When stories unite – Bokenäs Bok och Berättelse project

Launch event – Bokenäs Book Fair

When: XXth February 2027, 18.00

Where : Bokenäs Bygdegård, Humlehed 204, 451 97 Uddevalla, Sweden.

Theme: Fairy tales, fantasy and poetry.

More details, activities and registration below.


Stories are one of the oldest human ways to bond. This is how we make sense of the world and how a society can hold together.

What are the stories that unite us today? How can stories and books create more connections between people on the country side?

In collaboration with local associations and cultural organisations, Hästekasen Farm uses its experience with group and community buidling, cultural event organisation and role playing to create the Bokenäs Bok och Berätelse project.

A yearly thematic book fair with games and activities, an original Bibliobox to share books and ideas with strangers, and a book club with an online community and physical meetings at Hästekasen library.

Get on board a literary adventure, all the details are below !

Launch event – Bokenäs Book Fair

When: 19th February 2027, 18.00

Where : Bokenäs Bygdegård, Humlehed 204, 451 97 Uddevalla, Sweden.

Theme: Fairy tales, fantasy and poetry.

Wander through a cozy room decorated with old tales illustrations and small lights.

Book exhibitions, book loans, story telling game, translation experiment, when poetry becomes a ballad, a children’s corner, a poetry competition, a lotery, and many more surprises are to be expected at this special event.

Pictures (and featured image) by John Bauer

The Bibliobox

Book boxes have emerged in many countries. Inspired by our international community and our travels abroad where we have encountered a lot of those, Hästekasen wants to create its own – the Bibliobox.

What is it ? A protected box publicly accessible where people can bring and take books for free. A place to share books and ideas with strangers, whether they are your neighbours or visitors.

France, for example, is full of them.

A few meters inside the forest, at the junction of Orreviksvägen and Hästekasvägen, you will go through a labyrinthic path leading you towards the Bibliobox, where a tiny light is always lit.

Whether you want to share a meaningful book and leave a comment inside or get rid of these old novels that you will never read again – there is always someone who will be happy to stumble upon your donation. And who knows, maybe you will find a life changing reading experience, just by stoping on the side of the road.

Hästekasen library will donate the first books of the Bibliobox, and then it is up to its users to shape its content. All languages are welcome.

The Hästekasen Book Clubs – physical and digital

The Book Club is a space dedicated to exchange and connect through books, literature and stories.

Physical Book Club: four meetings per year at Hästekasen library, always on Sundays.

Digital Book Club: A digital meeting every months. A newsletter. A Facebook group.

What will happen concretely during our Book Club meetings ?

  • Get inspired: Bring a recent read or a book you like, present it to the group in a few minutes and maybe read your favorite excerpt.
  • Meet people: Get to know people through their readings. Exchange your books and bring them back later.
  • Eat: A home made fika with some products from our permaculture farm.

Schedule

Date (always a Sunday)Place
Meeting #1 – Physical11th April, 15.00Hästekasen library
Meeting #2 – Digital20th June, 14.00Online
Meeting #3 – Digital19th September, 14.00Online
Meeting #4 – Physical21st November, 15.00Hästeaksen library

Join the Book Club

If you want to part of the Book Club and receive our Newsletter and get reminded of our meetings, register your interest here.

Join our Facebook group

artistic picture of text and plants

This project is made possible thanks to the financial support of Leader Bohuslän.

Logo Leader Bohuslän

Freediving happening – 1st & 2nd August 2026

Surface seen from underwater with silouhettes.
Freediving happening. FSE logo.

A freediving happening featuring many underwater activities.

Date

Starts Saturday August 1st
Ends around 4 PM Sunday August 2nd


FREEDIVING HAPPENING CONTENT

Freediving flea market, excursions, depth diving (up to 35 meters), participation in games competitions, test equipment, yoga, sauna, bonfire, film, sleeping place (bring sleeping bag).

Game competitions

  • Guess-your-depth
  • Breath holding – Magic 3
  • CNF Noseclip only
  • VWT
  • Depth relay
  • Team breath holding
  • Underwater treasure hunt
  • Other

Booking

Indicate your personal best in depth diving with fins.
Also indicate your 2025 personal best, if it is different.
Indicate your personal best in static breath holding.
Indicate if you have a dive partner with you.


Payment

70 €
Bank Giro: 5609-0384
STATE name and “Jippo26”

Equipment/suit can be rented: 30€

Bring training clothes and bed linen. Soft clothes for stretching and hat and jacket for boat excursion.

You can also come here and camp in your own tent/van, water and outhouse are available.

Bring your own food for the grill or buy food from us 20€ per day.


Possible schedule

(all activities are weather dependent)

SATURDAY

11.00 Own warm-up in pairs

12.00 Breath holding – Magic 3
Everyone starts simultaneously in static breath holding, the one who ends their breath hold closest to 3 minutes…wins.

12.15 Own diving in pairs.
Lines at 10, 20, 30 meters

13.00 Guess-your-depth

On an unmarked depth line you shall swim down to what you think is 15 meters. Do not touch the line. The one who is closest…wins.
May be repeated two times.

14.00 Depth relay in teams (FSE makes the teams)
Teams of three. 3×15 meters. Swim or pull yourself down to 15 meters and up again and switch to the next participant through hand clap above the surface.
May be repeated two times.

15.00 Sled riding
Stand without fins on a bottom weight and be lowered down, release when you want, pull yourself up. Not competition. One chance.

15.00 Underwater treasure hunt in pairs. Find things at different depths on the bottom. 3-20 meters. Area 100×20 meters. Stones in colors of gold 5 points, silver 3 points, white 1 point.

17.00 Diving ends

18.00 Sauna

20.00 Dinner, bonfire in the Tavern. Calculation of score standings.


SUNDAY

9.00 Yoga

10.00 Breakfast in the tavern.

11.00 Own warm-up in pairs.

11.00 Underwater treasure hunt in pairs. Find things at different depths on the bottom. 3-20 meters. Area 100×20 meters. Stones in colors of gold 5 points, silver 3 points, white 1 point.

12.00 Team breath holding
In teams of three hold your breath as long as you can in relay. Longest total time wins. Next participant must be under the surface before the next diver comes up.

12.30 Depth relay in teams (FSE makes the teams)
Teams of three. 3×15 meters. Swim, or pull yourself down to 15 meters and up again and switch to the next participant through hand clap above the surface.
May be repeated two times.

13.00 CNF Noseclip only
As deep as you can with only nose clip and swimsuit. No mask, no suit. This category has a special prize.

13.00 Sled riding
Stand without fins on a bottom weight and be lowered down, release when you want, pull yourself up. Not competition. One chance.

13.00 Underwater treasure hunt in pairs. Find things at different depths on the bottom. 3-20 meters. Area 100×20 meters. Stones in colors of gold 5 points, silver 3 points, white 1 point.

15.00 Diving ends

16.00 Meeting at the farm, prize ceremony.
All performances are counted together (approximately 12 competition efforts). Your placements in each competition.



First part of three

An article about extreme training in freediving.

Creative festival – 23rd July – 2nd August 2026

During our creative festival, we explore the things that Hästekasen community has proven to be passionate about over the years. During ten days, at the height of Swedish summer, we invite old and new friends to share our favorite activities and traditions.

Accommodation in tents that we provide. Come one or more days.

LARP

23rd – 25th July

LARP orcs

Two days of an imersive medieval role playing game in our fantasy forest. More details here.

Land activties

26th – 31st July

Volunteers lifting a log

Workshops and study visits: permaculture, compost, off grid homes, clay tiny houses, nature reserve, forest, berry picking, drumming, yoga, personnal development, fire circles.

Sea activties

1st – 2nd August

Freediver in the water with a snorkel

Swimming, snorckeling, cliff jumping, fishing, canoe trips, sea weed gathering. And special freediving.

Creative festival schedule

23-25th July; LARP
26th July; arrival, study visit, social games, “loppis”
27th: details later
28th: details later
29th: details later
30th: details later
31st: details later
1-2nd August; freediving, snorkeling and sea excursion days. Cliff jumping and fishing.

7.30 breakfast
14.00 lunch
19.00 dinner

Daily sessions

9.00-11.00 session #1
11.30-13.30 session #2
16.00-18.00 session #3
20.00-22.00 session #4

Study visit; off grid homes, Tiny houses, natural building techniques
Study visit; soil, gardening, compost, water systems, permaculture
Study visit; larp area including trying archery and larp sword fighting
Long walk: Swedish nature, trekking skills, ecology theory
Boat trip: nature reserve island & shopping in the next village harbor
Boat trip: Camp on a beach/island. Swim
Canoe in the bay: and seaweed collection
Long session / sleep out: survival trekking hide and seek sleep out
Session: Drumming and chanting for dummies
Session: Jamming session by the fire
Session: Berry (mushroom?) picking.
Session: Early morning animal watch (05.00)
Session: Nighttime maze walk with torches (24.00)
Session: Talking circles on specific topics
Session: Body movement
Session: Breath, mind focus and breath hold session
Session: Library quest (Swedish)
Session: Yoga
Session: Blacksmithing
Session: Karma yoga – soil work
Session: Local cultural heritage (lecture)

Fees

Place in a tent (bring sleeping bag)5€/day
Material for activities10€/day
Simple food (fancier food will be sold)10€/day
LARP (incl. costume)50€ + 50€ deposit
Freediving special70€
Woods whisperers poster