Avoid Burning Man Crowds At Eclectic Regional 'Burns' That Capture The Festival Spirit All Year

Burning Man is not like most festivals. Built on 10 guiding tenets like decommodification, universal inclusion, self-reliance, and bold artistic expression, the week-long event transforms a dried-out lakebed in Nevada's Black Rock Desert into a festival city that looks straight out of a post-apocalyptic psychedelic fantasy. Tens of thousands of attendees supersize their creativity in preparation for the festival. Of course, those looking for surreal experiences can also consider a road trip on Nevada's Extraterrestrial Highway near Area 51.

While the stark landscape and surreal art installations are incredibly immersive, the Burning Man experience doesn't come easily. The costs of festival tickets, transport, and supplies for living in the desert for a week aren't cheap, and the experience can be physically tolling. The scale of the event, which usually pulls in over 70,000 attendees, along with the punishing desert climate and occasional sandstorms, can quickly disorient first-timers.

Attending Burning Man is daunting, so if you're curious about it but don't want to commit that kind of time and resources, there are dozens of smaller regional "burns" in the U.S. and around the world that follow the same guiding principles the original event is built on. While some are recognized by the original Burning Man Project, there are also independent festivals that are inspired by the iconic event but have their own twist on what a sustainable art and music festival is. You can choose how intensive and immersive you want the experience to be. If you just want to enjoy some great music with gorgeous backdrops, check out the best music cruises you can book.

Regional burns come in many shapes and sizes, ranging from a few hundred to over 10,000 attendees. Utah's Element 11 is a sanctioned Burning Man event that is great for those who love giant structures. Since it is held on private lands, the installations for Element 11 don't need to be taken down after the fest. Outside Santa Cruz, California, unSCruz is a regional burn that offers attendees modern conveniences like running water, electricity, and cellphone connectivity that are not so easy to get at larger dessert events. Meanwhile, Connecticut's NECTR is set in a forest and requires attendees to be more self-reliant and hands-on like its big-sibling Burning Man. 

For an amazing non-sanctioned festival, check out Miami's Love Burn, which is organized by Burners but is an independent event that still requires participants to carry all their supplies with them. Similarly, Zozobara, set over Labor Day weekend in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is actually older than Burning Man, with origins dating back to 1924. It is centered around the burning of a giant effigy filled with slips of paper on which attendees write down things they want to move on from or overcome. This event is easy to attend and features one of the most epic effigy burnings you can catch outside of Burning Man. Finally, California's Joshua Tree Music Festival is a great laid-back creative festival in the desert that offers conveniences like free showers and food vendors.

International burns are getting increasingly popular, with attendees growing every year. There are regional burns on pretty much every continent, including most Western European countries and a few in Asian nations like Japan, China, Taiwan, Philippines, and India. However, these burns are far less crowded than the main festival in Nevada. For comparison, South Africa's AfrikaBurn, one of the largest international regional burns, draws about 12,000 people. 

The scale and stringency with which the original festival's principles are applied vary. Burning Japan and Netherland's Where the Sheep Sleep offer immersive experiences where attendees build, maintain, and dismantle the festival's structures every year. Burning Japan closes with the burning of a phoenix effigy, while the Netherlands has a follow-up Decompression event for those feeling the post-burn blues. Thailand's Wonderfruit Festival is often called Asia's Burning Man, although it is an independent event inspired by a similar ethos.

Closer to home, Brazil and Argentina also have regional burns, and Canada has quite a few, including What If (formerly Burn in the Forest) near Vancouver and Freezer Burn in Alberta. In addition to avoiding crowds, many regional burns also take place in areas with more pleasant weather than Nevada's punishing desert climate, making it easier to camp. If you do decide to visit one of the Burning Man regionals out in the wilderness, remember to pack things like energy bars and other items to make camping more comfortable.