2017: Radical Ritual

This year’s theme is an attempt to reinvent ritual in our post post-modern world. For this purpose, we will disregard assertions of belief and concentrate instead on the immediate experience of play. Beliefs contain, define, and limit meaning. They can reduce truth to a rational commodity. But play can free us to envision truths of which we have no proof or warrant. Such play, as we conceive it, breaks down the distinction that divides belief from make-believe. Whole-hearted and creative play induces self-surrender to experience that is beyond the scope of reasoned thought.

— burningman.org

What does it mean for Queer Burners? It is a chance of endless interpretation and members of the community are encouraged to share their expressions or ideas of what it means in the comments section at the bottom of this page. Ritual is more than religion or marriage; it is all those things in between and more. Simple rituals include shaving and styling hair before work every day. Sometimes it is a mating ritual as in dating or maybe a dark room behind a bar? What's your story?

Highlights from the Queer Burners historical archives:

Camp Directory 2017

2017 Queer & Ally Camps Map

 

Camp Name Identify As Placed? TC / V* Address* Apps?* Features Facebook Web Site
8-bit Bunny Queer Friendly Yes TC 7:45 & E Yes Open Bar, Games, Sauna Facebook Web Site
Spin our wheel for a drink or trip though our steam sauna!
Astro Cats Mixed Yes TC 7;30 B Yes Open Bar, Games, Yoga, Education, Acrobat Performance and Workshop Facebook Web Site
We invite all burners to chill at the Astro Lounge with special drinks in the day and hot or cold sake at the DaVinci’s Dragon Lounge for at night. You can enjoy acrobatic performance and workshops at scheduled time, and a place to practice and spin fire with us. If you like to join our kitties for morning yoga, bring your mat to stretch and pose with us. You can swing on our swinging-chairs and watch people passing by while sipping our special drinks. Or you can challenge yourself to manipulate the LED Matrix, walking on plank and play the game of Simon Says while enjoy sake.
Burner Buddies Queer Yes TC 4:30 & J Yes Get Your Gay Card Facebook Web Site
Come get your Gay Card and join our party on Friday. Stop in anytime to say hello.
CampProper Queer Yes TC Somewhere Amazing Yes Open Bar, Games, Education Facebook Web Site
Camp Proper is a Burning Man theme camp devoted to espousing the virtues of being a proper burner.
Down Low Club Queer Yes TC 7:45 & E Yes, but… Sex Play Space, LGBTQQ Meet & Greet Party Facebook Yahoo Group
Down Low Club is a theme camp established at Burning Man 2009 that contributes to the LGBTQQ Community and its friends in several significant areas. First, in the “residential” side of the camp, we host the annual LGBTQQ Meet & Greet at Burning Man on Monday (opening) night for the entire LGBTQQ community and their friends. Second, in the “recreational” side of the camp, the Down Low Club tent itself adheres to the tenet “what happens at Burning Man, stays at Burning Man”. Exclusively for adult men–Gay, Bi, Curious, Straight–Down Low Club offers a comfortable, discreet & enclosed play space away from home for men to play freely and erotically with–or observe erotic play between–other adult men. Third, we offer a safe haven–shelter, meals, water and etc–for Burners who find themselves in situations caused by camp dysfunction, lack of preparedness and other factors. Fourth, our campmates are always ready to help other individuals or camps with advice, tools, supplies and etc to insure they not only survive yet thrive in the harsh environment of the Playa.
Glamcocks Queer Yes TC 7:30 Sector No Dance Parties, Open Bar, Yoga, Coffee, Cabaret Facebook Web Site
WHO ARE THE GLAMCOCKS? We’re a group of close friends and family who live all over the world, and come together every year to create a theme camp at Burning Man. Together we create a welcoming, loving environment that cultivates great connections and memories for all. GLAMCOCK Concept and Goals: Our goal as a community is to create spaces that are welcoming, fun, whimsical, glamorous, transformational, and memorable for all! We are a far-flung, tight-knit family of burners, and our gatherings are a reflection of our gay, sparkling, exuberant, life-loving, and carefree attitude. We wish to cultivate great connections and memories for all who stumble upon us! We work year-round to design and construct interactive structures and inclusive experiences that invite participation and self-expression, both on and off the Playa! We love meeting new people, sharing our experiences, and expanding our roost! GLAMCOCK philosophy: Inclusion and respect are the foundations of who were are as a camp. We believe that every individual has unique talents, and that through creative, collaborative work we build friendships as strong as our structures are sound. We strive to create a fun, energetic, body-positive, open-minded, and pro-LGBTQ space for everyone who wants to participate and meet other burners. As a family, we share our love and energy on the playa and throughout the year! We are driven by our love for each other, our passion to create, and our celebration of life with a spirit of GLAM!
New York Dangerous Queer Friendly Yes TC 7:30 and D – ish No Games, Education, Food Service Facebook Web Site
Welcome to NYD – a FB group facilitating the greatest Burning Man camp the playa has ever seen. Or at least, a collective that loves to toss ideas around, host fun events in NY for ourselves and our fellow attendees, and outdo ourselves each year, including the following annual events on playa: Running With Scissors Relay Race (w/ ice cream for winners), Put Your Eye Out Shooting Gallery, Dangerous Liaisons cuddle puddle, Talking to Strangers lecture series, Strangers With Candy vending machine, and Playing With Fire magnifying glass necklace-burn booth. Camp provides: Water Basic power Shade for tents Social structures Kitchen Showers NYD T-shirt NYD Necklace On-playa events Volunteer opportunities Planning support Bikes and yurts for rent Awesomeness 2017 Camp Leads: Leon Feingold aka White Whale Carlos Montoya aka Cosmos David Rasmussen Jason Wisdom aka Captain TO CAMP WITH NYD you must meet 4 criteria: 1) you must attend at least one of our events and make the effort to get to know us. 2) you must be awesome. This is admittedly subjective but we’re very good at recognizing the awesome in someone when we see it. 3) you must choose a camp role in line with our needs and your interests and strengths, either as a leader or volunteer. Could be kitchen, logistics, fundraising, event planning, or even a position you create! 4) ONCE APPROVED by a current camp lead, you must pay dues and fill out the current year spreadsheet with your data. Dues costs step up every month or two and at some point we do fill up, so getting in early is best.
Paradise Motel Mixed Yes TC 7:30 & B Yes, but… Yoga, Food Service Facebook Web Site
Paradise Motel is a Burning Man theme camp established in 2008 with members hailing from our Default World locales of San Francisco and LA. It is the most garish of roadside motels; yet the best of the “no-tel” genre, where weary travelers are invited to stop in for a snow cone and enjoy some progressive beats while lounging by the “pool”.
Patsy’s Hangout Queer Yes TC Near 8 No Open Bar Facebook Web Site
Hangout at Patsy’s for a refreshing cocktail, relax with friends and make new ones. Open every day.
Sun Guardians Mixed Yes TC 7:30 Sector Yes Yoga, Meditation, Education, Food Service Facebook Web Site
Sun Guardians is an assembly of an idea to combine some really passive masculine energy into something really powerful and dedicated to the heart, soul, mind. Largely fraternal and non-sexual based it is a focus on the masculine and elevating that through yoga and art. We are using ancient Sanskrit movement to amplify that energy by tuning the chakras through yoga.
Tectonic Mixed Yes TC Esplanade & 7:30 Portal Yes, but… Open Bar, Yoga, Education, Music Facebook Web Site
We are a ragtag group of makers and party animals from (mostly) Portland, OR. We have several queer camp members, and are a very open community. We provide a shaded space for daytime events and relaxing, and all-night parties with various types of music and an open bar. For next year, we are organizing workshops and other daytime events, and working on creating a safe space within our camp.
Tickled Mink Queer Yes TC 7:30ish Yes, but… Photo Booth Facebook Web Site
At Tickled Mink everyone is a star, come pose for a glamorous cover page photo shoot!
Camp Remote Control Queer Yes TC 8:00 & H Yes, but… Features Facebook Web Site
Games, Education, Free MOOP bags, which you can return full for a fabulous item.
Celestial Bodies Queer Yes V 7:30 & E or D Yes, but… Open Bar, Tarot, Tattoos, Art Walks & Talks, Initiation Parties, and more! Facebook Web Site
Your straight friendly queer bar in the Burning Man gayborhood! Home of the Playa Cosmo.
Tropical Treehouse Mixed Yes TC 7:30 & D ish Yes, but… Food Service, Mai Tais, Sarongs, Iced Coffee, Lemon Bundt Cakes, Monkey Bars & Climbing Space, and Aloha Facebook Web Site
A verdant home alive with the warmth of aloha! Castaways welcomed to paddle up to the tiki lights and toast the night with a Mai Tai.
Gender Blender Queer Yes TC 7:45 & E Yes Sex Play Space, Education, Trans/GNC Safe Space Facebook Web Site
Gender Blender is a community committed to creating safe, awesome, fun, creative spaces for trans, gender queer, gender variant, gender nonconforming, queens, kings, and those of us that are shape shifting the gender binary. We also serve to educate and give space to those that have always wanted to explore gender but have never before. We run workshops, play parties, events, and a Burning Man theme camp. We welcome new people (older burners and non-burners, alike). All genders welcome always.
FURngully Mixed Yes TC 7:45 & B No Games Facebook Web Site
FURngully is a completely immersive experience taking its explorers on a relaxing journey to another planet. To complete your quest of Fucking Unreal Relaxation you must use all five senses to guide your way through the dense jungles of FURngully. Using your sense of touch, feel your way around the ground and the under layers of the jungle enjoying all things fur. With the smell of fresh rain and grasses in the air it’s almost like you forgot that your journey once began in the middle of the desert. An ambient glow of purple and blue lights illuminate artful creations that resemble plants found in the jungles on Earth but are strangely inspiring and different… some of them even have candied fruits on them that are absolutely delightful to the tongue and its favorite buds. The siren sounds of FURngully; however, are the most dangerous to the freest of souls.
Playa Glass Mixed Yes TC 7:30 & ? No Teaching folks how to turn Play Dust in t Glass and make jewelry from it + all around good vibes Facebook Web Site
We teach folks how to turn playa dust into glass and then make jewelry from it + all around good vibes