Planning a Theme Camp

  • Updated
  1. We have never registered our camp with Placement before. Why should we bother?
  2. How should I start to plan my Theme Camp?
  3. Are there size limitations for camps?
  4. I want to start a Village. What should I think about as I start planning?
    •  

1. We have never registered our camp with Placement before. Why should we bother?

Applying for reserved placement allows you to submit your camp events for the  WhatWhereWhen guide and lists your camp on our Camp Listings Archive and for the current year (optional if a support camp). If you receive placement, you will have reserved camping space and you will get Setup Access Passes for your set-up crew. You will also be privy to loads of information we send out in the Placement Newsletters every year. We understand that civic planning is not for everyone, however, so we encourage participants to bring their theme camp whether they get reserved placement or not. There is plenty of space left unreserved where you can set up shop–just be sure to do it outside our blue Placement flags.

If you choose to set up a theme camp in open camping, we ask that you only take as much space as you need and refrain from “land grabbing.” Land grabbing is claiming a swath of space in open camping for all your friends that have not yet arrived. Claiming land with caution tape, cones, stakes, random pieces of equipment, setting up trailers in a large perimeter, etc. is not okay!  Trailers should not be dropped and abandoned before their inhabitants arrive.

 

2. How should I start to plan my Theme Camp?

The Camp Resource Guide is chock full of information on planning and executing a Theme Camp at Burning Man.

You’ll also want to familiarize yourself with the Placement Process and can read through our Placed Camp Handbook.

 

3. Are there size limitations for camps?

All new theme camps that have never been placed in Black Rock City before are capped at 100 x 100 ft or 10,000 square feet.

If your camp has been placed as a theme camp before, the maximum size is 400 x 400 ft or 160,000 square feet.

Support camps have their own camp capacities:
  • Art Support = number of people receiving SAPs from the Art Department plus 1 support person for each SAP holder.
  • Work Support = number of people volunteering or working for a Burning Man Department and receiving a SAP plus 1 support person for each SAP.
  • Mutant Vehicle Support - please see the chart listed here for camp size caps.

 

pngkey.com-arrow-sign-png-1980853.png4. I want to start a Village. What should I think about as I start planning?

Placement is ending the village designation as a placed camp category between 2024-25.

Groups of people/camps can still call themselves a “village” in name, but will be treated as a single theme camp.

If multiple camps are interested in sharing resources with other placed camps, you can form a hub instead. Please review our HUBS (Humans Uniting for Better Sustainability) FAQ page for more information.

Related articles