“All are Welcome” is the foundational undercurrent for Burning Man, an annual event that unites artists, builders, fabricators, and visionaries from around the world. The 2022 event, themed Waking Dreams, ended yesterday after being on a three-year hiatus due to COVID.

Burning Man began in 1986, on Bakers Beach in San Francisco when two guys, Larry Harvey and Jerry James, decided to construct and burn a wooden pyre to celebrate Summer Solstice. As the figure burned, a crowd formed, unknowingly becoming the first participants of now global phenomenon.

Today, the event (when not bridled by a worldwide pandemic) brings more than 80,000 to the Nevada Desert, to construct Black Rock City (BRC), a 'metropolis dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance'.

In this crucible of creativity, all are welcome.

Burning Man is a sprawl. Infrastructure and logistics are critical in assuring the citizens of the BRC are safe and capable, especially when sandstorms and intense heat are constant factors. The 'city' is traversed most commonly by bicycle which allows people to get from their campsite, to the hundreds of spectacles the event hosts, which covers over 4,000 square acres.

So how does Burning Man handle the accessibility needs of those making their way out to the desert?

A common sentiment among the elderly and disabled is Burning Man, and other similar festivals like Coachella or Pitchfork, are solely for the able-bodied. The reality is creating safe spaces for all individuals is possible and feasible. It simply requires consideration. That's been the lacking piece in organizing these massive events. However, Mobility Camp and other like minded programs are working to change that.

Mobility Camp is one of the many volunteer programs designed to make camping and mobility easier throughout the festival. Due to the scale of the BRC, individuals in wheelchairs cannot easily make it around the camp. Battery-powered chairs do not have the range, and even the most athletic individual would struggle pushing themselves across the terrain. Mobility Camp solves this problem by providing alternative means of transportation, such as a tractor / trailer setup with wheelchair access. Mobility Camp also offers charging solutions for wheelchairs and other powered devices.

In addition, Mobility Camp provides a haven for those that need a bit more care when camping outdoors. It serves as an oasis for those needing a respite form the chaos of the desert and raucous antics of its participants. The camp is located in the central hub of the campground, where there is a strict noise rule. The camp has a place to get food, drinks and recharge figuratively and literally.

The importance of self-reliance is indescribable. People do not want to be a burden and therefore do not want things done for them. They want the agency to do what they want, when they want, and how they want. The goal of these programs is to provide that autonomy. To make the experience equatable across all people.

The goal of Mobility Camp, Blind Burners, Da Dirty Hands, and other programs is to embrace and celebrate the ethos of Burning Man, that 'All are welcome'.