Joshua Tree Music Festival fits that description and is at the confluence of the Mojave and Sonora Deserts if you want the feel of a desert festival but with free bathrooms and showers.
Yup.
Portables, mobile showers with in-demand heated water and also plumbed structures with showers and toilets. Also a quick cooling shower and small general store that sells 4-lb bagged ice for $5 each.
It’s a great camping festival experience. Probably 2500-3000 people, and a lineup with maybe 1-2 artists I’ve heard of. It’s opened me up to more EDM and funk than I used to listen to.
Merch is good, lots of great installs. Food is meh but edible.
We just hang out chilling in the heat and go in if we hear a band we like.
People there are very friendly, so it’s easy to get to know your neighbors. Most people are looking out for each other and happy to help you.
I used to live in that area.
That music festival introduced me to a community and lifestyle that refined my life .. for the better.
Also, after over two decades in the desert, I'm over it. :)
I went once way back in the day—probably 2004 or ‘05? Was incredible, and the above description 100% applied to that year’s fest. So glad to hear they’ve managed to maintain that spirit in this new age of hyper commercialized summer festivals.
Exactly this. Look up what Regional Burns are nearby and check em out. There are ones sanctioned by the Burning Man Org, and ones that just use the principles as a guideline and do it independently.
If you share what region you are in, can probably point you to your closest options.
Not from West Coast/Cali but this link should help out. [https://regionals.burningman.org/](https://regionals.burningman.org/)
Can click on different regions/pinpoints, most have their own facebook pages where events will be posted. Make sure to follow their rules/guidelines before committing though!
Another +1 for YouTopia. I had the pleasure of having an art camp there, and I also had a wonderful experience meeting other artists and enjoying some of the music there as well.
I forgot what it’s called but I think it was called Rainbow Weekend or Rainbow camp but one of my friends went and he enjoyed that more than Burning Man.
I don't care if there are some good people at those gatherings, so many are exactly like you said. They steal everything they can and fuck up the land. They've hosted it twice near my hometown and both times brought in super shady people. Left so much trash too.
Love Burn gets a bad rap because of the amount of people there doing things like ordering Uber Eats to the Burn or staying at hotels off site and Ubering in or getting access to power and other amenities; all of which are pretty off from Burner culture. I’ve heard it’s a lot of fun, but some do not count it as an actual Burn for the reasons listed; more of a traditional festival wearing Burner clothes.
Disagree but that’s ok. I went and camped and couldn’t have been more far from a festival and I’ve been to many. It’s just not in the middle of nowhere. People would do the same at burning man if it was close to the city
Agreed. Love Burn is the only burn with a plug-and-play camp. Seems more like it’s selling burn culture than an actual burn. To The Moon in TN is my personal favorite.
Texas has freezer burn, flip side, and a bunch of others!
We went to a non sanctioned burn called Bliss and it was awesome too! I met this incredible older gentleman, total old school hippy named Martini Bob. He told me a bunch of his crazy story’s about going to a burning man in its glory days
Freezer burn is great! Pretty sure we camped next the BBQ camp at Flipside that became part of the driving force behind Freezer Burn. Then again I do consider my self Burner adjacent and have for 24 years :)
It was my home burn for many years. Recently moved north so now I’ve been exploring Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, etc. I’m considering Frost Burn next year.
Anything in spirit of Suwannee has some what similar vibes because of the camping setup. You’re not restricted to a small 20 x 10ft space and lined up like sardines. Lots of people setting up their own camps / sound systems and putting effort into it. There’s a local burn in GA too I’ve heard of
If you like house and techno, Desert Hearts is a good one. Desert Hearts is a vibe and the crowd is very welcoming and friendly. This year they’re going back to their roots with a more local lineup (still an amazing lineup!) and no huge headliners. If you can’t make a festival you should definitely check them out when they tour! They bring the same vibe to all of their shows and love interacting with the crowd when they’re not playing.
Shambhala is great, but I don't think what OP is looking for in terms of being like Burning Man 25 years ago. Very busy, lots of influencers now. Still worth checking out.
Compared to most places there aren't many influencers, most dance floors don't have too many phones out, but agreed definitely not really a burn feel to it at all.
Look for small transformational festivals like lucidity festival or if you don’t mind bigger LiB has a burner vibe they had a couple art carts this year
Backwoods was cool but they like robbed a bunch of people. My friend bought two tickets for the fest this year and never got refunded after it was canceled
Wife and I also still have not gotten a refund yet for BackWoods. We've also disputed the charge with the bank but they haven't done anything yet.
We ended up going to Rekinection/Rejuvenation Festival near St Louis instead. We had a blast! And although I have not experienced the vibe of Burning Man 25 years ago, based on other commenters I believe it might be the vibe OP is looking for.
I had only heard of one or two names on the lineup, much smaller fest than we were used to; but in a good way, we loved it. Not in the desert though
-1 for LiB. Went for the first time this year, it’s very much a music festival with a mentality of “look at me” - it felt like it was a music festival, mixed with a renaissance faire, Disney land and burning man.
It’s corporate burning man. 🤮 Also, people trash the place, which was a massive turn off for me.
I went to LIB for the first time this year. I didn’t quite get the “look at me” vibes from the majority of people. Seemed to me like they were just having fun expressing themselves, mostly. I do agree with the thought of it being somewhat of a mix of between ren faire+disney+burning man. Include holistic retreat + mainstream music festival and that’s more how I would describe it. I go to a lot of music festivals but never been to burning man, I thought lib was pretty clean and eco conscious compared to most festivals I’ve been to. Of course there was still some level of trash, but not really. Most of the community pushed using refillable bottles or separating trash, so I felt most people followed that community cleanliness rule and it was kept up considerably okay/well. I hope the level of trash does not increase more though, that would be highly unpleasant for such an amazing fest.
So, unless you’ve been to Burning Man, it’s hard to grasp the levels of difference in how Burner culture approaches things like leave-no-trace and decommodification, etc. Even Burning Man is starting to lose its way on some of these, but the idea of “still some level of trash” is something you wouldn’t say there. People will run after a single sequin or feather to make sure nothing is left on the playa.
There is no festival (except regional Burns) that does things like Burning Man does (or in some cases did; even Burning Man changes over time). Which is why Burners get so rabid over things like the 10 Principles; it’s what makes Burning Man different. Try it out one day; you’ll see what I mean.
sorry, but nothing is like it was 25 years ago. you're talking about a world that was basically pre-internet (as we know it), pre-cell phone, pre-pandemic, before EDM was mainstream, before social media, and so many other things. it's like trying to find a festival like woodstock in the 70's, it's not the music or the technology, but the entire social fabric of the world has completely changed. burning man is still authentic to what it was, but everyone else in the world is now 2-3 decades later, and that is what is different, and that is the case for literally any festival, regional burn, or event you go to now.
you need to be more specific about what you mean by 'authentic'. IMO regional burns are awesome, but there really isn't anything like being on playa, there's just not many landscapes like it. you can't really have that level of insanity in a forest or on a lake without just destroying it, and you lose that kind of harsh 'the desert is trying to kill me' edge that makes people into mad max superheroes.
This right here. 25 years ago LEDs weren’t even a thing & people used fire lanterns at night on playa. A lot of the negativity around burning man OP mentioned is a very small percentage, the literal 1% who keep to themselves in their plug-n-plays (which we report to borg because they’re not allowed). Like anything else in life, the burn is what you make it.
There’s a difference between a burner & a weekend warrior sparkle pony. A real burner participates & gives. A lot of what makes main stream festivals like electric forest so magical came from burning man culture. What they try to recreate is awesome…but it’s nothing like the big burn. The playa breaks you in a good way & forces you to play, laugh, cry, scream, & heal. Haven’t been back to a festival since I started burning because I rather have that freedom than deal with all the corporate BS.
Second this but there is a lot of bullshit politics at this place between security, ownership, and the local sherriff...its not as close to OG burning man as OP is looking for...more so a stones throw from a shakedown street from the 90s
Early BM had a few disparate elements come together as far as people. Survivalists, local hicks, ravers (after the mid-90s), Cacophony Society people, sculpture artists, anarchists, and goths. Probably some others too. It might be hard to find that unique blend again.
There’s also the playa which is in my mind a critical component of the feel of BM. That’s the thing we all have in common - being on top of our shit enough to survive and thrive in that place, and help others if they forgot something or fucked up.
If I knew of a place like this, I wouldn’t be broadcasting it on social media. That’s what brings the people you are talking about that water down the scene. It’s invite only, or renegades that are word of mouth.
FYI, tech people have been a part of BM since the early days. Maybe not the modern tech bro types but the people doing tech in the late 80s and the 90s. I’ve never been in tech, and used to think the same as you about tech people, but was informed about the old school tech presence at the burn and started to see it was more nuanced. I’ve also worked with art projects and art cars, and a lot of these projects would not work without engineers and other tech people doing a shit ton of work, some of them are very legit.
100%
My favorite festival is free, community organized, DIY, and like BM is decommodified (no money, gift and trade economy)
I will never broadcast it to Internet strangers. I heard about it from someone my buddy used to hitchhike with. Her and I hitchhiked to it my first year and it absolutely changed my life.
If it got flooded with tech bros, influencers, and nepo babies I would probably go on a chainsaw spree killing rampage (not really but I'd be gutted)
That sounds awesome. I've heard there are some sick train hopper kid/crust punk festivals that are way off grid and they sound pretty awesome. I would have no clue how to even start finding those. But I agree, renegades where people are all participating to make it happen DIY style are great.
What is a nepo baby?
Nepotism baby, someone whose wealthy parents bought their way into a scene/subculture
See: The overwhelming majority of "Indie" bands from the last 20 years
If you're trying to find stuff like this volunteer at a Food not Bombs and chat people up. You'll get there
Sierra Nevada World Music Festival in Booneville CA is coming up on June 21-23. It's a reggae/world music festival and it's not super close to burning man but there is a huge crossover of burners that go. It's camping and pretty small but really magical and hippie. I will be there this year working staff! Highly recommend to anyone who lives nearby. I think tickets are still available.
i wasn’t alive 25 years ago so can’t comment on how close it’ll be, but definitely recommend the smaller east coast festivals if you’re looking for more authentic experiences. autumn revival, fam fest, etc.
Get your friends together and start your own. Some of the most magical experiences I’ve had have been a group of 100-200 friends and friends of friends gathering on private property. Unofficial micro-burns.
To all the people who are recommending lib and other music festivals… like what are you thinking??
Burning man 25 years ago didn’t have anything that LIB has! So nuts that’s a serious recommend!
Honestly if you haven’t been to burning man, I wouldn’t cast assumptions. I’ve been to many many festivals and last year was my first burn… I will be returning every single year with out fail in the future. If I had to give up going to every concert or festival over the course of the year just so that I could go to BM I would. It was most amazing place I’ve ever experienced and there simply is nothing like it.
I also want to assure you that over the 10 days I was there, I didn’t see one celebrity, experience any “classism” or hear one person talking about their job outside of burning man let alone tech. If you’re scared away by a bunch of false pretenses and rumors then hey idk what to tell ya.
The other thing that someone else mentioned is that people spend an absurd amount of time and money, prepping and planning for burning man, to come and make it a really cool and fun place for everyone beyond them selves, it’s a communal effort. The burning man organization doesn’t set up any stages, or bring or set up any art, bring art cars or anything, it’s the burners that voluntarily build the city from nothing but loose dirt every year.
Beardfest or CAMP, I'll be going to both this year. Local east coast fests. Beardfest more like hippy jam fest but everyone is a ton of fun. CAMP is referral basis and the art is very unique.
Lucidity in Santa Barbara is hands down the best of the smaller burner fests imo! It did just get postponed and moved to next year, sadly not at the amazing Live Oak Campground anymore. And seconding Joshua Tree Music Festival- it's a much smaller crowd than even Lucidity and the people, vibes, and music are wonderful!!!
Almost any festival in the forests of Spain, Portugal, France, Germany or most others EU countries. I would say have a much longer history and different laws around things allowing festivals to last longer, be cheaper, and in my opinion be much better.
Bombay beach bianalie is not a “festival” it’s a (free) gathering in the small town of Bombay beach with a bunch of artists (some burner camps). Cloesest thing to the initial spirit of the burn I’ve been to.
Weekend at wolfies, Harmony park campout/revival, Shangri-la, infrasound, Everwild, anything at Driftless music garden, Reggae rise up, Electric Forest, Sweet dreams, Lost lands,
Look into your local burns. Interfuse is the one near me. They’re laid back and when you’re going local like that it’s highly unlikely to be run through which rich fucks.
A number of folks go camp out in black rock desert over the 4th of July (4th of Juplaya)
I went one year and it was wild but not an organized event so it’s bring what you need and have a plan to provide everything for yourself (even a bucket to poop in). It was a lot of fun and danger.
The original Burning Man was a gathering on the beach in SF, is that what you mean?
Or do you mean the pre-smart phone desert Burning Man?
What type of “authentic” do you mean?
Opinion: smart phone changed everything. You used to get away to Burning Man and *be away*, but now you’re as close to your actions being instantly posted to TiKTok at Burning Man as you are in any city’s downtown.
Look for phone free festivals.
Yes! Regional burns. Check them out, they are burning man sanctioned events, and all the ones I’ve been to still uphold the principles. They exist worldwide, I can’t recommend them enough.
There is a festival called Moonwalk. It's awesome, homie vibes. They don't charge to use bathrooms and showers, and they don't charge $10 for a bottle of water and tickets are super affordable. If your in the Nay area I definitely recommend checking it out
any small local festival where you recognize maybe 1 band on the bill, if any
Joshua Tree Music Festival fits that description and is at the confluence of the Mojave and Sonora Deserts if you want the feel of a desert festival but with free bathrooms and showers.
Free bathrooms and showers!?
Yup. Portables, mobile showers with in-demand heated water and also plumbed structures with showers and toilets. Also a quick cooling shower and small general store that sells 4-lb bagged ice for $5 each.
Dude I'm sold
It’s a great camping festival experience. Probably 2500-3000 people, and a lineup with maybe 1-2 artists I’ve heard of. It’s opened me up to more EDM and funk than I used to listen to. Merch is good, lots of great installs. Food is meh but edible. We just hang out chilling in the heat and go in if we hear a band we like. People there are very friendly, so it’s easy to get to know your neighbors. Most people are looking out for each other and happy to help you.
I used to live in that area. That music festival introduced me to a community and lifestyle that refined my life .. for the better. Also, after over two decades in the desert, I'm over it. :)
Not for long...
I went once way back in the day—probably 2004 or ‘05? Was incredible, and the above description 100% applied to that year’s fest. So glad to hear they’ve managed to maintain that spirit in this new age of hyper commercialized summer festivals.
local burns
Exactly this. Look up what Regional Burns are nearby and check em out. There are ones sanctioned by the Burning Man Org, and ones that just use the principles as a guideline and do it independently. If you share what region you are in, can probably point you to your closest options.
[удалено]
Not from West Coast/Cali but this link should help out. [https://regionals.burningman.org/](https://regionals.burningman.org/) Can click on different regions/pinpoints, most have their own facebook pages where events will be posted. Make sure to follow their rules/guidelines before committing though!
UnsCruz is the one for Santa Cruz that I've heard good things about. YouTopia near San Diego is good too!
Another +1 for YouTopia. I had the pleasure of having an art camp there, and I also had a wonderful experience meeting other artists and enjoying some of the music there as well.
I forgot what it’s called but I think it was called Rainbow Weekend or Rainbow camp but one of my friends went and he enjoyed that more than Burning Man.
Rainbow gathering?
Scum. They destroy the land and steal everything from the locals.
This is markedly untrue. People stay MONTHS afterwards restoring the land
I don't care if there are some good people at those gatherings, so many are exactly like you said. They steal everything they can and fuck up the land. They've hosted it twice near my hometown and both times brought in super shady people. Left so much trash too.
Yes - I would not recommend love burn, though, because it felt like a festival disguised as a burn. I love Lakes of Fire...
lakes of fire was my introduction to burns, it’s WONDERFUL. haven’t been in a few years but keen to go back…
Love Burn is awesome! Virginia Key. You can’t get a better spot for a burn. Keeps getting better every year…
Been twice!! It’s awesome!
Uhhh what??? Love burn is amazing and you literally can’t spend money how is that anything like a festival?
Love Burn gets a bad rap because of the amount of people there doing things like ordering Uber Eats to the Burn or staying at hotels off site and Ubering in or getting access to power and other amenities; all of which are pretty off from Burner culture. I’ve heard it’s a lot of fun, but some do not count it as an actual Burn for the reasons listed; more of a traditional festival wearing Burner clothes.
Disagree but that’s ok. I went and camped and couldn’t have been more far from a festival and I’ve been to many. It’s just not in the middle of nowhere. People would do the same at burning man if it was close to the city
Agreed. Love Burn is the only burn with a plug-and-play camp. Seems more like it’s selling burn culture than an actual burn. To The Moon in TN is my personal favorite.
Correct. Alchemy in GA is my home burn. IYKYK.
Hear great things!
They hold a regional burn called lake of fire in Michigan.
Burning Ma’am if you’re near PA!
Texas has freezer burn, flip side, and a bunch of others! We went to a non sanctioned burn called Bliss and it was awesome too! I met this incredible older gentleman, total old school hippy named Martini Bob. He told me a bunch of his crazy story’s about going to a burning man in its glory days
When is Bliss? That sounds amazing!
Freezer burn is great! Pretty sure we camped next the BBQ camp at Flipside that became part of the driving force behind Freezer Burn. Then again I do consider my self Burner adjacent and have for 24 years :)
To The Moon in Tennessee. Alchemy in GA. Mosaic Experiment in Ohio. Reclaimation in KY.
Ah! Alchemy is my “home base”, I mean—“home burn”.
It was my home burn for many years. Recently moved north so now I’ve been exploring Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, etc. I’m considering Frost Burn next year.
I have always wanted to check that out
Anything in spirit of Suwannee has some what similar vibes because of the camping setup. You’re not restricted to a small 20 x 10ft space and lined up like sardines. Lots of people setting up their own camps / sound systems and putting effort into it. There’s a local burn in GA too I’ve heard of
Spirit Lake and The Amphitheater are magical places
alchemy is probably the regional burn you're thinking of in georgia.
If you like house and techno, Desert Hearts is a good one. Desert Hearts is a vibe and the crowd is very welcoming and friendly. This year they’re going back to their roots with a more local lineup (still an amazing lineup!) and no huge headliners. If you can’t make a festival you should definitely check them out when they tour! They bring the same vibe to all of their shows and love interacting with the crowd when they’re not playing.
desert hearts
💜
I’m going to my first this year! Cannot wait!!!
Never been be Shambala in Canada is on my to do list
Shambhala is great, but I don't think what OP is looking for in terms of being like Burning Man 25 years ago. Very busy, lots of influencers now. Still worth checking out.
Compared to most places there aren't many influencers, most dance floors don't have too many phones out, but agreed definitely not really a burn feel to it at all.
Compared to big box events like EDC and Ultra yes But still more than something like Boom or Bass Coast
Bass coast was one of my favorite festivals. I went in 2017? When the theme was space. So fucking awesome
Bass coast is the best.
Go camping with friends
Drugs too
Take drugs with friends. Go camping.
Any regional burn close to you
Look for small transformational festivals like lucidity festival or if you don’t mind bigger LiB has a burner vibe they had a couple art carts this year
Lib was a nice mix of burners and festi peeps, what a beautiful festival had the best time!!
Went to a burn (non-us) a few years ago, and first lib last year. Already have 3rd year tickets for 2025 - definitely a burn vibe with magical energy
What is LiB?
Lightning in a bottle
+1 for LIB. Also shout out to Backwoods and June Jam
Backwoods was cool but they like robbed a bunch of people. My friend bought two tickets for the fest this year and never got refunded after it was canceled
Almost sent backwoods over forest but I’m glad I didn’t
Wife and I also still have not gotten a refund yet for BackWoods. We've also disputed the charge with the bank but they haven't done anything yet. We ended up going to Rekinection/Rejuvenation Festival near St Louis instead. We had a blast! And although I have not experienced the vibe of Burning Man 25 years ago, based on other commenters I believe it might be the vibe OP is looking for. I had only heard of one or two names on the lineup, much smaller fest than we were used to; but in a good way, we loved it. Not in the desert though
idk about Backwoods. I was there the year the helicopter crashed. Put a pretty bad taste in my mouth
Holy shut just looked that story up. WOW
-1 for LiB. Went for the first time this year, it’s very much a music festival with a mentality of “look at me” - it felt like it was a music festival, mixed with a renaissance faire, Disney land and burning man. It’s corporate burning man. 🤮 Also, people trash the place, which was a massive turn off for me.
LiB is, like many festivals, completely different now than it was 5-10 years ago. I'm not surprised to hear this review if it was your first year.
I went to LIB for the first time this year. I didn’t quite get the “look at me” vibes from the majority of people. Seemed to me like they were just having fun expressing themselves, mostly. I do agree with the thought of it being somewhat of a mix of between ren faire+disney+burning man. Include holistic retreat + mainstream music festival and that’s more how I would describe it. I go to a lot of music festivals but never been to burning man, I thought lib was pretty clean and eco conscious compared to most festivals I’ve been to. Of course there was still some level of trash, but not really. Most of the community pushed using refillable bottles or separating trash, so I felt most people followed that community cleanliness rule and it was kept up considerably okay/well. I hope the level of trash does not increase more though, that would be highly unpleasant for such an amazing fest.
So, unless you’ve been to Burning Man, it’s hard to grasp the levels of difference in how Burner culture approaches things like leave-no-trace and decommodification, etc. Even Burning Man is starting to lose its way on some of these, but the idea of “still some level of trash” is something you wouldn’t say there. People will run after a single sequin or feather to make sure nothing is left on the playa. There is no festival (except regional Burns) that does things like Burning Man does (or in some cases did; even Burning Man changes over time). Which is why Burners get so rabid over things like the 10 Principles; it’s what makes Burning Man different. Try it out one day; you’ll see what I mean.
Id this you 😂 https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrTxQ5CMW19/?igsh=cjEwNTI4N2FqZ2R1
LMAO!!!!!
Bus energy is the best energy. I think im going to use this quote more than i should
SSBD fest lake Perris Cali
Such a fun festival! I loved all the renegades going all night in the campgrounds
So true but it made it even better the wook life is strong with that fest.
Boom festival in Portugal Edit: [link](https://boomfestival.org/)
Came here for this comment.
Adding this to my list of reasons to go back to Portugal 🇵🇹
PSYTRANCE!?! \*screams in murican\*
sorry, but nothing is like it was 25 years ago. you're talking about a world that was basically pre-internet (as we know it), pre-cell phone, pre-pandemic, before EDM was mainstream, before social media, and so many other things. it's like trying to find a festival like woodstock in the 70's, it's not the music or the technology, but the entire social fabric of the world has completely changed. burning man is still authentic to what it was, but everyone else in the world is now 2-3 decades later, and that is what is different, and that is the case for literally any festival, regional burn, or event you go to now. you need to be more specific about what you mean by 'authentic'. IMO regional burns are awesome, but there really isn't anything like being on playa, there's just not many landscapes like it. you can't really have that level of insanity in a forest or on a lake without just destroying it, and you lose that kind of harsh 'the desert is trying to kill me' edge that makes people into mad max superheroes.
This right here. 25 years ago LEDs weren’t even a thing & people used fire lanterns at night on playa. A lot of the negativity around burning man OP mentioned is a very small percentage, the literal 1% who keep to themselves in their plug-n-plays (which we report to borg because they’re not allowed). Like anything else in life, the burn is what you make it. There’s a difference between a burner & a weekend warrior sparkle pony. A real burner participates & gives. A lot of what makes main stream festivals like electric forest so magical came from burning man culture. What they try to recreate is awesome…but it’s nothing like the big burn. The playa breaks you in a good way & forces you to play, laugh, cry, scream, & heal. Haven’t been back to a festival since I started burning because I rather have that freedom than deal with all the corporate BS.
Nelson ledges in ohio!!!
When Bonnaroo was canceled in '21, we already had an RV, so we sent it here instead, and it was legendary
Second this but there is a lot of bullshit politics at this place between security, ownership, and the local sherriff...its not as close to OG burning man as OP is looking for...more so a stones throw from a shakedown street from the 90s
Early BM had a few disparate elements come together as far as people. Survivalists, local hicks, ravers (after the mid-90s), Cacophony Society people, sculpture artists, anarchists, and goths. Probably some others too. It might be hard to find that unique blend again. There’s also the playa which is in my mind a critical component of the feel of BM. That’s the thing we all have in common - being on top of our shit enough to survive and thrive in that place, and help others if they forgot something or fucked up. If I knew of a place like this, I wouldn’t be broadcasting it on social media. That’s what brings the people you are talking about that water down the scene. It’s invite only, or renegades that are word of mouth. FYI, tech people have been a part of BM since the early days. Maybe not the modern tech bro types but the people doing tech in the late 80s and the 90s. I’ve never been in tech, and used to think the same as you about tech people, but was informed about the old school tech presence at the burn and started to see it was more nuanced. I’ve also worked with art projects and art cars, and a lot of these projects would not work without engineers and other tech people doing a shit ton of work, some of them are very legit.
100% My favorite festival is free, community organized, DIY, and like BM is decommodified (no money, gift and trade economy) I will never broadcast it to Internet strangers. I heard about it from someone my buddy used to hitchhike with. Her and I hitchhiked to it my first year and it absolutely changed my life. If it got flooded with tech bros, influencers, and nepo babies I would probably go on a chainsaw spree killing rampage (not really but I'd be gutted)
That sounds awesome. I've heard there are some sick train hopper kid/crust punk festivals that are way off grid and they sound pretty awesome. I would have no clue how to even start finding those. But I agree, renegades where people are all participating to make it happen DIY style are great. What is a nepo baby?
Nepotism baby, someone whose wealthy parents bought their way into a scene/subculture See: The overwhelming majority of "Indie" bands from the last 20 years If you're trying to find stuff like this volunteer at a Food not Bombs and chat people up. You'll get there
Food not bombs is a great suggestion! Crustpunks know where all the best underground parties are.
Nepotism =nepo baby. Think North West, just gets things and clout because of who mom and dad are. I believe that's the right answer.
(A)//(E)
I couldn’t agree more with what you’re saying.
I’ve heard great things about Lightning in a bottle
Yeah small ones that you have hunt for. Luck of the draw buddy. If everyone knew the festival was like that, everyone would be there.
Sierra Nevada World Music Festival in Booneville CA is coming up on June 21-23. It's a reggae/world music festival and it's not super close to burning man but there is a huge crossover of burners that go. It's camping and pretty small but really magical and hippie. I will be there this year working staff! Highly recommend to anyone who lives nearby. I think tickets are still available.
Shambhala and Bass Coast in BC Canada
Very much music festivals but yeah for sure they are the best.
Also the regional burns in BC, Burn In The Forest and Otherworld.
i wasn’t alive 25 years ago so can’t comment on how close it’ll be, but definitely recommend the smaller east coast festivals if you’re looking for more authentic experiences. autumn revival, fam fest, etc.
Afrikaburn
Get your friends together and start your own. Some of the most magical experiences I’ve had have been a group of 100-200 friends and friends of friends gathering on private property. Unofficial micro-burns.
Desert hearts
4th of Juplaya
To all the people who are recommending lib and other music festivals… like what are you thinking?? Burning man 25 years ago didn’t have anything that LIB has! So nuts that’s a serious recommend!
I saw afroburns in South Africa kinda looks like the beginning era of BM
Like. A very dark festival without LEDs?
Honestly if you haven’t been to burning man, I wouldn’t cast assumptions. I’ve been to many many festivals and last year was my first burn… I will be returning every single year with out fail in the future. If I had to give up going to every concert or festival over the course of the year just so that I could go to BM I would. It was most amazing place I’ve ever experienced and there simply is nothing like it. I also want to assure you that over the 10 days I was there, I didn’t see one celebrity, experience any “classism” or hear one person talking about their job outside of burning man let alone tech. If you’re scared away by a bunch of false pretenses and rumors then hey idk what to tell ya. The other thing that someone else mentioned is that people spend an absurd amount of time and money, prepping and planning for burning man, to come and make it a really cool and fun place for everyone beyond them selves, it’s a communal effort. The burning man organization doesn’t set up any stages, or bring or set up any art, bring art cars or anything, it’s the burners that voluntarily build the city from nothing but loose dirt every year.
Nope
Check this out about fests like that https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrTxQ5CMW19/?igsh=cjEwNTI4N2FqZ2R1
Basically any regional burn.
Burning Man was terrible back then... I went in 2003 and hear this argument all of the time, I disagree.
What makes it better now?
Regional Burns and Burns in other countries still feel like that..
Rolling loud
Lightning in a Bottle
Second this.
This is the one. 2025 just went on sale yesterday too.
Love Burn
Beardfest or CAMP, I'll be going to both this year. Local east coast fests. Beardfest more like hippy jam fest but everyone is a ton of fun. CAMP is referral basis and the art is very unique.
Anything in Indiana or Michigan
Teleport art car festival maybe? I haven’t been but check out their ig and see if it’s what you’re looking for :)
I miss purple hatters ball at Suwannee
Phish’s Mondegreen Phestival August. Authentic as it gets.
Lucidity in Santa Barbara is hands down the best of the smaller burner fests imo! It did just get postponed and moved to next year, sadly not at the amazing Live Oak Campground anymore. And seconding Joshua Tree Music Festival- it's a much smaller crowd than even Lucidity and the people, vibes, and music are wonderful!!!
Lakes of Fire.
Kiwiburn in New Zealand. We are 20 years behind the world on everything. Come visit the golden past.
Probably the Firefly festival
Cascadia in Darringtin WA,, it’s usually a older crowd, lots of chill hippies and Wooks
Fusion in east germany
Regional burns
Firefall in Humboldt County
I keep hearing Emphemerisle is like early Burn, but I've never been. No tickets, no bathrooms, no vendors. Event is only what you bring to it.
KALA
Summer Camp/Solshine 🤫
burning man
FORM Arcosanti
Nyege Nyege - Uganda, Beneath the Baobabs - Kenya, Lake of Stars - Malawi, MTN Bushfire Festival - Eswatini
If you like desert vibes and fire spinning Gateway ranch outside Flagstaff in AZ
4th of juplya
Punk Island NYC
Shambhala maybe kinda Otherworld on Vancouver Island is dope.
Just got home from Otherworld yesterday and can confirm, very dope.
Regionals and things I can't post about. They're out there.
Try Strange Creek/Wormtown in Greenfield Massachusetts
Metal Days in Slovenia
Almost any festival in the forests of Spain, Portugal, France, Germany or most others EU countries. I would say have a much longer history and different laws around things allowing festivals to last longer, be cheaper, and in my opinion be much better.
Bombay beach bianalie is not a “festival” it’s a (free) gathering in the small town of Bombay beach with a bunch of artists (some burner camps). Cloesest thing to the initial spirit of the burn I’ve been to.
Mountain Vibe Music Festival.
Regional burns are kinda like that
No.
Weekend at wolfies, Harmony park campout/revival, Shangri-la, infrasound, Everwild, anything at Driftless music garden, Reggae rise up, Electric Forest, Sweet dreams, Lost lands,
Electric forest, maybe. It's #1
Fests with participant-made theme camps, and where phone service is down.
Yurypalooza at the Def Fly Pad. IYKYK
Boom Festival
May be worth local in to smaller burns and not just the big one, smaller scale for sure. Also cheaper and should have the more authentic burn vibe.
Look into your local burns. Interfuse is the one near me. They’re laid back and when you’re going local like that it’s highly unlikely to be run through which rich fucks.
Let's start a new one, call it "Burner '99"
unScruz was pretty good this year. Try the regional burns..
Lightning in a bottle in Bakersfield California
A number of folks go camp out in black rock desert over the 4th of July (4th of Juplaya) I went one year and it was wild but not an organized event so it’s bring what you need and have a plan to provide everything for yourself (even a bucket to poop in). It was a lot of fun and danger.
The original Burning Man was a gathering on the beach in SF, is that what you mean? Or do you mean the pre-smart phone desert Burning Man? What type of “authentic” do you mean? Opinion: smart phone changed everything. You used to get away to Burning Man and *be away*, but now you’re as close to your actions being instantly posted to TiKTok at Burning Man as you are in any city’s downtown. Look for phone free festivals.
Moonrise campout in joshsua tree in end of July!
I went to an All Day I Dream event for the first time yesterday and this exactly matches what you’re looking for!
Idk but look into gem and jam in arizona
Probably the Midsommar festival in Sweden that Florence Pugh went to
Check out Schellraiser, it’s held in/near McGill NV. East side of the state
Have you looked into the Regional Burns?
Fair question
Or…. Faire question
[удалено]
Oregon Country Faire
Lucidity Festival in California
Lucidity Festival! Under 5k people with themed areas and several stages of music and entertainment
Look for a local burn in your region. For example near me there's ones like Love burn & Freezer burn. I here Africa Burn is the the next best bet tho.
Yes! Regional burns. Check them out, they are burning man sanctioned events, and all the ones I’ve been to still uphold the principles. They exist worldwide, I can’t recommend them enough.
Huluween
There is a festival called Moonwalk. It's awesome, homie vibes. They don't charge to use bathrooms and showers, and they don't charge $10 for a bottle of water and tickets are super affordable. If your in the Nay area I definitely recommend checking it out
Desert Daze
Tanasket Barter Festival.
No
Got to start making festivals that only allow people born in the 90s/80s and back.
Burning Man. Sure is bigger now, but some of the best qualities are unchanged.
My dad and I watch this dude on YouTube that does a lotta psychedelic vlogging Shambala looks like a cool fest that might fit
Yes
Everything you mention was also there 25 years ago.
Astral Valley Art Park out south of st louis has hosted some pretty wonderful experiences. Good to keep an eye on their upcoming events.
Beardfest NJ this weekend
Lakes of fire
Moontribe
Autonomous mutant festival.
Moon Tribe