BeauGrace

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When: Eldorado, Saturday night.

Hailing from Manchester, after flying the nest to Berlin, BeauGrace AKA Beau Blonde and Grace Oni Smith will be taking to the stage. Using their art as catharsis, the duo create work that reflects on and centres around their experiences as queer, trans* people. They share a symbiotic, creative relationship that leads them into many different artistic avenues – their music a melting pot of eclectic musical inspirations, prose, poetry and live art; all of which are incorporated into their stage shows.

 

Artists

© Pedro Pablo

Experiencing so much queer talent in one space made you wonder why a festival like WHOLE took so long to happen. It was a much-needed space.

Resident Advisor

Crews

© Eric/Chris Phillips
© Pedro Pablo

Performances

© Eric/Chris Phillips

Side Program

Cinema

Installations

Panels

Workshops

WHOLE United Queer Festival wants to prove that there can be a queer common ground where we put all differences aside and dance together – at Europe’s first queer electronic music festival.

IHEARTBERLIN

Location

Ferropolis is situated by the small town of Gräfenhainichen, about 140km southwest of Berlin. Its coal mining past, which ended in 1991, has recently been rectified by contemporary renovations that promote nature exploration.

Today, the flooded grounds encapsulate an expansive 560 hectare lake +20 hectare peninsula.  The site displays five huge industrial excavators that create a museum, monument and modern event arena.

Ferropolis is easily accessed by chartered bus, train, or car.
Cruise the FAQ section for more details.

© Rafael Medina

About

A THREE DAY ELECTRONIC MUSIC CAMPING FESTIVAL FEATURING A CROSS-SECTION OF BERLIN’S UNDERGROUND QUEER SCENE

Our aim is to create an inclusive environment that provides space for the acceptance of all gender expressions and sexual orientations, but in a relaxing, outdoor environment outside of the hectic confines of the city. A multi-day camping festival where self-expression and self-liberation are paramount.

Considering today’s tumultuous and polarizing political climate, we find it necessary to create a refuge for those that oftentimes find themselves marginalized by the rest of society. WHOLE is more than just an outdoor weekend-long party, but rather an exercise in community building.

2019 is the third edition of the festival, and we’ve invited more international crews hoping to enhance & strengthen our sense of community beyond national borders.

From Friday June 14th at 15:00 till Monday 17th at 09:00.
Campground opens at noon on Friday, and closes at noon on Monday.

© Rafael Medina

A safe space for queers who want to celebrate electronic music. A welcoming concept in a time where exclusion of queer people still is served on a daily agenda.

NBHAP

Tickets

© Pedro Pablo

FAQ

Accessibility

The festival is situated on sandy beaches and uneven meadows, therefore wheelchair accessibility is only partially given, but viable. Accessible toilets will be on-site by the main entrance & a portable accessible toilet down by the beach stage. We regret to inform you that our shower containers are not accessible.  If you require an accompanying person, please write us to verify your disability card, and then your chosen person will be granted free entry.

Bassliner Bus from Berlin

Click here to book inexpensive roundtrip bus tickets via Bassliner,
which picks up and drops off at Ostbahnhof.

Meeting Point:
Busparking spaces at Berlin/Ostbahnhof
„Am Ostbahnhof“ corner with „Koppenstraße“

Please be at the meeting point at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time. Bassliner busses will never wait for late passengers. Please plan with enough time to get to the meeting point in time even if there is unforeseeable problems, like if public transportation fails, etc.

Other transport options down below under “TRAVEL”

Camping

WHOLE is a three day camping festival.

Please pitch your tents within the designated area and keep roads clear, as they function as escape routes & fire lanes.  You can camp near the beach, but not on it.  We are going to be more strict about this than we were last year.  Watch for delineated markers, and be respectful of the property.

You are allowed to bring your own food & drink, but we have a strict NO GLASS policy.  Pack a stainless steel water bottle, so that you can refill it all weekend.  Be aware that your bags may be searched at the entrance.

Toilets and showers are provided on-site.  We kindly ask you to pay €2 per shower.  All toilets are free.

If you would like to buy a tent and have it setup for you, please get ahold of our friends at VLK.  This third party service is being offered as a convenience for those of you that are traveling from out of town.  Deadline is June 5th.

Confetti

Help keep the site’s sandy beaches & green grass clean. Confetti & glitter are not permitted, BUT Projekt Glitter will be selling eco-plant based glitter products in the Designer Bazar.

Dogs & Children

No dogs (or other animals) or children will be admitted entrance to the festival. All guests need to be 18+ to enter the festival.

Drugs

Dealing and using drugs is illegal. Anyone caught will be expelled from the festival and reported to the police. The festival is three days long, so be sure to pace yourself. Drink responsibly, rest and rehydrate. Don’t be that party monster that gets messy & collapses on the beach. If you’re feeling unwell, please tell someone.  You can be assisted by someone at the info point or one of our two Awareness Tents (see AWARENESS section).

Drug Scout will have a tent close to the Awareness Tent next to the  distributes information on psychoactive substances and the topics of “Safer Use” and “Safer Clubbing” as well as corresponding Safer Use materials. Their presence encourages direct direct discussion.  Use them!

Feeling Good

… means having fun and making friends with your campsite neighbours. Help keep an eye on each other’s stuff and buddy up to provide help, if needed. Take responsibility for the energy that you bring to the rave. Assault, discrimination & malicious intent will not be tolerated and offenders will be removed from the festival and handed over to the police. This is a festival that strives to represent the best of Berlin & the greater scene. Act accordingly. We are all friends. We do not tolerate any -isms:   no sexism, racism, ableism, homophobia, fatphobia, transphobia, or hatefulness.  If you need help, please look out for our awareness team.

Fire

Because the festival grounds are surrounded by woodlands, camp fires, as romantic as they are, are not allowed. The same applies for Chinese lanterns.  The last thing we want to do is have a bunch of queens start a forest fire.

That being said, we are allowing an area for grilling by the beach, only for charcoal grills or small gas stoves with less than 250g gas. Please dispose of charcoal in designated receptacle.

First Aid

We will provide a comprehensive medical and first aid service which includes first aid posts, as well as paramedics who will be looking after festival goers. Don’t hesitate to address them if you, or a friend, needs help.

Food and Drinks

You are allowed to bring your own food & drink, but absolutely no glass is allowed.  There will be over a dozen food vendors on-site.  Click here for more info on available food trucks.  CASH ONLY, AND NO ATMS ON-SITE.

Garbage

Similar to many other festivals, this year we will implement a new garbage deposit. Upon entering the gates, you will be asked to pay a €5 <CASH> deposit in exchange for a campground rubbish bag + chip. When you leave, please return the full trash bag + pfand chip to receive back the €5 deposit. Keeping the campground clean is a group effort and we appreciate your help.  We hope to build a long-running festival, and our sustainability starts first with how environmentally responsible we are as a group.

Smokers, please butt your cigarettes out & put’em in the bin.  Ask for a pocket ashtray at the info point.  Always put your waste in the correctly marked bins.  Plan and prepare ahead – pack rubbish & recycling bags, and minimize the amount of packaging you bring.

 

Info Point / Lost & Found

If you have any questions, need assistance, lost something, need a festival guide, inquire here.

We cannot confirm this 100% now, but we might be selling some last minute shuttle tickets to Dessau Hauptbahnhof from here.  We will update this soon. If you have medication that needs to be refrigerated, check in here.

After the festival, contact us at contact@wholefestival.com.

Opening Hours

Entrance Gate & Info Point
Hours of Operation
Fri Noon – 02am
Sat 09am – 02am
Sun 09am – 02am
Mon 08am – Noon

Festival Programming
Hours of Operation
Fri 03pm – Mon 09am

Everyone must be off the property by noon Monday!

No one under the age of 18 years will be granted entry to the festival. Please note that you may be checked at the entrance, along with your luggage. We advise you to bring an official & valid ID or passport with you. Student cards are unacceptable.

Parking

If you drive, no problem, but first please purchase a parking pass.  There are two price points:  1) car 2) caravan.  Parking is available on-site for both, and we have a camping section specifically for caravans.  Click here to purchase a parking permit.

Please be aware that the local authorities will most likely be watching the roads within close proximity of the festival.  You should be prepared to have your car searched, and please designate a sober driver.

Photos and Videos

Taking photos with non-professional gear (analog & digital cameras without interchangeable lenses) is allowed. Filming however is not permitted.

By purchasing a ticket and attending the festival, you are consenting to potentially being photographed and videoed by our profesionally hired staff solely for the purpose of future promotional use.

Please use the same respect that you do at our parties in the city.  You can snap a few photos, but always make sure to ask for consent. Not everyone is out, or wants to be on record.  Enjoy the moment. Save the Instagram stories for another time…you look boring on your phone & it kills the vibe! We will have professionals documenting the scene.  If you see this, but don’t want to be filmed, kindly let them know.

WATER STATION & PHONE CHARGING

Across from the bathing beach (not the beach stage) you will find the giant “Mad Max” digger, where we have installed a water refilling station.  SHARE will be selling “festival survival kits” (shampoo, toothbrush, snacks etc.), providing free phone charging stations, and a refreshing cold rinse shower.

Instead of buying plastic bottled water, you can refill your NON GLASS bottle for free at the water station. The tap water on site is the same quality water that comes out of your tap at home. Leave your single-use plastic at home!

 

 

Prohibited Items

No glass containers or weapons of all kinds (even saws or axes) are permitted.
No animals, sofas, generators, electric refrigerators, any kind of bulky waste, drugs, gas containers >250 grams, car batteries, explosive substances, unauthorised fireworks, sound systems, vuvuzelas, compressor sirens, megaphones, PA-systems or firewood will be allowed on site. No unconstitutional or discriminatory flags, banners, stickers or patches are allowed to carry.

Contact security or a festival employee if you see any wrongdoing. Don’t use a gas container if it is damaged or in poor condition. Make sure it is safe to use and meets the requirements of the german DIN norm before using it. Intentional destruction of trees and groves shall be prosecuted.

Refunds

All ticket sales are final. No refunds. If you purchased a ticket off of someone else, you must obtain & present the QR code.  We cannot accept just a name.  The festival will take place rain or shine.

Travel

BUS

Book inexpensive roundtrip bus tickets via Bassliner, which picks up and drops off at Berlin Ostbahnhof.  This is the easiest option!  Bassliner continues to add more shuttles with more demand.

TRAIN

This year we’re offering some shuttle services from Dessau Hauptbahnhof to Ferropolis.  Click here to go to our Eventbrite page, and input the word “shuttle” where it says “enter promotional code.”  This will unlock more info about available shuttles.

Please refer to the pickup times offered & arrange your travel accordingly.  Festival goers are responsible for purchasing this €5 one way ticket. We suggest you book these ASAP in order to ensure yourself a seat, but as demand grows we will add more shuttles.

The Berlin Brandenburg ticket by Deutsche Bahn (29€) is valid for a maximum of 5 passengers on all regional transport (RE) trains between Berlin and Dessau (not ICE trains).  Sorry, but as of right now we cannot offer a shuttle from Gräfenhainichen, only Dessau.

CAR

If you arrive by car or caravan, your destination is:

Ferropolisstraße 1
06773 Gräfenhainichen

Google Maps

You need to purchase a parking pass.  There are two price points:  1) car 2) caravan.  Parking is available on-site for both, and we have a camping section specifically for caravans.  Click here to purchase a parking permit.

LIFT

You are looking for a ride to Ferropolis or you still have free space in your car? Then take a look at fahrfahraway and offer your ride for free or find one.

Volunteer

Thank you to everyone that applied to our volunteer program.  Our application program is closed.

Awareness

Our awareness team & volunteers will be walking around the festival in neon colored vests 24 hours a day.  Find one of them if you aren’t feeling well, need some help, someone’s bothering you, or otherwise. We expect you to be responsible for the energy that you bring to the rave!  Don’t overdo it! Stay hydrated & let’s take care of each other. There will be two awareness tents on-site: one in the woods between the Teufelsee beach stage & the Treehouse, and one behind the Crane stage, where we will have a tent from DrugScout.  Drug Scout  distributes information on psychoactive substances and the topics of “Safer Use” and “Safer Clubbing” as well as corresponding Safer Use materials. Their presence encourages direct direct discussion.  Use them!

If someone is not doing well, do not hide them in a tent and hope for the best – utilize our thorough awareness & paramedic team.  Because we are throwing a long, large party in the middle of nowhere, we need you to be open & honest with us. Don’t wait until it’s too late.  Keep us in the loop!

 

AWARENESS TEAM MOBILE NUMBER
+49 151 16927045
>>>This is not a smart phone<<<
>>>Please call if you have an emergency<<<

Checking In

When you arrive to the festival, there might be a queue.  Your politeness and poise as we process everyone will help set a nice tone for the festival.  Double check & confirm your TICKET information + IDENTIFICATION before you hit the road.  You must obtain and present a QR code at the gates.  If you purchased a ticket off of someone else, you must obtain & present the QR code.  We cannot accept just a name.  After your ticket is scanned, please pay the garbage deposit & receive a festival guide.

THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE ENTRANCE GATES
RIGHT SIDE = all paid tickets (general admission, friendly, & day tickets), cars + caravans
LEFT SIDE =  guest list, press, artists, crew, volunteers

If you arrive by car or camper, you must buy a parking pass via our Eventbrite.  Please note that the local authorities could be on the road on the way to the festival making checks.  Drive safe & be smart. Bags and belongings are subject to search upon arrival. Plan accordingly.

Bathrooms

All toilets are FREE.  There is a large brick building close to the main entrance which has tons of toilet stalls, urinals & sinks.  These will be genderless bathrooms, and marked: 1) “Stalls” 2) “Stalls & Urinals.” There is a new toilet structure close to the beach stage with outdoor urinals + indoor single occupancy units.  There are portable “Dixi” toilets all over the property. Shower stations are by the ticket entrance. We kindly ask everyone to pay €2 per shower, which will go toward the costly shower rental containers & cleaning staff.

Important Items

Refillable metal water bottle, cash, sun cream, after sun lotion, lip balm, sunglasses, towels, big hats, big fans, earplugs, giant inflatable swan raft for the lake, bug repellent (lavender, lemongrass, & eucalyptus act as a natural alternative), food & snacks, flashlight / camping lantern, soap, rechargeable power bank, air mattress, toothbrush, medication, condoms, extra tissue / baby wipes, etc.  Pack some warm layers to wear during the night. Yes, all dance floors / performances / cinema / workshop areas are outside.

Trhans Tent

Berlin-based Trhans collective will host a safer-space where other trans* and non-binary people can come chill, relax, meet up with others, or seek help.  Find on the map close to the bathing beach.

Taxi Service

Marions Taxi & Mietwagenservice

Mobil 01522 9549135

For trip to<>from Ferropolix, Gräfenhainichen, & Dessau

© Eric/Chris Phillips

There’s nothing like celebrating the last days of summer with your tribe in the wilderness. These moments are rare, especially for those existing beyond the gender binary, but WHOLE Festival afforded queer ravers that opportunity.

Resident Advisor

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© Pedro Pablo