Burning Man Festival Dates August 24 - September 1, 2025

Elephant Camp Orientation 2025

🐘 A Word from Big Bird

Dear Elephants,

Welcome home! We're so glad you're joining our vibrant and evolving village. Rooted in the 10 Principles of Burning Man, our camp is a heart-centered community that celebrates art, ritual, movement, and radical self-expression. This guide is your portal to everything you need to know to prepare, contribute, and thrive in Black Rock City.

After 24 years of Burning and 15 years of leading camps, Big Bird (your host and mentor) wants to make one thing clear: this is not a Fyre Festival-style production. Elephant Camp is built on sweat, soul, and shared commitment — not hype.

There’s a reason why every camper is vetted and required to fill out our Camper Questionnaire (click here to complete it).

This Orientation Guide and camp design exist for one purpose: to help you thrive in a challenging, transformative, radically giving environment. With solid guidance and your open heart and mind, you’ll become a vital contributor to one of the most incredible communities ever to grace the Playa.

So — be prepared. Take it seriously. Give it your all.

If great detail is desired, you are welcome to visit our detailed camp manual found here.

If you get lost in the Interwebs…please just type iloveelephants.org into your browser and you’ll relocate yourself and all our links.

Here we go…

🔥 What You'll Learn

  • Camp culture and expectations

  • Build Week logistics and roles

  • What’s included (and not) in camp fees

  • Your responsibilities (kitchen, MOOP, setup)

  • What to bring and how to get connected

📍 Our Location

We are placed at the corner of Esplanade & 4:30 Portal on over an acre of land, right in the energetic heart of Burning Man. Our location makes us a high-profile, welcoming node for interaction and contribution. (Take me to the map!)

🌟 Camp Highlights

  • New Jungle-Themed 50' Dome — Coffee house by day, Tea house by night; bamboo, faux rainforest plants, and immersive soundscapes

  • Crystal Centerpiece by artist Davis

  • Psychedelic Art Exhibit curated by Niko, featuring Martina Hoffmann & Robert Venosa

  • “Be Here Now” Pavilion by the Love, Serve, Remember Foundation, showcasing mega-sized pages from Ram Dass’ book

  • Gigantic 17-foot Illuminated Elephant sculpture

  • Fire Storytelling Circle hosted by Noah Crow

  • Laser Mapping & Hallucinogenic Projections by Vitali Yu, art director of Nuanu Creative City

  • The Orb by Kat Tudor, a projection dome featuring Ganesha, Hanuman, and more

  • Four Connected Circus Tents with yoga, dance, workshops, and visionary experiences

🛠 Build Week: Aug 20–24, 2025

  • Layout: Design the arrangement of all camp features (Mon) - 4 people

  • Shade Structure: Construct over the kitchen and dining area (Mon) - 4 people

  • Ground Covering: Place visqueen/tarps under the marquee, elephant carousel, and kitchen (Mon) - 4 people

  • Power Setup: Arrange the generator and power lines (Mon) - 2 people

  • Kitchen Construction: Assemble and set up (Mon) - 2 people

  • Meal Preparation: Provide meals for workers during Build Week (Tue) - 2 people

  • Shower and Evaporation System: Set up (Tue) - 1 person

  • Marquee Construction: Assemble using a scaffold system (Tue-Thu) - 5 people

  • Movement Tent Preparation: Lay down mats and vinyl (Tue) - 5 people; Erect the tent (Wed) - 4 people

  • Immersion Domes: Erect (Wed-Sat) - 6 people

  • Art Tent: Set up a 30’ tent (Wed) - 3 people

  • Bike Parking Area: Install Lycra roof for shade (Thu) - 2 people

  • Elephant Carousel: Build (Fri-Sat) - 2 people

  • Chill Dome: Assemble hexadome (Thu) - 2 people; Complete shade structure for common tenting area (Fri) - 4 people

  • Cuddle Zones: Erect adjacent to the Movement Tent (Fri) - 2 people; Set up a secondary dome near the art tent (Sat) - 2 people

  • Parking Organization: Arrange the final area for camper arrivals (Sat) - 1 person

We’ll assign leads for each build area. If you’re skilled or eager to lead in infrastructure or artistic roles, co-leads are needed!

🍽 Meals & Kitchen Duty

Chef Deb (of Badger’s Kitchen, Central Oregon) will craft 3 healthy, soulful meals daily. Each camper joins a 9-person team responsible for:

  • Food prep, plating, and cleanup

  • Rotating between breakfast, lunch, and dinner

  • Serving one full day during the event week

  • We accommodate dietary needs. (see the questionnaire)!

💵 Camp Fees & Deadlines

Our camp is self-funded. Infrastructure costs exceed $100,000 but benefit everyone equally.

Payment Info:

  • Deposit: $300 due upon invitation or by June 1 (locks in your lower rate). Pay here

  • Balance due (remaining $300): July 15. pay here

  • Camp fee after June 1 is $750. pay here

  • Refund Policy: Full refund until July 1, 50% refund until July 15, no refunds after

  • Pay via PayPal or other options, go here: pay deposit

  • Want to be an Angel Benefactor for everything we’re building—on and off the Playa? For example, we're currently developing a Bali Regional Burning Man event called 'Ignite.' Support Us! It’s tax deductible too!

🧹 Strike & MOOP: Sep 1–2, 2025

We embody “Leave No Trace.” Everyone is expected to:

  • Stay and help tear down camp

  • MOOP (pick up every last glitter flake)

  • Sort trash into wet waste, recycling, and landfill (see task assignments)

  • If leaving early, either a $100 or $200 MOOP opt-out fee applies. Pay here: Get Out of Mooping (not free!, password protected)

🧳 What to Bring

  • Tent, trailer, or RV (gear rentals available here)

  • Shower water (2 gal per use)

  • Light-up wear & tutus for Tutu Tuesday

  • Foot care kit: vinegar, socks, waterproof boots (Packing Tip: Vinegar + water spray saves your feet. And garbage bags can double as rain shoes. Calgon hard water softener is good too.)

  • Earplugs or brown noise speaker

  • Reusable cup with name

  • Headlamp, bike (decorated + lit), goggles, mask

  • Sunscreen, brimmed hat, white clothing

  • Gifts: jokes, hugs, handmade art — anything from the heart

📡 Staying Connected

  • Apps: Download the iBurn App (maps, art, camps)

  • Radio: Tune in to BMIR 94.5 FM

  • On-Site Comms: Check the whiteboard near the food line daily

🧭 Culture & Values

We live the 10 Principles of Burning Man:

Radical Inclusion • Gifting • Decommodification • Radical Self-Reliance • Radical Self-Expression • Communal Effort • Civic Responsibility • Leaving No Trace • Participation • Immediacy

These values make us more than a camp — they make us a living, breathing village of artists, dancers, builders, healers, and visionaries.

💬 Final Thoughts

Your co-leads, artists, and organizers are pouring their love into this camp. We ask for your time, your joy, and your willingness to help where you’re needed.

If you see someone having a rough moment, lift them up. If you see something magical, help it flourish.

Burn bright. Love hard. Be here now.

With love and dust,

Big Bird (Philip Price)

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