Rise of the Mutant Vehicles
The only way to get to Black Rock City is via car or RV. However, you won’t see any old SUVs driving around the Burning Man camp. Burners leave their regular cars behind after they check-in and use mutant vehicles instead. Mutant vehicles are moving art pieces. Burners must create their own mutant vehicles from scratch, or they can use a stripped-down base frame. The wilder their creation, the better.
The main objective is that all Burning Man cars must be handmade and cannot resemble a regular vehicle in any way, shape, or form. People get extremely creative, building movable pirate ships, fire-breathing rhinos, metallic sharks, and so much more. The only requirements for mutant vehicles are a five-mile-per-hour speed limit, headlight capabilities, and working brakes.
Sober but Not Somber
Burning Man definitely has a reputation for being a hotbed of 24/7 drinking, psychedelics, and other mind-altering substances. However, not everyone goes out to the desert to take part in the drunken revelry. There is a growing community of sober Burners, so much so that there are a few sober-focused theme camps.
Burners won’t find anything but cold water in these giant coolers. Thankfully, the sober-focused theme camps create a supportive environment for Burners who can’t or won’t partake in drugs or drinking. People can still have a blast at Burning Man while chugging water. The best part? There’s no risk of a hangover the next day.
Disneyland for Adults
If you love Disneyland’s famous Electrical Parade, boy, do we have news for you. Burning Man is basically Disney’s Electrical Parade but for adults. Every night during the event, specially-made sculptures, rides, and interactive installations light up the desert sky with LED lights and fire. The pitch black of the barren desert makes quite a backdrop for bright neon light shows and elaborate pyrotechnics.
This elaborate sculpture serves as a playground during the day and a breathtaking light show at night. Obviously, the flames coming out of the slide make this installation inaccessible during the evening. But it sure makes a cool light show to admire from afar. An important part of enjoying Burning Man’s electrical obsession is to stand a safe distance from any fire. Besides, bright lights look more beautiful from a distance.
Tutu Tuesday
In case you weren’t aware, tutus are a big deal at Burning Man. In fact, so many people love wearing tutus that the term “Tutu Tuesday” was coined as an offshoot of this popular costume choice. People of all genders and identities dress up in colorful, rave-tastic tutus on the Tuesday of Burn Week.
People often wear their tutus with bathing suit tops, knee-high socks, and shorts. Some of the most daring Burners choose to wear nothing at all underneath their tutus. It’s all a matter of personal preference. The main point of Tutu Tuesday is to express yourself and celebrate radical inclusion. Oh, and it doesn’t hurt that wearing a tutu is incredibly fun and freeing.
Burners are Life-Long Friends
Burning Man started off as a casual get-together of a few dozen people. Today, it draws tens of thousands of people from all over the world to the Nevada desert. Although a ticket to Burning Man can be quite expensive these days, that doesn’t stop diehard Burners from attending every year. Regular Burners look forward to meeting up with their old crew and distant friends during Burn Week.
People who attend Burning Man come from as far away as Australia and the United Kingdom. Even though there are veteran Burners who attend every year and have hundreds of friends, newcomers need not be intimidated. The Burner community is always open to newbies who are willing to work hard, play hard, and embody the radical DIY principles of the event.