Burning Man 2008

[naturistoftheyear]

Is anybody going this year?

Just two questions:
1-how do you get there? Rent a car in Reno or Vegas? Is there organized transport or did you go with friends?

2-how nudist-friendly is it? You always see those pictures of body-painting and naked yoga, but is naturism prevalent in a wider sense, or is it just the occasional lone nude person walking or cycling by?

Thanks for any information. I would love to go, I have the time but my biggest problem might be the money. Flight from Asia to Vegas, transportation etc. At least the US dollar is low.
Also I see at www.burningman.com that all tickets have to be purchased in advance. By the time I make up my mind, the 'sold out' sign might be up there.

[NudonyII]

Is anybody going this year?

2-how nudist-friendly is it? You always see those pictures of body-painting and naked yoga, but is naturism prevalent in a wider sense, or is it just the occasional lone nude person walking or cycling by?


Never been myself; but here's a quote I picked up on Burningman 2007:

Nudism isn't really that big there. I'd say maybe 2% of the population is nude, maybe 5% if you include the topless.

I considered going, but did some research and found from several sources that nude people are actually few and far between. Just like many, I've seen pictures of entire groups of nude people at Burningman; but it appears these pics are quite dated and not a representation of how Burningman is now. And I just don't see myself going through all the trouble of getting there just to be one of a handful of nude people there. I'd rather go to the beach and be one of a majority of nude people.

http://www.apeculture.com/travel/burningman.htm

[nakedbear]

The woman who wrote the above linked article has the typical cynical prudish attitude towards nudity.
Being naked there is a very positive experience - I went last year and did not wear clothes for an entire week. Yes - most people are clothed but was perfectly comfortable at all times - never felt awkward - the event is all about expressing who you are

[fredm74]

That is a great photo nakedbear. A whole week in the desert heat without a stitch of clothing sounds like my kind of vacation.

-Fred

[SpiderThug]

I'm looking at their website and I can not see one mention of this being related to the Wicker Man which is a pagan festival for the Summer Solstice and seasonal change.

[usuallylurk]

A 2003 parody (the Onion) on Burning Man =

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/29344

And another one from 1998

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28911

.. which I find rather funny, because somehow, people who have never been involved in nudism tend to make assumptions about it, the way the (fictional) young man did about the Burning Man event.

To me, it sounds a lot like a commercial attempt to recreate Woodstock, without the musical acts. Or the infrastructure support.

If you want to meet up with nudists, and hang out with nudists, and be a nudist yourself, then attend a Naturist Society Festival or Gathering, or an AANR (or AANR-region) event this summer. There are a lot of them.

[NudonyII]

The woman who wrote the above linked article has the typical cynical prudish attitude towards nudity.
Being naked there is a very positive experience - I went last year and did not wear clothes for an entire week. Yes - most people are clothed but was perfectly comfortable at all times - never felt awkward - the event is all about expressing who you are

I guess it all depends on what you expect or are looking for. If you want to hang out among some cool, intriguing people (whether nude or not), and express yourself freely, then Burningman may be a good venue for you. But if you're are more interested in being nude among other nude people, Nudestock or something of that nature might be a better choice.

[Pilot]

Is anybody going this year?

Just two questions:
1-how do you get there? Rent a car in Reno or Vegas? Is there organized transport or did you go with friends?

2-how nudist-friendly is it? You always see those pictures of body-painting and naked yoga, but is naturism prevalent in a wider sense, or is it just the occasional lone nude person walking or cycling by?

Thanks for any information. I would love to go, I have the time but my biggest problem might be the money. Flight from Asia to Vegas, transportation etc. At least the US dollar is low.
Also I see at www.burningman.com that all tickets have to be purchased in advance. By the time I make up my mind, the 'sold out' sign might be up there.

Well, you get there however you can. Carpool with others, rent a car, whatever it takes to get you to Black Rock City. There is even an outfit that does charter flights in a Cessna from Reno and lands on a graded "airstrip" there.

As for clothes, well its completely up to you. A big part of Burning Man is individual expression, so what one wears, whether it is ones natural self, or a costume, is up to the individual.

Nudity is common there. You dont really see a naked person everywhere you look (okay, well maybe at the Human Carcass Wash), but topfree and occasional nudes are common.
Its very much a live and let live event.

But at the same time, do not take the weather and elements lightly, and be prepared. Burning Man is a community, and you are able to more be a part and contribute, when you have taken care of your needs first for food, water, shelter, and anything else you will need that week. Burning Man is a great time if one is properly prepared, but could be miserable if not.

To me, it sounds a lot like a commercial attempt to recreate Woodstock, without the musical acts.

But its not a commercial event. Your average nudism event is more commercial. Burning Man is not a profit event, there are not vendors, no food stands, no place to buy souvenirs, no sales of anything, with the exception of coffee at Center Camp (which the money goes right back to BM ORG), and ice sales. Anything you want to have there, you bring it yourself, because you aint buying it. Selling anything there is highly frowned upon, even bartering to an extent

[Pilot]

So who is going this year to Burning Man?

[Navigator]

So who is going this year to Burning Man?


We're going! We always go! In fact we're packing right now. Here's a post about the Burn that I wrote a week ago on another thread:



My wife and I and 6 other couples that are good friends have been going to the Burningman Festival in the Black Rock Desert of Northern Nevada since 1997.

It's not billed as clothing optional but it is...nudity is as accepted as it is expected. The crowd this year will be about 50,000 people and during the day around 20% will be nude and around 60% will be at least partly naked. The percentage of naked people is higher in the early mornings before people get into their costumes. Naked people are completely accepted and, really, not even noticed much because the costumes that so many people wear are so creative and extraordinary as is the giant artwork and fire-art which is what the event is all about.

The event is not for everyone. You camp in a very harsh desert for a week and everything you need to eat, drink and stay healthy and comfortable must be brought in by you...nothing except ice and coffee is for sale on the desert. The people who manage the event require first-timers to read their "Survival Guide" so that no one shows up unprepared for the conditions. More info and the survival guide are at www.burningman.com

The people in our group bring some amazing costumes, as do most attendees, but we also go around naked when we're just viewing the artwork. Burningman is probably THE largest mix of clothed and naked people in the world during the week it runs. (From 1 week prior to Labor Day to Labor Day.) We can honestly say that we've never had, seen or even heard of any negative comments or reactions to the nudity from the textiles at the event.

I could write about it for hours but a few pictures tell the story better. There are a lot of Burningman photos on the web although most photographers don't intrude enough to post their pictures of the naked people.

This is one of the photo collections we've found on the net that give you an idea of what Burningman is like.

http://www.pleasuresean.com/BurningmanPhotoPage.html

[Navigator]

Pilot...are you going this year? And are you a pilot? :)

[NakedGary]

Interesting, not one mention of "Burning Man" in Clothesfree Ultimate Calendar of Events. Link: http://www.clothesfreeforum.com/calendar.php

CFI's POF Photos of Freedom gallery of over 10,000 images[members only access] Has 100 good resolution images of nudes and nudists at various Burning Man Events over the years in the "Burning Man Nevada" Gallery.

Re: http://www.clothesfree.com/photos/index.html

The following search links will give you complete information on Burning Man for 2008 and links to information, survival, directions, guides, and many image galleries from various years of this large event that up to 50,000 attend each year.

The link to the time lapse video shows the variable conditions to expect.

Google Search links on Burning Man Event:

http://www.google.com/search?q=Burning%20Man

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Blogs+Burning+Man&btnG=Search

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEdZpoWTBBw

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Burning+Man+time+lapse+video&btnG=Search

Enjoy.

[Pilot]

Pilot...are you going this year? And are you a pilot? :)

Yes to both on that one! Will be camping with Poly Paradise, we put on the Human Carcass Wash, 7:30 and Allante.

[Navigator]

Yes to both on that one! Will be camping with Poly Paradise, we put on the Human Carcass Wash, 7:30 and Allante.


We'll come by...we were planning on getting over to the Carcass Wash anyway. We're not in a registered theme camp but we'll be "Naked Noodle Camp" and we'll be back around either side of 5:00 and Impala or Jeep. Look for bright-colored swimming pool noodles sticking up all along the front of our camp if you get by that way. We'll arrive early Monday morning.

There are 2 pilots in our 7 couple camp...we (and wives & friends) can walk over to the airport in our birthday suits pretty easily from that location. :D

[Pilot]

We'll come by...we were planning on getting over to the Carcass Wash anyway. We're not in a registered theme camp but we'll be "Naked Noodle Camp" and we'll be back around either side of 5:00 and Impala or Jeep. Look for bright-colored swimming pool noodles sticking up all along the front of our camp if you get by that way. We'll arrive early Monday morning.

There are 2 pilots in our 7 couple camp...we (and wives & friends) can walk over to the airport in our birthday suits pretty easily from that location. :D

I will actually be volunteering at the airport too! I am sure I will be stopping in there from time to time. I will try to find a way to stop in and say hi sometime at your camp

[florida-david]

i have always wanted to go to Burningman until i discovered recently i get sick from dust, it does not agree with me. So i will not be able to go. it would be cool to experience a dust storm, if it was a light sandblasting from the wind, it would probably feel nice all over the naked body. I would be sick later, but a once in a lifetime event!!

Seems burning man is getting more PG every year. It used to be all about freedom of expression out in the open, whether it was PG or R rated. From what i have heard, the R rated events happen in private tents free from public view and nudity is less common. Seems that there are kids events all around as well. Oh well,,,,

[Pilot]

I would still say nudity is extremely common. But with 40 to 50 thousand people there now, the event has been changed compared to how it was 15 years ago. But plenty of things still go on in the open however.

[Atlanta Runner]

Will be missing BM this year but will be back next year with body paint again. Love the Human Carcass Wash. participated last year. Can't wait to hear all the playa updates!

[NakedGary]

http://www.burningman.com/whatisburningman/2003/03_art_playa.html#diablo

[zharth]

I just got back from Burning Man (factoring in cross-country driving), and though my experience is limited to this year's festival, and only the places I got around to, I can at least describe my impressions from the perspective of a nudist.

I didn't go to Burning Man just to get naked amidst a crowd of people, but I'll admit that it was an important contributing factor to my decision to go. Compared to the "default world" (i.e., the everyday non-Burning Man world we live in), BM is refreshingly tolerant of public nudity. You can walk down the street naked if you want to, and nobody will stop you. I stood in crowded lines at Center Camp completely naked, and most people ignored me. It was great experience being naked in front of other people.

On the other hand, nudity was neither as common nor as tolerated as I hoped it was going to be. Though most people ignored the fact that I was naked (whether they honestly didn't care, or if they just didn't say anything), there were still enough people to comment on it that I couldn't help feeling self-conscious - like instead of just being a person who happens to be naked, I was "the naked guy". I don't want to be that guy, I just want to be me, regardless of what I'm wearing (or not wearing). Granted, a lot of people were amused by the fact that I was naked, but there were also those who expressed feelings of discomfort.

As far as how many people were [completely] naked at the festival, I'd say less than 5%. And the vast majority of that number were male. On the other hand, there were a lot of topless females. My impression is that for most people who go to Burning Man, wearing a costume is part of the fun - and thus being naked is boring. Therefore, you see quite a lot of exposed flesh and skimpy outfits, but there is still only a minority of people who choose to bare it all.

Having said that, it's still got to be one of the best non-specifically-nudist places in the world to get naked. :)

[naturistoftheyear]

Very interesting report on what Burning Man is really like, thanks, Zharth.

I was interested in going this year, but a new job and the distance from Asia and the logistics of getting and staying there were all a bit too much for me.