Burning Man Cancelled For The First Time In 34 Years
Bella Breakdown
Burning Man is one of the best-known festivals from around the world but Burning Man 2020 is officially canceled… sort of. For the first time in the 34 years Burning Man is canceled but the organizers are looking to hold the festival online.
Burning Man was set for August 30 to September 7 and organizers recognized that the well-being of their staff and participants are their main focus. Organizers expressed in their official statement that even if society returns to a level of semi-normalcy by August, it’s a questionable decision to pack thousands of people in a crowded space with no running water.
In the interest of the health & wellbeing of our community, we have decided not to build Black Rock City this year. Burning Man, however, is alive & well, and we look forward to seeing you in the Multiverse. Read more in the Burning Man Journal. https://t.co/3FHPq1CGVH
— Burning Man Project (@burningman) April 11, 2020
The theme for Burning Man 2020 was “The Multiverse” and that COVID-19 won’t stop burners (regular attendees of Burning Man) from celebrating the annual event. Organizers are looking forward to welcoming burners to Virtual Black Rock City 2020 to create a connective and fun experience while admitting this new process might be messy and awkward with mistakes.
“It will be a new kind of Burn.” – Burning Man Organizers
Burning Man operates under unique tenants including the main one being “leave no trace” and “radical inclusion” in which burners are requested to leave the event space exactly as they found it, promoting sustainability. With the goal of sustainability in mind, making hosting the event online more appealing being environmentally friendly.
Though burners won’t have the same in-person experience, they hope that hosting the event online will give new-comers a chance to experience Burning Man for the first time with more people around the world being able to experience the iconic festival.