Everything that went wrong at Burning Man 2023, so far

Lauren EdmondsSep 4, 2023, 00:01 IST

Burning Man attendees were ordered to shelter in place and conserve resources Saturday after a devastating rainstorm.Trevor Hughes/USA Today Network via Reuters

Burning Man takes place this year in Black Rock City, Nevada, from August 27 to September 4.
The festival faced several obstacles so far, including a protest and torrential downpours.

The year's Burning Man is off to a rocky start.

The annual festival officially began on August 27 but splintered before guests even arrived in Black Rock City, the temporary town erected in Nevada's Black Rock Desert each year.

According to SFGate, many resale tickets have been priced below face value as some guests skipped or wavered on attending the typically pricey affair.

In an interview with the outlet, a veteran "Burner" pointed to several reasons, including brutal weather conditions at the 2022 festival may have dissuaded would-be attendees and finances likely influenced some people's decisions.

And now, tens of thousands of Burning Man attendees are stranded due to rainstorms that turned the desert into a mud pit.

Here's how Burning Man 2023 has played out so far.

Tropical Storm Hilary brought heavy rains to the Burning Man campsite, causing a gate closure for guests ahead of the festival's start.

Media not supported by AMP.
Tap for full mobile experience.

Climate activists protested Burning Man by blocking the two-lane highway leading to the festival.

Burning Man advised guests to shelter in place and preserve resources as bad weather continued.

A Burning Man attendee makes their way through the mud in Black Rock, Nevada, on September 2, 2023.Trevor Hughes/USA TODAY NETWORK via REUTERS

Burning Man attendees — including Chris Rock and Diplo — shared footage of the muddy event.

Burning Man organizers told Insider that mobile cell service trailers and buses are being deployed amid the threat of more rain.

The mud covers the ground at the site of the Burning Man festival in Black Rock, Nevada, US, September 1, 2023, in this screen grab from a social media video.PAUL REDER via REUTERS

One person died during the event, but authorities did not share details.

People walk through the mud at Burning Man in Black Rock, Nevada after a rainstorm turned the site into mud on September 2, 2023.Trevor Hughes/USA TODAY NETWORK via REUTERS

As of Sunday morning, the gate and airport leading to and from Black Rock City remained closed.

This hotel chain is giving people a surprising new way to customize their rooms by offering it without furniture

Cookies on the Business Insider India website