Big news, Burners! This year's Burning Man opens a day earlier to the public and closes one day later than ever before, allowing for for an extra day of setting up camp, and an extra serotonin-hangover buffer at the end. The traditional Monday-to-Monday structure is being altered this year as part of a one-year experiment to see if this eases the traffic in and out of the gates, with the gates now opening at 10 a.m. on Sunday, August 24, and the festival officially starting at 6 p.m. that night. And though things officially end at 6 p.m. on Labor Day, September 1, the exodus out of the gates will be allowed until noon the next day, Tuesday, September 2. The announcement was made via email and on the Burning Man blog.
Personally I feel like less time in the dust and heat is generally better, but for those who feel like they can never get enough and never want to leave, this should be fantastic news. Plan accordingly.
And this announcement is likely to cause a flurry of new vacation-day requests at offices across the state this coming week. Already on Facebook, minds are being blown.
Below is the full email announcement from Black Rock City:
*When Does the Black Rock City Gate Open? The Answer May Shock You!*In 2014, through coordination with the BLM, we will be opening the Black Rock City Gate to participants earlier and closing it later in order to maximize use of daylight hours, minimize traffic impacts on local roads, smooth out traffic flow, and create a safer travel situation for everybody. This is a one-year experiment, and if it goes well, it could mean we continue it in the future.
*INGRESS*
This year we have approval from BLM to open the Black Rock City Gate for Burning Man participants at 10am on Sunday, August 24. NO early arrivals are allowed before that time without an Early Arrival Pass!*THE EVENT*
The event itself officially starts at 6pm Sunday, August 24, and it’s expected that participants use the earlier arrival time as opportunity to set up their camp infrastructure during the day. The event officially ends at 6pm on Monday, September 1, 2014, after which people are expected to start breaking down their camps, conduct Leave No Trace efforts, and prepare to depart the city.*EXODUS*
This year we have authorization from BLM to allow Exodus to extend through Tuesday, September 2 at noon, allowing for a safe and smooth egress period. So if the line of cars in Exodus is too long, and your schedule allows, you may want to wait in your camp. Use the extra time to rest for the drive, secure your vehicle loads, MOOP your campsite, or your block. Plan accordingly so that you’re out of the city by Tuesday at noon.Remember, this is one-year experiment by the BLM and Burning Man to help ease the traffic backups on entry and Exodus. If everyone works together and is off the playa by noon Tuesday, we will look at continuing the extended opening and departure in future years. Help us smooth out the traffic flow!
