Why Burning Man was so special
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I came into Burning Man without much expectations, without really knowing much of what it is, other than having only heard great things from the people I know who went. I went to Burning Man in 2024 for the first time and had an amazing time.
Burning Man is a one-week anti-festival that happens during the last week of August every year. A city of 70,000 people pops up from a lifeless desert, creating a community where money does not exist and gifting forms the backbone of the economy. What makes Burning Man special are the "theme camps," which are a collection of people working together to offer gifts to the playa (ie food, music, art, workshops, showers). Burning Man does feel like a place where people from the whole world come together when open arms and open minds, and you can be anyone, meet anyone, or try anything in your imagination.
For more context on Black Rock City, I would recommend watching this YouTube Video: Black Rock City. The most unusual town on Earth.
The 10 principles of Burning Man are also good to keep in mind for Burning Man, and also to practice in real life!
One of the harder parts of going to Burning Man was knowing where to start; I am very indebted to Nathan for finding the camp we stayed with, Combat Zone. Our camp's gift to the playa was serving Dan Dan noodles from 4-6am every day. I really enjoyed the vibes at the camp as it was a good mix of people I knew before and also new friends I made.
If you are interested in Burning Man and are looking for a place to start, feel free to reach out to me and I'd be happy to be a resource for you!
