The Alchemist. Volume 2, Issue 3.

T- 17 DAYS AND COUNTING!!!! At the most recent work/play day we did all kinds of fun stuff - cut boards for the effigy, planned fire conclave, talked about music and fire and art, painted a HUGE MAP for center camp, made some awesome signs- generally got all wound up all over again. WE CAN NOT WAIT TO WELCOME YOU HOME!!!

When Can I Get In?

If you are anything like your Alchemist Team you are SO DAMN EXCITED to get on site that you are surely wondering when you can get in and set up!

Here is the definitive word on that:

The gates open for all participants and the event begins at 9am on Thursday, October 2nd. Everyone is welcome to arrive on or after 9am Thursday. Our restricted re-entry policy also begins at that time, so be sure to bring everything you need for the whole weekend.

We know that you won't want to leave, but everyone has to be off site by 6pm on Monday, October 6th.

If you have a large-scale installation and would like to set up early,it can be arranged for you to arrive as early as Wednesday afternoon. Email info@alchemyfestival.com if you have questions or need get on site early.


In and Out Policy

Part of the fun of a regional burn comes from the fact that people come together to create an autonomous city for a weekend.  When people leave and return to site continuously, some of this fun is lost.  

One of the principles honored by this regional event is radical self reliance.  Self reliance means that you shouldn't have to run to Megalomart to get supplies.  You should have them with you when you arrive on site.  And if you don't, you should find those supplies on site, or try to find a different way to deal with what you're missing.  Ask your neighbors for what you're missing, or for advice on how to work around the missing item!  It is fun to talk to your neighbors!

This year, in order to discourage people from leaving the event site and to encourage radical self reliance, Alchemy will have a very limited number of ins and outs.  Because we understand that sometimes things just happen, and you really need to be able to leave and come back, we have created two ways for you to get back into the event if you leave.

First, you can simply pay the face value of another tier 2 ticket ($45).  This is the price to gain re-admittance for every person that leaves the property and then wants to come back.  If you and your buddy leave the property, and you both want to come back, you will need to pay $45 each.

Second, you can collect In/Out Tokens from other participants on the property.  Upon arrival, each participant will be given one In/Out Token (you'll find out what form this is going to take once you arrive but MAN ARE THEY COOL!).  If you want to leave and come back, but you don't want to pay to get back in, you can convince 15 people to give you their In/Out Token.  15 In/Out Tokens will get you back into the event for free.  Here's the catch:  participants lose their In/Out Tokens once they've given them up for use.  You can only help one person get back into the event.  You do not get your Tokens back, so use them wisely!

Regardless of which of the two methods you choose to get back in, in order for anyone to leave and gain re-admittance, you will need to have your original ticket stub with you when you leave and when you come back.  This is absolutely necessary, because we are not having gate sales.  You must be able to show the Gate staff that you had an original ticket.  Every single person in your car must have either an original, unused ticket, or a ticket stub and either a) $45 per person, or b) a pre-approved In/Out pass.  If you do not have your original ticket stub, even if you have a In/Out pass, you will not be let back into the event.  


Survival On-Site

Unlike the harsh environment of the playa, the land at Alchemy is not actively trying to kill you. But, like any other experience in the woods, knowing things about the environment will help you plan for a better overall burn.

The Weather
For those of you not from the Southeast, the weather in North Georgia in October is usually beautiful, somewhere in the in 80's to 90's during the day and in the 60's and 70's in the evening. The air is humid and rain does happen. On burn night last year the dew settled so heavy that there were puddles in the chairs.

Pack your clothes in plastic tubs with lids so that no matter the weather your clothes are dry. Do bring clothes for cooler/cold evening weather. If you are prone to burn- don't forget your sunscreen.

The Land
Cherokee Farms is a nice mix of open fields and wooded areas. There is a pond on site and depending on how much rain we have had (which in the last year hasn't been much) it is at-your-own-risk swimable.

Being that it is Georgia, we have our share of ants. Ant hills don't happen often, but they are possible. Ant bites will make your burn much less fun and much more itchy.

There are other critters- snakes, brown recluse spiders, ticks and scorpions- that you need to know are out there. Watch where you are walking, shake out your shoes, check your head and your bed for ticks.

The Moon
The moon will be just a sliver on burn night, which means it will be pretty darn dark. Please bring something to light yourself, light your way and light your camp. The Lamplighters do an excellent job of lighting our city, but they cant light the whole site.  

Keeping Things Cold
Ice sales will not be available on site. Without getting an in/out there will be no ice runs. So, if you have a cooler and you want to keep it cold bring enough ice. A small block of dry ice in the bottom of your cooler works wonders to keep your ice and anything else you want very cold. Keep your coolers shaded, the lids closed tight when not in use. Coolers can also be wrapped in mylar (available at any place with a decent camping section) which helps keep them cool.

Your Survival Guide will be arriving to an email address near you in the next week or so with even more really great survival information!!!


In The Way

There are three types of vehicles at Alchemy: regular cars, mobile art, and immobile art. All vehicles must stay within the festival gates for the duration of the event.  You will not be allowed to return if you leave.

Unless your car is designated as mobile art or immobile art, it has to be parked in the sattellite parking lot within two hours . A time stamp will be put on your vehicle at the gate by the greeters. The time will be two hours from your arrival, giving you enough time to unload all of your gear and set up your camp. As particpants, you are encouraged to keep an eye out for expired parking times and go find out what's up. Might mean helping unload some camping stuff, but it could mean a new friend. (HINT: It's gifting and it rocks.)

If you wish to drive a mobile art car at Alchemy, please preregister it with the Mobile Art Team by emailing puck@alchemyfestival.com. Then when you arrive onsite, bring the car by the Mobile Art Garage for inspection. We want to ensure that your mobile art is safe for you and for your fellow Alchemists. Specifically, it must have working brakes and be well-lit for nighttime driving.  

If you plan on camping in your vehicle, it must be designated as immobile art. In other words, it must be incorporated into the weird-hippie-freak landscape of Alchemy! This can be accomplished in any number of ways: tapestries, stickers, washable paint – the only limit is your imagination! If you wish to have your vehicle designated as immobile art, please preregister it with the Mobile Art Team by emailing puck@alchemyfestival.com. Your vehicle will be marked with a special stamp by the gate staff, and you’ll be free to unload and then create your immobile art.

MOOP Makes Burns Suck

Remember this one thing about LNT- IF YOU SEE IT ON THE GROUND IT IS YOUR TRASH!! Pick It Up!

1. Cigarette butts- Smokers! Keep a mint tin or other small, pocket size container in your pocket at all times. Cigarette butts do not belong on the ground, they belong in the container or in a fire barrel.
2. Glow Sticks- Pretty, shiny and in the end, its always trash. Lots of cheap LED toys and decorations are now available or use ElWire, its made of win and awesome.
3. Beer Bottles- Beverages in glass bottles can be good. If your favorite beverage comes in glass bottles, consider a keg or other not glass container. If you have to bring the glass containers, put them in a place where they are not going to get broken.
4. Flammable Garbage- If you cook it or eat it, you can burn it. Food waste, paper towels, paper plates all these things can be burned. There will be burn barrels available for you to burn your garbage. A pack of paper lawn bags work great for food and other burnable trash and they are cheap at the end of the season.
5. Feathers and Glitter - there is no bird native to Georgia covered in synthetic fuschia feathers and shiny mylar glitter. DO NOT BRING FEATHERS TO ALCHEMY! You MOOP feathers and you are likely to be caught and hog-tied by a member of the LNT team and then unceremoniously plucked.
6. Packaging - That tag from the chair you picked up on the drive in. The plastic bag you had your dinner in last night. The note you scribbled on. You forget about them, but little trash like that makes a big difference at the end of the burn when you are cleaning up your area. MOOP sweep your camp site and the area around it daily and you will find your exodus to be a much easier process.
7. Stuff Not From Your Body in the Potty - Rule is always "If it doesn't go through your body, it doesn't belong in the potty." Cigarette butts, cups, baby wipes, glow sticks, goat heads, paper towels, ANYTHING that you doesn't end its life as human waste NONE of it belongs in the potty.

Decommodification Revisited – Your Inherent Worth
by Eisen

What fascinates me most about decommodification is an idea at its very core – that humans are not to be viewed as an economic entity…or further…are not to be viewed as a means for economic gain.  Wow.  I rejoice that decommodification is founded upon the wonderful Judeo-Christian belief that people are not to be seen as a means for someone else’s benefit.

This wonderful belief is a direct result of the biblical principle that every human being is created with an extraordinarily high inherent value (or as the Bible says, is created in the image and likeness of God).  Because this is an inherent trait, your worth is not contingent upon what you do, your gender, age, race, economic standing, etc…and will never diminish.  And it is possessed equally by everyone.  Plainly spoken, every person has an equal inherent worth, and should be valued accordingly.

Interestingly, we can see this same principle of inherent worth underlying many of our other beloved 10 Principles.  For example, civic responsibility is embraced because we feel one person’s physical and emotional well being is just as important as another’s.  And we welcome everyone – “all types, all kinds, friends, strangers, and in between…” because we accept the green haired, dress wearing, light-saber waving dude(?!) walking towards us as an equal.  Indeed, without this basic principle of worth, many of our 10 Principles would lose their foundation for truth.  For by what basis can we say that everyone should be accepted?  And by what justification do we assert that our neighbor’s life and property should be respected?  We make these assertions because we believe everyone has an equal inherent worth and should be valued accordingly.  So, for four glorious days Alchemy is as near paradise as we can humanly make it.

But is it really surprising that we would build a community based upon the principle that all people have an equal inherent worth?  This is the same noble principle that inspired the women’s rights and abolitionist movements.  And it is the same “self-evident” truth declared by our founding fathers, that all humans “are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…”  It is the universal truth that demands human rights.

So, when you gift that cup of cool water to a neighbor, volunteer, or simply acknowledge another Alchemian’s existence with a smile, you are openly expressing the wonderful belief that your fellow human being is of equal inherent worth.  Now, let us all go and do likewise.