People Seeking Camps 2016

[trilobyte]

Mod Note: In an effort to keep this board functional, all 'seeking camp' threads will be merged here, and anyone feeling the need to post their own plea in hopes of a camp seeking them out and adopting them... should post it here.

For those who are new to the community and not sure how to proceed, I strongly suggest that you take the initiative and try to find your own camp. We all understand that getting to Burning Man, especially in that very first year, can be really hard. When you read about Burning Man and the Ten Principles, one of them is radical self reliance. Sure, there are lots of ways to read or interpret that, but in a nutshell you will call upon yourself to figure out a lot of ridiculous stuff ("the rainbow tutu, or the bee costume?") and do more than you might have ever thought you could. You probably even already hit that milestone, between getting tickets, making travel arrangements, figuring out ground transportation, and a million other details. Out of all the crazy stuff you have to figure out for Burning Man, figuring out your camp isn't that hard. You have three basic options:

1. You can camp by yourself! You all by yourself, or you and your group of however many friends, can go camping and survive and have a great Burning Man experience. Thousands of burners do just that every year, and they have an amazing burn.
2. You can start your own camp! It doesn't have to be a theme camp, or your theme could be any shared interest ("Naked Margarita Camp" is just one of a billion ideas to choose from). Sure, some camps work all year to build their stuff, but you can come up with an idea in no time and invite other like-minded people to join you.
3. You can join somebody else's camp! The best reason to join another camp is because 'holy crap they sound awesome and I want to be a part of that!' but you may also have reservations about doing #1 or #2. If it's your first time out there, one of the best ways to learn about doing things is to join another camp and get involved and learn from them...or any number of other totally valid reasons. So don't feel bad about having a strong desire to be part of a larger group.

If you're looking at joining a camp, there are two main ways to go about it. The radically self reliant approach would be to take a look at the camps out there and find something that resonates with you, and then reach out to that group. You're going to find information about camps in two main places. First is the message board you're on right now... ePlaya. There are a number of camps posting on this board to say what they're planning on doing this year, and that they're looking for a few good people to help join their team. Look through the threads, and if something jumps out at you as cool, exciting, or fun... then post a reply. Or better yet, click on the PM button next to the thread starter's message to send them a private message. At this late stage of the game, many camps and camp leaders are ridiculously busy, and only get the chance to check the boards for replies a couple times a week. Sending a private message to express your interest sends them a notification, and typically gets a faster response. The other place to find a list of camps to join is the partial list of 2016 theme camps. It has a list of all the camps who filled out placement questionnaires and chose to make their information public. Holy crap, that list is huge, and it's exhaustive to read it all, but it's also a lot of fun to see what people are getting up to this year. Find something interesting, then fire up an internet search engine and find that camp. Many have web sites or Facebook pages or some kind of internet presence. If they don't, that's probably a strong sign that they're not recruiting for new members anyways - but if you can find them you can reach out to ask. Tell them how you discovered them, and why you're writing them and not any number of other camps looking for last-minute space. Speaking personally as a person who organizes a camp, a camp leader is more likely to be moved by someone with a genuine interest rather than a generic post.

Failing the above, yeah you can post a 'Seeking Camp' post, but to some it suggest that you may be lacking in initiative or radical self reliance... which is probably not your intention. It is understandable though - you may be new, or your original plans may have fallen through, or as the day the gates open draws closer and closer you're getting more and more anxious about getting something sorted out. Take a moment, maybe even two, a couple deep breaths, and go. You can do this.

Mod Note: camps responding to posters in this board, please do so by using the private message or email button under the poster's name - don't post camp adverts in response to every person who posts. We will leave the posts and replies that are all joining this thread from merging everything, but camp ads posted to this thread after 8/16 may be removed without notice.

[mcgrathzach160]

Hey Burners!

My name is Zach and I'm a cocktail bartender (or mixologist, if you will) in New York City. I'm trying to get to Burning Man for the first time this year, and would love to join a camp that's looking for a bartender! If you want your camp to have the best cocktails on the Playa, please email me!

[email protected]

Happy New Year!
Zach

[Simon of the Playa]

well mac, i bet your bippy there is...

[Captain Goddammit]

Hi... I'm gonna spare the sarcasm because you're new to this and trying to find a place.
Bartenders are not in short supply, nor are DJs.
The way to make a real contribution is to bring all the ingredients and supplies to make those awesome cocktails.
This is the middle of the desert. People who can pour liquid from a bottle into a glass aren't what's needed. The stuff to be poured is. Also, in the middle of the desert, ultra fancy isn't really needed.
My camp has a pretty fancy kitchen and has planned fancy cocktail nights... they never end up happening. Easy, instant gratification tends to be what flys the highest in BRC.
Bring your bottles of unusual liqueurs, your garnishes, all your special stuff and offer to make nice drinks. That's awesome.
No one really needs someone to just show up and pour them.

[AntiM]

Check out the Golden Cafe when they post this year. Best daytime bar on the playa. Real glassware, you work your ass off, but also have plenty of playtime. I think they charge dues, but as part of the French Quarter, I know they eat well. While we have never camped with them, the bar peeps know us on sight, always welcome, very much a people place.

[Ratty]

What the Capt said is so true. Most parties have one drink. (Margarita party, beer etc...) The fanciest drink making I've seen was the '24 hour dinner'. Operated by canadians making fabulous Bloody Mary's from Canadian clamato, asparagus and other veggies. Bartending out there is a side line. Everyone does it. Join a camp with more in mind than just bartending.

[trilobyte]

I'm giving this a nudge over to the theme camps & villages board, since that's a better fit for 'seeking camp' posts. Feel free to post an introduction thread in the Greeter's Station, and good luck in connecting with a camp.

[torrey.smith]

Sextant features guest bartenders (guest DJ's are SO played out!) at Vünderbar, as long as you're not afraid of heights!

Contact me through facebag too if you're interested in doing a shift. We will post a public signup spreadsheet a bit later, although we could start it as soon as now.

Typically you do a 3 hour shift. We can supply the booze and mixers, but most of our guest bartenders bring their own stuff in order to distribute their magic on their own terms

Vünderbar is a 24/7 establishment which has been fortunate to have been placed on the Esplanade for 2 years in a row. We are committed to bringing Esplanade-quality interactivity to Black Rock City, and we do our utmost to honor whatever placement we receive with our addition to culture in this community.

One rule of Vünderbar is you pour heavy and often. I went to Midburn and the bars left a lot to be desired. BRC is no place for scarcity!!!

There are other rules too... You are responsible for NEVER SERVING MINORS and also for the general safety of whoever climbs above the bar level, so it's not entirely fun and games (just mostly).

If you want to camp with us, we have a high bar in virtually all respects. Do not assume you're a good fit.

[dutch-thierry]

Hi everyone,

We are a group of 4 (2 couples) going to burning man for the first time this year (2016) with an RV. Any other Dutch people going this year? Anyone aware of a Dutch camp or Village? We would love to join!

Thierry

[Sham]

Welcome to eplaya. Tell us a bit about yourself.

[lucky420]

Welcome to eplaya. Tell us a bit about yourself.

They're Dutch.

So does everybody split costs evenly then?


Hola and hello...

[engineer2012]

Hi, welcome to Eplaya fellow Hollanders
There are a lot of Dutch going to BM. In 2015 about 1200. And there are groups of Dutch people who camp together, and some placed camps. There was even a Dutch get together in BRC on Thursday.
My suggestion would be to join the Facebook page: Amsterdam burners, here you find info about the Dutch regional. They also have a informal event every 2e Thursday in Amsterdam, which is a good place to meet burners, get info and learn from experienced burners.

[engineer2012]

Welcome to eplaya. Tell us a bit about yourself.

They're Dutch.

So does everybody split costs evenly then?


Hola and hello...

There is more:
http://www.dutchnews.nl/features/2015/0 ... ing-dutch/

[dutch-thierry]

Welcome to eplaya. Tell us a bit about yourself.

Sure! We are a Dutch couple, 43 and 46, living in Delft. We travelled to the US (and especially CA) many times (for work and holiday) but never had the opportunity to attend burning man! This will be our first experience and we are really looking forward to it. We will join the community on facebook and try to attend a few of the meetings in Amsterdam!

[dutch-thierry]

Hi, welcome to Eplaya fellow Hollanders
There are a lot of Dutch going to BM. In 2015 about 1200. And there are groups of Dutch people who camp together, and some placed camps. There was even a Dutch get together in BRC on Thursday.
My suggestion would be to join the Facebook page: Amsterdam burners, here you find info about the Dutch regional. They also have a informal event every 2e Thursday in Amsterdam, which is a good place to meet burners, get info and learn from experienced burners.

Thank you for your recommendation! We joined the facebook group and look forward to meet everyone virtually!

[lucky420]

Love the definitions! Thank you

[trilobyte]

I've edited the subject line of the thread for clarity. You may have better luck finding groups or camps from your region by connecting via the specific regional group. Some camps do it that way, but I think the majority of camps build themselves up around art themes or creative ideas. Bigger camps and villages will also have members from all over the world, and are more likely to be international rather than focusing on a specific point of origin. Good luck finding a camp!

[nio_g1]

hi all
trying to understend how to find a camp or a vilige to join, how do i know which will be the best for me?

is there out there any veteran willing to help?

[gaminwench]

First: Why do you feel a need to be 'adopted' into a camp or village?

Second: What do you bring to the camp or village?

Third: What do you expect to receive from the camp or village?

(it is very early in the process, you have time to discover the answers)

[nio_g1]

first gaminwench, thanks for replaying
i was told its better to be a patt of a camp or a vilige,
im bringing my self so what i can donte is my hands and time.
I dont know how it works, are there camps for certain music types? camps for vegetarians? camps for......

what are camps for?
what are vilighes for?

[FIGJAM]

There are camps for EVERYTHING!

Someone told you a camp was the way to go?

I'll tell you it's not the way to go, but that's because I like camping alone.

Check ALL your options before deciding and don't let people tell you what to do!!!

[Captain Goddammit]

"Camps" at Burning Man are exactly what "camps" at any campground are. Either an individual or a group of friends camping together.
Camping with friends can be nice because you can pool some of your resources, plus you're with your friends.
Somewhere along the way, people got the notion that a "camp" at Burning Man is like a hotel, in various degrees from just a place that has shade and maybe some kitchen gear to full-on "plug and play" where everything is provided, for a fee.
And the word has spread that people need to join a camp.
It's not much different than going to a KOA campground. You don't go there and feel you need to join some total stranger's camp.

There are good and bad points to being with a camp. I think the main negative to joining some total stranger's camp is the same as anywhere else in the world: you don't know who you're gonna be sharing space and supplies with. It could be great, it could suck.
Most camps expect everyone to help make it happen. That means setting up, operating, tearing down, cleaning up, and often bringing infrastructure and paying dues to help with the costs.

The camp I'm in has evolved into a very exclusive, invite-only camp that won't take just anyone regardless of what they offer to bring or pay. We aren't snobs, we're friends who want to camp with friends and not have drama, issues, or dead weight campers that we have to do the heavy lifting for.

A lot of camps either end up going this way or dissolving because all too often they end up getting fairly large but only a certain few are doing most of the work and footing the bills. And not all camp work is on-playa. A camp with anything going on generally requires time, effort and money long before we ever set foot on playa.

There are camps who want new members and would love to have you.
Camps at Burning Man shouldn't be thought of as what they can do for you. They should be what you can all do together, and what you bring to the table.

And always remember, regardless of what rumors you hear, you don't need to join someone else's camp! There are advantages to being your own independent camp too. No rules, no dues, no set up and tear down of large infrastructure, and no issues with screwy people.

[FIGJAM]

DSC01397.JPG

[nio_g1]

tnx captain
so if im not a part of a camp where do i set my self up ?
can i park the rv or set a tent where ever i want?

[lucky420]

You need to do a lot of research. If you come here and ask questions to where the answers are easily found you will most likely get some shit. I'm surprised Captain Goddamnitt was so nice and patient in his answer above.

Seriously go to burningman.org then hit the event tab and then look for the 2015 Survival guide and especially read the first timers guide. Then read them again. It's not that we're not helpful but radical self reliance is one of the 10 principals...

If after reading and you still have questions then come back and ask. You can also stick around, tell us a little about yourself and join in the conversations

[AntiM]

There will be a map, it will show what areas are reserved for placed camps, and what is open for everyone. You can look at previous years maps to get and idea of how that tends to work. Pick an area, drive around, talk to the people already camped nearby and find a place!

The shaded areas are reserved:

http://burningman.org/event/black-rock- ... -city-map/

[Captain Goddammit]

You need to do a lot of research. I'm surprised Captain Goddamnitt was so nice and patient in his answer above.

Ha!! I'm not always that bad! But don't tell anyone and ruin my reputation.

[Simon of the Playa]

You need to do a lot of research. I'm surprised Captain Goddamnitt was so nice and patient in his answer above.

Ha!! I'm not always that bad! But don't tell anyone and ruin my reputation.

i liked it better when we all didnt take our meds.

[some seeing eye]

Hey nio_g1, welcome to ePlaya. There are many threads you can search on ePlaya for finding a camp and our debates on camp or solo.

Have you connected with your regional burning man group? http://regionals.burningman.org I hear you have a good one there. And have you reached out in your personal networks to see which friends are going this year?

As the Captain notes, you don't want camp drama to add stress to your experience with a bunch of strangers.

[Gypsy Daisy]

I was in the same foggy area of thought my first burn, for the life of me I couldn't wrap my mind around the logistics of arrival and set up. Would there be a spot available, how would I know it was available...etc I planned my arrival for early afternoon so that I could 'see' what and where I was going but alas the universe put my neurotic self in my place when the last 35 miles took seven hours (throwing my daytime entrance plan out the window) and when I got into the gates I meandered a few blocks and just dropped anchor where no one was already parked (I was on K so there was MUCH SPACE that first night. It turns out we loved our spot when we could see the next day.

I wouldn't change a thing, we arrived alone- without a clue as to placing ourselves and no buddy burner to rely on It was the best newbie experience- to be fee and unencumbered - you will take it all in at your pace and who knows maybe the next year you will have made friends with fellow burners and come back and camp with them

Have faith that you will end up right where you belong... and if not- you're not turning in your wheels at arrival. don't like where you parked? move