Event will return in 2022
Burning Man has canceled the 2021 edition for the second year in a row due to the pandemic. CEO Marian Goodell shared the news via a video announcement earlier on Tuesday (April 27th).
“For 2021, we know the need for community has never been stronger, and building community is what Burners do best. We also recognize the pandemic is not over. We’ve heard your feedback, and we’re really grateful for all of the work you have been doing to prepare for Black Rock City. So much, from so many,” Goodell shares. “But we’ve made a difficult decision based on the best information available to us. We’ve decided to focus our energy on building Black Rock City 2022. It’s too important to do it half assed, so we’re doubling down on next year.”
The festival takes place in Black Rock City, NV, located in the desert 120 miles north of Reno. The event is always held the week leading up to and including Labor Day weekend, and was set for August 29th through September 6th.
“This is not a decision that weighs on just one specific issue; rather, it’s a combination of problems that in an ever-changing world resist certainty to move forward,” organizers share in a blog post following the video announcement.
Organizers share the event will return in 2022 as “the most diverse, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable iteration of Black Rock City yet.”
Burning Man joins the list of other festivals that were canceled or postponed in 2021. Coachella and Stagecoach were canceled earlier this year after The Riverside County Health Department declined to issue permits for both due to concerns of the fall resurgence of COVID-19. Europe’s Glastonbury and 2021 C2C: Country to Country Festival in London, Dublin and Glasgow have also been canceled or postponed to 2022 due to travel and mass gathering restrictions still in place. CMA Music Fest in Nashville is also expected to return in 2022 after canceling for the second consecutive year. The Monsters of Rock Cruise with Alice Cooper headlining for the first time was also pushed to 2022.
