The COVID-19 pandemic may have cancelled this year’s visit to the Black Rock City, but that doesn’t mean people won’t be able to experience anymore the famed Burning Man event.
The late summer festival was cancelled for the first time since it started back in 1986 after having a record total of 78,850 attendees during last year’s event. The Burning Man is viewed as a cultural event that has been a place for people to express themselves whichever way they want to.
Despite the announcement of this year’s cancellation, organizers of the event are still giving the opportunity for people to attend it online.
It may lack the physical aspect of attending the Playa and its atmosphere, but this year’s virtual event will still feature the same experiences attendees have come to know and love — including a digital re-creation of themed camps, art tours and live performances. It will also showcase a version of the iconic 40-foot man being set on fire.
The theme of this year’s Burning Man event is “The Multiverse” and since the event is now being held online, online creators are given full creative freedom and will be able to add their own art pieces and creations to the event’s virtual platform.
This will be segregated into eight different virtual experiences: Infinite Playa, SparkleVerse, Multiverse, The Bridge Experience, BRCvr, BURN2, Build-A-Burn, and MysticVerse. All of these will feature a digital recreation of the Black Rock City that include interactive elements of the various festivities you would find in the Burning Man event. To enjoy the complete experience of the event, you will only need a Zoom account. Having a VR Headset would be good too, especially for those who want a more immersive experience.
Here is a more in-depth look at the virtual Burning Man:
It was also announced that the majority of the event will be free, with only some experiences requiring an entry fee. The festival starts from Sunday, Aug 30, till Monday, September 7, and the traditional Man Burn will take place on September 5.
POP! Creator Community / Jose Rafael Santamaria
