How are you coping with the news? We had a glimmer of hope that was turning into the light at the end of the tunnel that seemed to indicate Burning Man 2021 was happening. We had a theme. We had DGS ticket sales and Placement for Theme Camps warming up. There were a lot of communications, but with Maid Marian’s announcement last Tuesday brought so much to a halt.
Theme Camps
The Burning Man Theme Camp Symposium seems to still be happening for camps to gather and share resources. These resources have dwindled and transformed with this being the 2nd year of no migration to the playa. There is a call for information still: Link Here. Maybe that will change too? It is being spearheaded by our own Dr Dilemma from the Paradise Motel theme camp.
Camps were already getting their ducks in a row and there was a lot of energy being driven forward. I guess we proved that even in a much shorter window of time we could act and get our logistics lined up and deliver. However, the road was swept away. Some people saw it coming and some retained unbreakable optimism only to be left with a broken heart in the end.
Will Burning Man Survive?
Burning Man is much more than an event in the desert and many of us know that. The 10 Principles, their application to our individual lives and those around us, have evolved so much in 30 some odd years. Yet, so much energy has gone into regional events that the life breath created by Larry Harvey can continue to thrive on those places.
What makes regional events stronger is their ability to be more inclusive, enable diversity and be much more equitable because TTITD has strayed a long way from that. I do not believe (my opinion) that Burning Man is exclusive, it is achievable, but not for everyone. Should it be? Ideally yes, because we celebrate art, performance and self expression. It is a sense of joy and connection that will bleed down through it’s regional events and it’s most dedicated followers.
Burning Man 2022 might just be the most – off the chain – event of the decade. The community is facing the most powerful reset button one can imagine, but it is vital to appreciate that journey. By honoring the burners who did not survive this pandemic in the deepest most meaningful way possible we should move ahead. I truly hope the theme of that year is that phoenix that symbolizes the struggle and sacrifice of so many humans.
For the many vendors whose business suffered without that revenue, family businesses like MECO Water our of Reno, let’s remember them as well. Their services and livelihoods suffered too.
The Org struggles to maintain their projects, staff and mission in the vacuum of ticket sales. There are people there whom we have come to love and feel connected to.
So, yes Burning Man as an ideology and culture will continue to thrive as long as we have a channel to achieve that. Our network is strong and our ideas and spirit unbreakable.
Conclusion
The abrupt and sudden decision to call Burning Man 2021 was a hard one. BRCvr and other channels for a virtual burn will without doubt shine and help fill the void. Groups are already planning their own events and there seems to be an expectation that people will go to the playa anyway. They even released a travel guide for the journey: Link here. So looking ahead let’s look around and:
- make sure your community or camp mate or partner or friend is doing okay with this news
- see where your community is bringing the playa home and how you can participate
- be the doacracy for your community and help forge that vision with partners
- support your community participants in whatever the vision of the future take shape
In January when tickets went on sale Tier 1 and Tier 2 sold out within hours. That meant that a buttload of tickets flew through the door in spite of the miserable management of the on-line ticket system. Patient and experienced Burners are used to the insanity of 1st day sales, but thankfully they have been working on improving that system.
“Our BLM permit is the restriction. We are between 5-year permits and this year we need to stay with the max-population to be within 2% of last year’s max-population. We grow every year more than that, so we couldn’t allow the natural growth for 2011, we’ve had to shut things off to stay within the BLM’s comfort zone. Capacity is a relative term in the desert. We need to stay near the max pop of 52,000.” – Marian Goodell (7/25/2011)
