I went to Burning Man for the first time, these are the biggest myths

Myth #1: Burning Man 2023 was “Fyre Fest 2.0.”

When Black Rock City — the temporary metropolis in Nevada where Burning Man has been held every year since 1991 — was hit by an unprecedented storm during last year’s week-long event, many of the headlines that followed were, frankly, kind of ridiculous.

“Chris Rock and Diplo saved from Burning Man disaster,” one read. “Celebs are fleeing the hell of Burning Man desert festival,” proclaimed another.

As the gates closed and attendees were told to shelter in place for three days, there were rumors that we were catching Ebola or trench foot or resorting to cannibalism (I mean, come on).

When we were allowed to leave Black Rock City after the weather improved, many news outlets claimed that everyone made a mad dash to “escape.”

The Truth: Most Burners stuck it out and showed that Burning Man is really about community spirit.

Was it a bit of a bummer not being able to bike to all the incredible camps that Burning Man has to offer for the last three days? Total. However, we made the best of things when the storm hit and completely changed our trip.

My camp continued to have dance parties every night with live DJ sets and there were so many stories of people helping each other during the storm – from making 100 quesadillas for those who were stranded on a Burner Express bus to making freshly grilled cheese sandwiches. the dance floor for our neighbors.

Chris Rock probably just watched “The Last of Us” because there was definitely no threat of cannibalism (or Ebola) on the playa.

Most of us got stuck when the mud dried and the gates opened. Celebrities may have fled Burning Man, but we were all there to clean up and celebrate after the storm.

Myth #2: Burning Man is just a playground for billionaires, celebrities, and influencers.

Burning Man became more prominent as it began to attract high-profile attendees, including billionaires like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg and supermodels like Heidi Klum and Cindy Crawford.

Stories followed of luxury camps that offered private jets, personal chefs and lobbies with chandeliers, fountains and a check-in desk à la The Four Seasons.

It wasn’t long before Burning Man—founded on guiding principles that included “radical self-reliance”—was labeled a party for the 1%.

Truth: Most Burners are regular people who put in a lot of time and work throughout the year to make Burning Man an incredible experience.

The high-resolution Instagram images from Burning Man that appear on your Explore page are likely from attendees who are commonly known to Burners as “Weekend Warriors” and “Sparkle Ponies.”

These are the people who come to the desert to take pictures in six-inch platform boots and a $600 crystal-encrusted bodysuit.

Sure, these people are 1% – but they’re also 1% of Burning Man.

Much of Black Rock City is built on the hard work and dedication of regular people like you and me. Only in my camp were engineers, lawyers, hairdressers and bartenders.

Most camps have leadership teams that meet throughout the year to prepare for Burning Man—and much of their effort is devoted not to providing for the people at camp, but to creating a gift that will benefit to everyone in Black Rock City.

This has always been the core of what Burning Man is all about, and it’s a mentality I’ve seen in the camps that fill the beach.

Myth #3: You get everything at Burning Man by bartering.

I was once among the many people who believed that Burning Man was built on a barter system and that you had to bring items to Black Rock City to trade them and get by.

I’m not entirely sure how this rumor started, but I can tell you it’s complete BS. In fact, it goes against one of Burning Man’s 10 guiding principles.

Truth: Burning Man is all about giving.

“Burning Man is dedicated to acts of gift-giving,” states Burning Man’s official 10 Guiding Principles. “The value of a gift is unconditional. The gift does not contemplate a return or exchange for something of equal value.”

You will find all kinds of gifts among the thousands of camps that fill the beach. And unlike the gifts you usually get for your birthday or holidays, these won’t be store-bought (decommodification is another of the 10 principles).

There are camps that offer manicures and pedicures and camps that offer New York-style breakfast sandwiches. You’ll find open bars on every corner, often with creative themes like consensual abduction by “aliens” who capture you with a hula hoop and then shower you with compliments (this is real camp and it’s awesome).

Some camps have parties, while others allow you to send postcards to parents or dogs. My camp, Android Oasis, offers a covered dome where anyone can drop by to cool off with cold drinks, massages and great music.

Burning Man is also about radical self-reliance, so you shouldn’t just show up with nothing but hope in the generosity of others (although some people do). Most Burners don’t come to Black Rock City wondering what they can get from people, but rather what they can give.

Myth #4: Burning Man is just a big music festival.

As celebrities and big-name DJs started showing up at Burning Man, it also began to gain a (and more expensive) Coachella reputation. I’ve frequently heard Burning Man referred to as a music festival, and many friends and colleagues have asked me if the music is the main event.

It is not.

Truth: There’s so much great music at Burning Man, but it’s not the main event.

Burning Man attracts a lot of great DJs and I saw so many great sets during my week on the beach. At its core, though, Burning Man is a real city.

Sure there are parties and shows, but you also work camp shifts and give back to the unique community. There are also dozens of sober boot camps, workshops offering advice on everything from relationships to overcoming trauma, and Temples, where participants go to reflect on or process the loss of loved ones or recent difficult life events.

Black Rock City really has something for everyone – not just party goers or electronic music lovers.