Welcome to

Welcome to CloudFest Hackathon 2026! We’re delighted to have you join us for three exhilarating days of coding, collaboration, and creativity at the magnificent Europa-Park in Rust, Germany. This comprehensive guide is designed to help you seamlessly navigate the event, providing all the essential information you’ll need to make your hackathon experience truly unforgettable.

Table Of Contents

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Agenda

Immerse yourself in our action-packed agenda filled with intensive programming sessions, collaborative project work, and compelling presentations—all culminating in groundbreaking open-source innovations. Get ready for an unforgettable journey of learning, meaningful connections, and lasting impact on the open-source community. Full details of the schedule are available on our agenda page here.

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Travel to (and within) Europa-Park

Europa-Park is strategically located in the heart of Europe, at the intersection of Germany, France, and Switzerland. Below are your best options for reaching the hackathon venue:

By Car

If driving, use this Google Maps link for direct navigation to Hotel Krønasår. A huge parking area is directly connected to the hotel.

By Train

Deutsche Bahn offers excellent connections from across Germany to Offenburg station, followed by a short journey to Ringsheim (the station closest to Europa-Park). Plan your rail journey through the Deutsche Bahn website.

Here are some guidelines for the final leg toward your stay at Europa-Park:

1. From Offenburg Central Station to Ringsheim:

• By train: Take a local train from Offenburg to Ringsheim station (about 20 minutes).
• By taxi: You can take a taxi from Offenburg station to Ringsheim. It’s about a 30-minute ride, but prices vary.
• By shuttle – SIXT Ride: If you’re traveling in a group, consider booking a shuttle with SIXT for a comfy ride.

Important: Please note that there’s NO CloudFest shuttle service from Offenburg to Europa-Park before and during the Hackathon. The official CloudFest shuttle will be available for your return journey to Offenburg after the event

2. Europa-Park- and Rulantica-Bus from Ringsheim Train Station:

Ringsheim station is your gateway to Europa-Park.

• Board the Europa-Park and Rulantica Bus (bus route 7231) directly outside the station for a quick ride to the Krønasår.
• Exit at the “Rulantica” stop
• Timetable link

3. After Arrival at Europa-Park: Traveling between Hotels

During the hackathon days, a convenient hotel bus/shuttle service will operate between all event hotels at 20-minute intervals throughout the day, ensuring easy access to all venues and accommodations.

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Your accommodation package includes breakfast and access to hotel amenities. We’ve arranged everything to ensure your comfort throughout the hackathon weekend.

Special Note for Partner Attendees:
Your accommodation arrangements followed a different booking process than regular attendees. Some details in this section may not apply to your specific situation. If you have any questions about your accommodation, please contact your partner coordinator directly.

A minimum stay of two nights on March 20 & 21, 2026 has been arranged. Depending on what we communicated, you’ll see an extended stay for March 19 and/or 22. You can view your complete booking details in your CloudFest account dashboard.

Early Arrival Invoice Information (March 19)

If you’ve arranged to arrive a day early on March 19, please note these important details:

• An invoice for €98 (plus applicable taxes) has been added to your CloudFest account dashboard in the ‘My Invoices’ section
• Payment deadline: Please settle your invoice within two weeks of receipt and before the event begins
• Important note about dates: The invoice shows March 23-26 (the main CloudFest event dates) — this is standard across all invoices and does not reflect your actual booking dates, but the dates of the main event CloudFest
• For any invoice questions or concerns, please contact: finance@cloudfest.com

Check-In Info

Standard check-in time at Hotel Krønasår is 15:30. The hotel staff will make every effort to accommodate early arrivals if rooms become available sooner. Upon arrival, simply inquire at the reception desk about early check-in possibilities. Feel free to use the hotel’s common areas and facilities while waiting if your room isn’t immediately ready.

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Your Badge (Registration)

March 19 (Early Badge Pickup)

Time: 17:00 – 19:00
Location: CloudFest Info Counter – Lobby, Hotel Krønasår
Beat the crowds and collect your attendee badge the evening before the hackathon begins!

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Wi-Fi Access

Stay connected with the “Confertainment” network, available throughout the venue. Alternatively, you can use the network “Hotelresort”.

Network: Confertainment
Password: Confertainment_EP

Take a well-deserved break: Explore the venue

While the hackathon will keep you engaged, don’t miss the opportunity to explore Hotel Krønasår and its stunning surroundings, including the neighboring Rulantica water park. Periodic breaks to step outside, breathe fresh air, and absorb the unique ambiance will fuel your creativity and energize your teamwork.

Luggage Storage Information

The Hotel Krønasår provides convenient luggage storage for all hackathon participants. If your room isn’t ready upon arrival or you need to store your belongings after check-out on Monday morning, the hotel offers a secure, dedicated storage facility.

To use this service:

• Visit the reception desk in the main lobby
• Inform staff you’re participating in the CloudFest Hackathon
• Your luggage will be stored safely until needed

Important Security Notice: For everyone’s safety and to comply with fire regulations, luggage must not be stored in hotel corridors, or conference rooms, including the hackathon main venue.
Please use only the designated storage facilities provided by the hotel.

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Hackathon Awards

The CloudFest Hackathon transcends the traditional coding event model—it serves as a powerful catalyst for positive change in the tech ecosystem. Through our established partnership with Groundbreaker Talents, we directly support their transformative mission to provide comprehensive residential scholarships in Software Engineering for young women from financially underserved communities.

These scholarships empower recipients to fully develop their potential and build promising futures in the digital economy. For CloudFest Hackathon 2026, we’ve set an ambitious goal to fund another complete scholarship through our awards program.

Each thoughtfully designed award category celebrates excellence across different dimensions of open-source development while advancing our core mission: fostering innovation, strengthening collaboration, and creating meaningful social impact through technology.

Your participation directly supports our mission of empowering diverse talent within the tech community and creating lasting positive change. By joining us for this hackathon, you become part of something larger than the code you’ll write: you help build pathways to technology careers for underrepresented groups.
The dedicated CloudFest Hackathon Awards page provides complete details about our award categories, distinguished jury members, and generous sponsors.

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CloudFest Hackathon 2026 features 10 diverse, impactful open-source projects awaiting your unique skills and perspective. Finding the perfect match for your talents and interests happens in two phases:

1. Before the Event
   • Explore Project Pages: Visit the individual project pages to review detailed project descriptions and goals
   • Join Mattermost Channels: Connect directly with project leads and potential teammates, ask questions, and begin building relationships before the event
2. At the Hackathon Kickoff
   • Project Pitches: Experience concise presentations from each project lead (2 minutes)
   • Evaluate Alignment: Consider how each project matches your skillset and learning objectives
   • Make Your Selection: Choose a project where you can make meaningful contributions while expanding your capabilities

Tips For Finding Your Best Fit

Leverage Your Strengths: Identify projects where your existing skills will create immediate impact

Target Growth Areas: Look for opportunities to develop new competencies in a supportive environment

Embrace Challenges: Don’t shy away from projects that push your boundaries—they often provide the greatest growth

Follow Your Passion: Select a project that genuinely excites you—enthusiasm is the fuel for innovation

Project Overview

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Join Us On Mattermost! (Reminder)

CloudFest Hackathon 2026 uses Mattermost as our official communication platform before and during the event. All essential updates, project discussions, and community interactions take place in this powerful collaboration tool.

Why Mattermost is Essential

• Real-time updates on hackathon logistics and schedules
• Direct access to project leads and mentors
• Pre-event connections with potential teammates
• Dedicated project channels for focused discussions
• Important announcements, including social events and activities

Getting Started

Sign-up instructions were sent to your registered email address. If you haven’t already joined, please check your email (including spam/junk folders) and follow the activation steps immediately.

Important Communication Notice

Email event updates have stopped.
Mattermost is now the exclusive channel for hackathon updates and information. To ensure you don’t miss critical announcements, event changes, or community opportunities, please:

• Complete your Mattermost account setup
• Check relevant channels regularly (or enable notifications)

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What To Bring

• Laptop and charger: Essential for your hackathon work
• Power adapters: If you’re coming from outside Germany/Europe
• Comfortable clothing: The dress code is casual
• Layers: Conference rooms can get chilly or heat up throughout the day, layers help adjust your comfort level
• Earplugs or noise-canceling headphones: for focused work or to prevent sensory overload in a busy environment
• Business cards: For networking opportunities
• Reusable water bottle: While we serve drinks in glass bottles, it’s good to have some extra water – stay hydrated!

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FAQ

Got questions? We’ve got answers! Visit our FAQ section for all the information you need about the event.

We look forward to seeing you at CloudFest Hackathon 2026!