In a nutshell Burning Man takes place each year in the Black Rock Desert, in Nevada, USA. This year, though, an unanticipated event darkened the festivities. The Orgy Dome, a designated space for consensual adult activities, was destroyed by strong winds just as the festival commenced.
The Orgy Dome, designed to be a “sex-positive, consensual space for couples and moresomes to play,” attracted attention for its unique concept. A passionate local install build team put a lot of time and labor into constructing the canopy in advance of the festival. Sadly, despite their utmost efforts, tragedy occurred as the winds tore through the region.
With the premiere date looming, the Orgy Dome team went to Instagram to break the bad news to their adoring fans. They expressed their disappointment, stating, “Our build team worked so hard this past week to erect our lovely space. Unfortunately, the winds yesterday undid all that labor and wrecked our structure.”
This situation unfolded against the context of an unusually difficult weather pattern that has long plagued the Burning Man festival. In 2019, over 5,000 people attended the activities and merriment without any problems. This year, the roughly 70,000 attendees were stuck on-site during the 2023 event due to the arrival of a tropical storm. This accident underscored how dangerous and dicey the weather can get at the festival. Dust storms have created dangers, causing injury to at least four concert goers.
The Orgy Dome’s destruction isn’t an outlier in the world of festival disasters. Other festivals have faced similar challenges, including the notorious Glastonbury festival, which dealt with mud-related issues, and the infamous Fyre Festival in 2017 that resulted in significant organizational failures and legal consequences for its organizers.
As this year’s Burning Man attendees are getting rained out, many participants are returning home. Simultaneously, they are steering the creative and unexplored course of the event. The Orgy Dome’s bad luck is a cautionary tale about the precarious nature of any temporary installation faced with extreme weather.
Even though it’s a bummer to have lost that opportunity, the spirit of connecting and exploring continues to live strong. As one attendee humorously remarked, “If you happen to see a tornado made of condoms, text us.”