This year’s Burning Man festival was interrupted by torrential rains that caused the typically dry grounds to turn into a massive mud pit, but that didn’t stop attendees from enjoying their time in the Las Vegas desert.
Every year, tens of thousands of people gather in Black Rock City, a temporary community in the middle of Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, where they build and celebrate art and self-expression.
Campers, vans, cars, tents and other forms of temporary housing pop up in the middle of the desert as attendees exchange gifts and create art for nine days which culminates in the annual burning of an effigy shaped like a man.
Typically, the festival produces impressive art sculptures, interactive pieces, music and more.
But this year has looked a lot different as clay-like mud took over much of the grounds.
But instead of letting the muddy conditions get the best of them, attendees – also known as “Burners” – got creative, using the thick mud from the heavy rains to enact creative sculptures.
The whole point of the festival is to experiment with creativity and community by coming together to exchange gifts in order to create something larger – no matter the circumstances.
Unlike other festivals, there are no planned sets or headliners.
Burning Man attendees follow 10 principles that promote self-reliance, community and creativity. The festival “encourages the individual to discover, exercise and rely on their inner resources.”
So in true Burning Man spirit, some didn’t let a little bit of dirt get in the way of their partying. One video, posted on TikTok, showed people dancing along to music in the middle of the desert with mud stuck to their shoes
One creative way people avoided getting their shoes and clothes wet and muddy is by wrapping themselves in plastic bags.
Another TikToker showed how one camp set up a mud slip-and-slide for others to enjoy.
The northwest Nevada desert was flooded on Friday and Saturday by heavy rains from Tropical Storm Hilary. Festival organisers urged attendees to shelter in place on Saturday and conserve food and water as they anticipated it may take longer to leave than usual.
The ground where Black Rock City is the remnants of an ancient lake. While it is typically dry and dusty, when water does come into contact it quickly turns it into slippery, thick mud.
Despite photos and videos depicting a grim scene – and even some celebrities fleeing the grounds – most Burners are seemingly still enjoying this year’s festival.
Gerardo Mendoza, an attendee, told USA Today, “We had a great burn, just amazing. A little mud didn’t get us down.”
He added: “The whole point of the burn is self-reliance so we packed extra just in case.”
