No, this is not in commemoration of the late Tim Curry. After repeatedly writing about the Swiss PGDay, I want to share a personal impression from the European PostgreSQL conference 2026.
PGConf EU
PGConf EU is the main European PostgreSQL conference, and one of the biggest (or the biggest?) worldwide. With upwards of 700 attendees, it is a crowd rather than a family reunion. It attracts people not only from all parts of Europe, but from all around the world. The conference is held in a different city every year, and it is the place to go if you want to feel how strong PostgreSQL has grown over the years (the 2010 PGDay — the first I attended — was a cosy little event in comparison). In 2026, there are five parallel tracks of talks, and still I have to count myself lucky that my talk was accepted!
Slonik
Slonik (from Slavic “slon”, which means “elephant”) is the name of the elephant logo and mascot of PostgreSQL. Now the PostgreSQL license is pretty liberal, but the project protects its trademarks with teeth and claws. Among them is the Slonik logo (the name “PostgreSQL” is also protected, but its use in blogs is explicitly allowed).
Slonik isn't only a logo. The elephant regularly makes an appearance at PostgreSQL conferences, greeting the crowd and posing for pictures. There are two mysteries around Slonik:
- Is Slonik male or female? Traditional use suggests male, but the short tusks would indicate female. I'm going to shelf this question for now; it can be the topic of future research.
- Who is actually inside the suit?
This blog is about the second question.
Who is running PostgreSQL conferences
PostgreSQL conferences wouldn't be possible without the work of the organizers. Amazing as the work of this group is, you cannot run a conference of that size with just eleven people. It takes a lot of volunteers to take care of everything: the registration desk, room hosts, cleaning up, etc. Volunteering at a PostgreSQL conference is a great way to get to know the people behind PostgreSQL, and it is an important contribution to the project. Traditionally, there has been a strong emphasis on code contributions, as reflected by the official list of contributors. There are efforts to broaden the recognition to other contributors:
- The PostgreSQL Contributions page, which publishes a weekly list of people who have contributed to the project outside of code.
- The Contributor Badges Project (see this talk at the 2026 conference), which is about extending the list of officially recognized contributors.
Why am I digressing about conference volunteers? Well, one of the volunteer jobs is to wear the Slonik suit and mingle with the crowd!
Being Slonik
The first challenge with being Slonik is to get dressed. For those of you who have worn a diving suit — it is a similar experience. But while the diver immerses herself in cool water, Slonik remains high and dry. The animal heat, having no way to escape, build up over time, and after twenty minutes or so, your body tries to compensate by sweating. Unfortunately, sweating doesn't have the desired effect of cooling the skin if you are inside Slonik. This is the second challenge. I am lucky that 2026 brought a new Slonik suit that actually has a battery-powered fan built into the head. At least I got fresh air!
The third challenge is vision. As Slonik, you have a very narrow field of vision. Essentially, you see a part of the person right in front of you. However, you don't see your feet, the lay of the land and obstacles in your way. That's why you need a second volunteer, the Slonik guide, whose job is to guide and steer Slonik through the crowd.
For me, these difficulties were compensated by the reception Slonik gets. Everybody smiles, and people crowd around you and want to take pictures with you. I certainly don't feel disliked or unwelcome in the PostgreSQL community, but being Slonik is a different level. Of course I know that it is about the suit and not about the contents. Still, I could not help grinning like a madman in there!
Conclusion
If you are a first-time attendee at a big PostgreSQL conference, if you don't know anybody and find it difficult to make contact, volunteer! It is a great way to meet people and feel appreciated.
The post Don't dream it, be it! appeared first on CYBERTEC PostgreSQL | Services & Support.
