Burning Man, a week-long music and art festival in the middle of the desert, has run into its fair share of obstacles this year, including a bug infestation and restricting regulations that may cause the event to move.
Burning Man is “a temporary metropolis dedicated to community, art, self- expression and self- reliance” held in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada. The event is held for a week at the end of August, in a self- made community called Black Rock City.
On Aug. 19, reports from Black Rock City stated there are swarms of bugs infesting the area. Organizers of Burning Man said the abnormal wet season in the surrounding grass hills led to the bugs hatching earlier than expected.
There are two types of bugs that have been reported in Black Rock City. The first is the bigger green bug. These are stink bugs that emit a strong odor as a defense. Stink bugs are attracted to light, which is bad news, because Burning Man is known for their light displays.
The second smaller type of bug is known as a seed bug. These bugs use their proboscis, a long hollow tongue, to poke into things in search for water, even our skin. In addition to the poking and prodding, the seed bugs also release an awful odor.
CEO of Burning Man, Marian Goodell, had an interview with "Positive Head Podcast," and explained the difficult regulations the state and federal governments are placing on the festival.
The state of Nevada has recently put an entertainment tax on Burning Man. The State is asking for 9 percent of all revenue collected by the festival. Goodell states that this tax is “crippling revenue flows and long-term sustainability." She does not think Burning Man fits under the entertainment category.
“Burning Man is an experiment in temporary community, and we’re the stewards of that process,” Goodell said.
The Federal Agency Bureau of Land Management has also locked Burning Man into a growth model that limits the population of the festival to 68,000 people.
Goodell said in her interview that they are looking into moving Burning Man to a different state to escape all the legal binds. Although the movement of the event is only speculation, Goodell said she is looking into Utah as a possibility.
Burning Man has not stopped running into road blocks. Amidst the chaos of bugs and strict regulations, a long-term member of Burning Man’s Department of Public Works passed while setting up Black Rock City on Aug. 19.
Although there have been some setbacks, Burning Man is still opening its arms to the 68,000 people attending. The event takes place Aug. 30 through Sept. 7.
