in a sharp turn of a windy mountain road.

Snow Chains and Parking Alternatives

The road is extremely steep and often snow-covered - its highly advised to BRING SNOW CHAINS! If your car cannot make it up to Schwarzenbühl, please park it down in the village of Riffenmatt. There is a free public parking lot at the "Mehrzweck-Halle" (multipurpose hall) in the village center. Use our shuttle bus or hitchhike to get up to Waldhaus (its only 5 minutes by car but at least 1 hour walking).

On saturday and sundays there is some Postauto-Busses driving up, see section above on bus times.

Campervans

There are no more available spots on site. Please do NOT park or camp near the hotel area even if there seems to be space, this is a space needed for the Postbus to make a U-turn.

Practical Advice

Practical Advice and Considerations

Arrival

Arriving during build - Your food and sleeping arrangements

Important: Sign up for build if you are planning to arrive prior to the official start of the event, i.e. before 29th of February!!!

As you all know, there are various sleeping arrangements during Ding Dong. You either have a camping ticket, which means you will sleep in a tent, a yurt, an igloo, a campervan... Or you might have a bunk bed ticket, which means you will have a bed available to sleep in during the event from Thursday 29th until Sunday 3rd (you will still need to bring bed linens and/or a sleeping bag).

Regardless of which type of ticket you have for the event, if you come early to help with build you will have a bed to sleep in during this time! Please note that there is only limited space and this space is dedicated to people working. Build time is not party time. We get up early in the morning to work. There will be food served to volunteers during this time. If you come for build, you must fill out the build sign-up form - otherwise we won’t know to feed you. You want to eat, don’t you?

On Thursday morning, everybody needs to move out of the bedrooms completely and go to Gate between 10:00 and 12:00 for check-in. Please bring your ticket. You will then receive your wristband and can sign up for your bed if you have a bunk bed ticket.

Arriving during event time (29-02 - 03-03)

As at every burn, the very first thing when you arrive is to go to Gate and check in with your ticket and ID. Hug your old/new friends (if everyone consents) and maybe even fill your cup with something… (Hopefully you brought your burner cup or it’s going to be a very sad day on the Shnaya for you.)

Sleeping arrangements

Indoors

Make sure you come to Gate upon arrival. If you have a bunk bed ticket, you will need to sign your name on a list to claim a bed at Gate. That way we can make sure everybody can find their sleeping space. Remember to bring your own bed linens and/or a sleeping bag.

Outdoors

If you are camping outside - congratulations! We are trying to gradually change into a winter-outdoor event and you are making this a reality. Make sure you read the vital information on Survival in the Snow in the next section. We don’t want any human popsicles this year!

Camps

Important: Outside horizontal space is limited.

If you want to bring a yurt, large tent or other larger installation, get in contact with placement as soon as possible!

Like NOW!

What to Bring

Your cup
Food
Bed linen and sleeping bag if you sleep in the house
Proper camping gear if you sleep outside, especially if you sleep in a tent. See section "Survival in the Snow" for this in addition.

Kitchen

Radical self-reliance! There is one clean, open, communal kitchens (C.O.C.K.) where you will need to make your own food during the event. The C.O.C.K. is not big enough for everyone to use it at the same time - this has strong potential for a cluster fuck.

To make sure there is enough C.O.C.K. for everyone to be satisfied (and avoid gigantic waiting lines), we advise you to organise in groups, bring very simple (one pot) or preferably even pre-cooked meals to reheat, or bring food that doesn’t need cooking at all. Also - sharing is caring (just don’t feed the no-care bears)! There will be no space to store your food inside, so bring smart solutions to store it outside (boxes, etc).

The C.O.C.K. will come equipped with all the usual toys (pans, knives, spatulas, etc) for you to use, but personal items like cutlery and dishes will be locked away - please remember to bring your own. Also remember to always keep your C.O.C.K. clean and leave it ready for the next person to enjoy!

If you feel like doing a big C.O.C.K. project that requires designated kitchen space or toys (very large pots, etc), please let your C.O.C.K. stapo know in advance.

Showers

There are showers in the basement of the house. The water is heated by electricity (normally over night) and stored in a big tank. This system is designed for a maximum of 50 people or 50 showers per day. This means that with about double the amount of persons on site we will almost inevitably run out of hot water at some point. So we ask you to please, please a) have short showers, turn off water inbetween and b) not wait for warmer it's lukewarm - it won't get any hotter.

Pro Tip: You might have a better chance of getting hot water if you take a shower at a time when the shower hasn't been used in a while - like at 5am. But also then we kindly ask you to use hot water sparingly.

LNT

Please only bring what you can and will take out again. General waste organised by the event should be restricted to small things like food packaging.

This also goes for unconsumed food. The strike team might be thankful for leftover food but in general be prepared that you might have to take it out with you!

Remember to bring a moop bag (“moop” = matter out of place) and a personal carry-on ashtray if you are a smoker.

Volunteering: The Meisterplan

Be a Meister! As always, there will be a volunteer-shift plan. Make the event a Ding Dong for everyone instead of a DangDung by volunteering!

The sign up for the shift-plan will be posted in the Ding Dong facebook group before the event. Also, there will be a printed-out version of the shift-plan during the event at Gate. Please make sure to double check your shifts during the event (we know it can get confusing in the snow…)

dINgFO (Snowinfo)

Need info, can’t find your bed? Have been missing all the fun of bang4bed and flirt4yurt during the last things in the snow, feeling heartbroken? You’ve connected with amazing people during a volunteer shift and now want more? Want to know what workshops you missed and need reasons to feel guilt and shame for having overdone the fun? We’re your kind of confessional for non-sinners.

Let us enterDINGDONG you. This year, your point of trustworthy bits and pieces of pure assumption and mostly not fake news about what’s going on will be mobile!

Often around the gate area, you can find us all around the DING DONG ground. snowDINGos can be identified as temporarily happy and charming, mostly human beings. With hearts as big as a DINosaur and ears as large as BELLS, we want to get you around, making sure you leave out something to discover on your own. We’ll be collecting lost items and might not send them to you, but keep them in the storage where they might mould until you freaking remember to take your shit home.

Come chat with us, share what you’ve experienced, ask us questions that make your mind busy so that you can let that shit go and relax into pure DING DONG bliss.

Survival in Snow

Survival in the Snow

Grüezi, it’s Schwiitzerland, it's f...ing cold in winter, especially during night.
Bring warm clothes, don’t turn into a popsicle. Wear lots of layers, onions are never cold.
Insulation is the word, especially for your feet. Wear good shoes (no plastic sole), socks are warm too.
Keep yourself warm and dry, cuddle puddles are a great way for “radiative” heat transfer.
Eat enough! Energy keeps you warm.
Drink a lot, but don’t eat snow! Melt the snow and drink it molten.
Never eat yellow snow!
Alcohol and other substances may alter your sensitivity to cold. Don’t fall asleep drunk outside, hypothermia doesn’t ask for consent.
Put sunscreen on and use sunglasses, you don’t want to be that sun-kissed.
Don’t venture outside by yourself. It’s boring anyway.
If you consider camping YOU MUST READ our camping guide below.

Camping Guide

Tent

For snow camping, you ideally want a “mountaineering tent” (or “4-season tent”) that’s easy and quick to set up in frigid conditions. These tents are a bit heavier than 3-season backpacking tent but offer better snow/wind protection.

A typical mountaineering tent features:

Dome shape and an extra-strong pole structure.
Mostly solid fabric (instead of mesh) for more warmth and strength.
Dual doors for easy access even in bad weather
Extra guy lines for more stability in high winds
A “gear attic” to stow small items and free up floor space
Large vestibule(s) for wet-gear storage or a sheltered cooking area.

Ground cloth

A ground cloth protects your tent from any water that might seep from the snow through the tent floor. Any tarpaulin will work, but a tent “footprint” (sold separately) is lightweight and is custom cut to fit your tent’s dimensions.

Sleeping pad

These provide both cushioning and insulation. For winter camping, be sure to use two full-length pads to keep from losing body heat on snowy surfaces. Pads are rated by R-value, the measurement of insulation, ranging from 1.0 to 8.0. The higher the R-value, the better it insulates.
Tip: Use a closed-cell foam pad next to the ground and a self-inflating pad on top to get the best insulation from the cold ground. The foam pad also serves as insurance in case the self-inflating pad gets punctured.

Sleeping bag

Make sure you use a bag the minium comfort temperature of which is rated at least the coldest temperature you expect to encounter. At our site this should be at least -15° Celsius. You can always vent the bag if you get too warm. Cold- and winter-rated bags are supplied with generous amounts of goose down or synthetic insulation. Down is the most popular choice due to its superior warmth-to-weight ratio. Just make sure to keep it dry (when wet, down loses much of its insulating ability) or use the new water-resistant down bags now on the market.
Winter bags are also distinguished by their draft tubes behind the zippers, draft collars above the shoulders and hoods to help keep the heat in the bag.

Sleeping bag liner

Using a bag liner adds extra warmth, minimizes wear and helps keep your bag cleaner. The extra layer can add 4° to 8°C of warmth.

Clothes to Bring

Hats

You lose a significant percentage of your body heat through the top of your head. Follow the old mountaineering saying: “If your feet are cold, put on a hat.” Consider windproof models such as those made from Gore Wind Stopper fabric.

Gloves & Mittens

Another must. Take extras, too, in case they get wet.

Goggles

Always protect your eyes from sun and wind. There are different lens tints for various weather conditions. Snow blindness is a thing! Bring shades.

Socks

Wear a thin, snug layer next to your skin and a second layer over it, both made of merino wool or a synthetic fabric. The thickness of your second sock is determined by your boot fit. An extra-thick sock will not keep your feet warm if it makes your boots too tight. Take extras.

Worst-Case Scenarios:

What Can Happen to You in the Snow?

Hypothermia

This is the body’s temperature decreasing due to exposure to the cold conditions. It can be life threatening. A person can become hypothermic without even noticing it.

Symptoms:

Shivering.
Slurred speech.
Non-communication.
Lethargy.

Frostbite

This happens in cold-weather conditions. Frostbite is a freezing of the tissues usually on the fingers, toes, nose or face. It is a result of heat being lost faster than the blood can circulate. In severe cases, appendages may have to be amputated.
Tip: Use chemical heat packs to help stay warm and to avoid getting frostbite.

Symptoms:

Numbness to an area.
Loss of sensitivity to touch.
Tingling that feels like burning.
Shivering.
Skin appears red and then white-to-purple

Dehydration

Even when the temperature is low, you can still get dehydrated and that’s not good for your kidneys, heart or brain. So drink plenty of water—even if you’re not thirsty. Drink before you become thirsty.
Tip: Keep the fluids flowing in freezing weather with an insulated reservoir and tubing.
A good way to determine if you’re drinking enough is to check the colour of your urine. If it’s dark, you are dehydrated. If it’s pale in colour, you’re doing a good job hydrating!

Other symptoms of dehydration in extreme temperatures:

Increased heart rate.
Dry mouth.
Dizziness.
Muscle cramps.
Confusion.
Weakness.

Stay warm! Eat enough! Drink water!

Get Involed

Get Involved:
Art Grants, Volunteer Shifts, Workshops, Performances

Volunteering

Volunteering is an integral and very central part of any burn and a great way to make new friends and have a great laugh. We invite you to participate by taking some shifts and make this event as fantastic as it possibly can be.

To do that, put your name into the shift plan! (first tab in the Meischterplan)

Funding Art (fArt)

Bring your Art to Ding Dong!

Dear beautiful, creative people

You always had some crazy idea in mind? Ding Dong is your moment to make it happen.

Do you want to bring an installation or a performance to our event but your project requires financial assistance? Whether you want to dazzle people’s minds with deeper insights, show off your skills or just bring something that looks pretty, we welcome it all! If you have not already secretly started building your art, NOW is a good moment to do so.

🥕Please fill out this form as soon as possible if you would like financial support.

💰We have in total CHF 1500 to support artists. Let us have a chat about what you need. The Verein might have some of the materials you need in storage.

Any doubts and questions? Please contact us with your ideas…and we will see how we can make it happen!

So exciting 🔥🤞🌈☃️ love everywhere!

Placement Registration

You got a ticket for Ding Dong! and you will bring your camp, your tent, your art installation, sauna, hot tub or other project? Awesome!! Please fill in the online registration form so we can sort out your placement.

This is particularly important if you plan to bring a yurt or other big structure since outside, horizontal space is limited. In this case please get in touch with placement as soon as possible!

In addition, if you plan to come early, we ask you to fill in the build sign-up form.

Power & Light

Electricity on site is limited. As we don't want to have a "Strommangellage" at Ding Dong (aka unplanned power outages, aka end-of-party), we request that you use gas- and wood-based heating and cooking systems (or the available kitchen) - no electricity for heating or cooking.

Reasonable sound and light installations are fine, but please tell the power rangers (via placement form or our separate form until Feb 10th what you plan.

Workshops (Get Ding Donged)

Do you want to share you skills and lead a workshop during Ding Dong? Or do you want to give a performance that's not part of the cabaret? We welcome your contribution and are looking forward to what you will bring.

To best be able to meet your requirements we ask you to fill in this form and register you workshop! Our workshop coordination meisters Christoph and Tania will then approach you to arrange for a place and time.

Legal Disclaimer

General

This event is wholly organised by volunteers, everybody is a participant and a volunteer (see „2. Principles“). Our budget is very limited.

Therefore, kindly note:

You are attending the event at your own risk and you are responsible for your own health and safety.
There is no medical team on site.
You are responsible for your own medical and accident insurance.
Be prepared to look after yourself in case of an emergency.
We take no responsibility for any injuries or damage / loss of property.
We take no responsibility for any actions of the participants or content of the event.
THE ORGANISERS – THE VEREIN ZUR FÖRDERUNG DER BURNER SZENE SCHWEIZ („VFBSS“, A SWISS ASSOCIATION) – AND ANY VOLUNTEERS HEREBY EXCLUDE ANY LIABILITY AS FAR AS PERMITTED BY SWISS LAW.
The contract between the ticket holder and the VFBSS is governed by Swiss law.

Outdoor Survival

Please carefully read our guidlines on Survival in the Snow!
If you plan on camping outside, please be especially aware of the risks and familiarise yourself very carefully with the needs in respect to equipment and skills. This is especially important to know for participants who have never been to the mountains or in a snowy environment. Extreme cold is potentially more dangerous than extreme heat.

🛎 DingDong! 🛎