From June 4 to 7, 2026, the HfG Karlsruhe will transform into an open space for the 24th Gulasch Programming Night 2026. Over the course of four days, visitors can look forward to lectures, workshops, a hack center, hands-on crafting and soldering sessions, discussions on internet policy, and numerous projects exploring technology, society, and digital culture.

This donation-funded community event is explicitly aimed at anyone interested—not just “digital natives” or tech experts. This year’s motto is: “gpn24.de – Goulash at the Scale of Chaos.”

What is GPN?

“Gulaschprogrammiernacht” sounds almost like a cooking marathon for sleep-deprived computer science students. What began in 2002 in a basement room in Karlsruhe with a few tech enthusiasts has since grown into one of the Chaos Computer Club’s largest events. The topics are wide-ranging: hardware and software development, as well as data security, form the core. But data protection, network policy, and many other fascinating topics also come into play: How do you cook the perfect goulash? Can you make beautiful jewelry out of scrap hardware? How does a sewing machine actually work? How do you fly spaceships?

The Goulash Programming Night is organized by Entropia e. V., the local Chaos Computer Club in Karlsruhe. More than 1,500 visitors are expected in the atriums of the Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design (HfG) and the lecture halls of the Center for Art and Media (ZKM). It’s important to note that despite the depth of content some speakers delve into, the Goulash Programming Night isn’t just aimed at “digital natives” or nerds. Everyone is welcome and can learn something; the old motto “we like everything” applies.

True to its name, programming is naturally the main focus of a GPN. In the atriums, tables with power and network connections are available in the “Hackcenter” where guests can set up shop. A large number of participants arrive with a project to spend a few focused days—and possibly nights—working on it during the Gulaschprogrammiernacht. That doesn’t mean questions are off-limits. On the contrary: most hackers, when they aren’t immersed in deep programming meditation, are happy to share information about their pet projects. They also love to demonstrate what they’ve just finished, so the Goulash Programming Night is teeming with homemade light installations and gadgets.

The second main component of a Goulash Programming Night—besides the activities at the Hackcenter—is the workshop and lecture program. Everything is represented, from in-depth lectures on hardware and software development to educational (and humorous) anecdotes from the everyday madness of programming, all the way to debates on internet policy. Electronics skills can be leveled up in soldering and DIY workshops, Lightning Talks offer an open stage for spontaneous short presentations, and the demo scene is always very popular.

More information:
https://gulas.ch