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What to Know About Burning Man

If you're headed out to Black Rock City, what to know about Burning Man is a crucial start on your festival adventure.

By Salvador LorenzPublished 6 years ago 6 min read
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Before packing your bags full of candy beads and silly neon get-ups for one of those all-too familiar best music festivals, which tend to be packed with overzealous and immature raver types, know what you're getting yourself into. There's the same Lollapalooza concert every year, plus Tomorrowland that all your friends rave about (no pun intended), or the local warehouse party that's sure to leave a dark splotch in your memory, but before making a single decision, you may want to check this out first...

Located amidst the massive desert of Black Rock City (BRC), Nevada, Burning Man's annual festival is packed with tons of amenities aimed to intrigue and excite audiences of all kinds, with yearly-changed casts of musicians that, meanwhile, serenade you in hits from a myriad of different genres. Never heard of it? That's because it's as lucrative as it is hilarious, oftentimes so out of the ordinary most people steer clear away out of sheer ignorance. Not your kind of concert? I beg to differ.

There's art exhibits, light shows, crazy rituals, and a full-fledged camping extravaganza! It's literally as if you're entering an entirely new world. But Burning Man is more than just a festival. It's not so much about the music, as it is about the culture, the people, the experience.

As their slogan casually relates:

"Burning Man isn't your usual festival. It's a vibrant participatory metropolis generated by its citizens."

As a way of life, or understanding amongst participants, previous festival occupants are called "Burners." They are what, in every sense, gives fire to the festival's speciality and overall meaning. If you want something a little more eccentric than your everyday arm-fisting, head-bopping, neon-filled mass-produced event, look no further than Black Rock City. With ample insight on what to know about Burning Man, I hope the following article entices you in some capacity to at least step out of your comfort zone, for which Burning Man certainly will provide.

What to Pack

What to know about Burning Man? Considered by Burners as "the Burning Essentials," here are the best things to pack for one of the craziest music festivals of your life. The obvious initial necessities are your tickets (unless you want to make two trips), a spare set of car keys (you never know), printed directions to BRC (it's in the desert...), and a whole lot of self-reliance (I can do this).

When sifting through your home wardrobe for the best Burner wears, keep in mind that it's a lot like going camping — you'll be in the desert for practically a week. Pack functional clothing, no brand names or anything too expensive. The most ideal wears are warm jackets and hoodies, sandals and beat up sneaks, sunglasses, and bandannas, plus some assorted shorts and shirts that can get dirty.

A what-to-wear tip from Burners everywhere:

"Your costume ends at the ankles."

In the form of gear, wary Burners tend to bring things like flashlights, car chargers, pillows, folding furniture, a tent (or two), sleeping bags or pads, and lots of towels. The more veteran festival goers will also have the Camelback hydration system, which is certainly a must have, considering you'll be in a desert. A bike will also greatly enhance your mobility across the vast Black Rock City desert, but it's only a suggestion. Additional needs, like hand sanitizer, sunblock, earplugs, and goggles are all definitely good to have but optional.

And, as a parting gift from me to you, don't forget to bring a lighter, even if you aren't a smoker. You never know when you might just need one...

Finally, most basic of all necessities needed for Burning Man, is, of course, yourself. Bring yourself — the part that matters, the true one — and remember you're going to a cultural experience, one that is full of adventure, lights and sounds, some crazy people, plus a gratifying mixture of fun that will leave you wanting to stay forever.

Surviving the Burn

For those of you deprived of the basic amenities that comes with the RV, cooking food, showering, and simple survival, are all some of the most important aspects in what to know about Burning Man.

First of all, food is rather scarce during the festival. Bring a cooler, because water is — and I can't stress this anymore loudly — CRUCIAL! A kettle can be a fun addition to your makeshift camp, but you'll want to bring disposable kitchenware, like plates and bowls, along with maybe one or two kitchen knives. Reusable items are especially key, plus separate trash bags for recyclables and paper garbage.

Once you get there, pre-Burners should definitely read this 11 page survival guide. Even if you just skim through it, the residing safety tips and travel necessities are extensively listed, plus it's designed by the creators of the festival, so it leaves nothing to chance. Despite their extremely cautious and safety-guaranteeing promises, problems do arise. It is a music festival, after all, meaning practically anything is possible. So, be both cautious and attentive.

Above all, though, be prepared...TO BURN!

Leave No Trace

Concerts have greatly adapted over the years, in a large part due to the music and also because of the fans; but, even more so can be said about the combined culture of these two ideas. One such degree of change, though, is the propensity for patrons to leave their camp zones or seats in a chaotic mess, especially when some performers use trash or pieces of garbage as props in some way.

Though concerts are viable to get extremely dirty, as they always have over the years — cleaning up after yourself is a crucial part of the Burning Man experience. One of the most treasured principles for Burners is "Leave No Trace," which teaches both newcomers, and old, the values of recycling and keeping nature clean.

Concerning this mentality, the festival creators tell us:

"...Leaving No Trace is not just about the playa; it's our ethic about the whole planet. Burners are environmentalists. It's just our nature."

Ask any Burner and they'll explain that, above all, Leave No Trace is the most crucial aspect in what to know about Burning Man. At the end of the concert each year, The Playa Restoration Team gets together to tidy up the stands, as well as the desert laying in close proximity. Despite this, you should still clean up after yourself before leaving. Remember to bring more recyclable, reusable, and biodegradable things, rather than harmful materials.

Trash minimization, proper recycling, and burning goods are all simple aspects that make Leave No Trace such an amiable part of the culture behind Burning Man, and should be respected at all costs.

Cultural Exploration

Convinced yet of the amazing potential Burning Man has in the form of a mass-produced festival? Don't get discouraged by the oddities and strange stories that may come out from past events, the festival is an all-out mental adventure, one that blends music with art in a way you have never seen before, I guarantee it.

As music festivals go, Burning Man is by far one of the best in the world. Tens of thousands show up each year to live the Burner life, to challenge their tastes, and to go places they have never experienced before. If you're not down for that, what to know about Burning Man will definitely make you rethink the more plausible music-going concerts out there.

Be prepared, though. Without these survival tips and guiding steps of figuring out just what to know about Burning Man, then it would be an all-out chaotic stress-inducing experience. Don't ignore these insights if you're going to Burning Man, because they are sure to make you're time in the desert one that is not only memorable, but thought-provokingly brilliant.

Burn on fellow Burners.

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About the Creator

Salvador Lorenz

Thinking in nodes of progress, futurism, science, culture, and existence. I experience life in a number of ways, pertaining to mathematical concepts mixed with rich flavors of art.

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