Who Are the 1001 Nights?
1001 Nights is a placed theme camp in good standing that hosts Makateeb and parties for citizens of Black Rock City. The camp was founded by members of the 1001 Nights Community and it welcomes camp participants from more than 30 countries around the world.
Our approach to Radical Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (R.I.D.E.), has helped us to cultivate an extraordinarily diverse group of participants from around the world. Committed Participation and Civic Responsibility are the primary criteria to be able to camp again with 1001 Nights in subsequent years.
How can I be part of the 1001 Nights Community ?
By being part of the 1001 Nights Community, you commit to the 10 Principles and the spirit of R.I.D.E.
The 10 Principles are not a suggestion. It is required for all Nighters to be familiar with and internalize the 10 Principles as they are the foundation of Black Rock City. The 10 Principles are what creates this magical space in this extremely unique experience at this one time every year.
R.I.D.E. is a simple way to understand the importance of inclusion and diversity to your life, not only at Burning Man, but in your default world as well.
If you want to be part of the 1001 Nights Community and receive our communications you can join us here.
Subscription in our Community does not guarantee participation in the camp as it is subject to an approval. After approval you will have access to the Camp Application form.
How may I camp with 1001 Nights this year? When will we be able to do this?
You may camp with 1001 Nights provided you understand the following:
We are a camp where each Nighter lends a hand in creating the magic that is 1001 Nights. In addition to the mandatory participation of teardown, a minimum of 8-10 hours of work is required of each Nighter – whether this is going for an ice run, MOOP’ing the camp and dance floor or cooking/ bartending for a couple of shifts.
Unlike any other event, Burning Man exists because WE PARTICIPATE. You will hear this word often all over Burning Man. Everything that happens is created, organized and scheduled by the Burners that show up to the Playa every year; it is not put on by the Burning Man project. Participation is required, especially at 1001 Nights. If you don’t feel that you can participate, we love you, but this is not your camp.
The camp is limited to 75 Nighters in order to guarantee an organic development of our Community and to keep a human size.
Camp Application form will open mid-to-late March and will close at the end of May.
How are campers chosen to be included in 1001 Nights?
Many factors come into play to ensure a balanced team; the shifts in which campers want to be involved, the ratio of veterans/newbies/virgins or the origin of the members in order to perpetuate the tradition of 1001 Nights to be a Community representing worldwide diversity.
How and when can I register for shifts?
You must first complete the Camp Application form and pay your camp dues.
Early June all selected campers will sign up for shifts on Playa. You will be required to sign up for several shifts. If you are arriving later in the week, you must still sign up for the necessary number of shifts. All campers are required to stay for teardown.
Teardown begins on Saturday morning and we will stop on Saturday evening prior to the Man burn. Teardown continues on Sunday morning until the evening, ending prior to the Temple burn.
How do you choose the build team?
We choose our build team based on their skills and ability to work as a team, and how much they have contributed in prior years. Build Week is a work week, not an easy way to have a ticket or partying earlier.
Each day begins early and can continue through sundown to get the kitchen set up, build the dome, build the shade structure for Nighters and make sure everyone is parked correctly.
How can I hold an interactivity workshop/performance?
Early June, parallel to shifts registration, you can send an email to bm1001nights@gmail.com with the following information:
- Description of the activity
- Number of people to whom the activity can be gifted
- Equipment needed for the activity (microphone, sound, light, …)
To be selected, the activity must be cost free and MOOP free.
Holding a workshop/performance does not exempt you from camp shifts and teardown.
How can I DJ?
Our lineup is established with artists who have been friends of our camp for many years and who support our camp. Our lineup is not published prior to the burn!.
What is mandatory participation in teardown?
We build 1001 Nights in one week and dismantle it in two days. Participation in the teardown is mandatory, we need all hands on deck.
Early June, all campers will have the chance to sign up for the dismantling shifts.
Teardown begins on Saturday morning and we will stop on Saturday evening prior to the Man burn. Teardown continues on Sunday morning until the evening, ending prior to the Temple burn. This way everyone can experience both the Man Burn and Temple Burn and exit at a reasonable time, if they so choose. During the teardown MOOP’ing will be organized in order to make our home even cleaner than when we arrived.
If you plan to leave the Playa early, plan your shifts accordingly.
MOOP (Matter Out of Place, Leave No Trace) – What should I look out for?
Burning Man takes place in the Black Rock Desert National Recreation Area which is a public land regulated by the federal government. Our Community must be in Good Standing to be allowed to return year after year, and we owe it to ourselves to respect the privilege of building our temporary city in the Black Rock Desert. To date we have always received a Green rating from BMorg and wish to obtain it every year or we will not be given the privilege to continue participating every year.
We will have MOOP teams that go across our public spaces in addition to the teardown. You are also responsible for MOOPing your personal camp space, and packing out all of your personal trash.
For one person the task is immeasurable, but when we all participate (there it is again), it becomes easy and enjoyable because you’ll be shoulder-to-shoulder with other lovely Nighters beautiful souls that you meet on the Playa, all pitching in. The responsibility of MOOP extends to the entire Playa. Be prepared to pick up MOOP wherever you go so it can be discarded properly later and we all collectively take care of this sacred space. Let’s all do the same on the neighboring roads and on the playa.
What about Trash?
The garbage of the camp is reserved for the construction waste, the preparation of meals by the kitchen and the parties (bar and Makateeb) – NOT for camper trash. We are not equipped to deal with all of the camp’s waste and each Nighter is responsible to collect and return their own trash.
What about Power Grid?
We can not provide campwide electricity. Our priority is to power up our sound system for the stage, our kitchen and bar. If you have an RV, bring your own generator, quieter model and generator quiet box is appreciated. If you have fuel with you for your generator you are required to place it in the camp designated FUEL SAFETY AREA. You are not allowed to keep the fuel near your RV or your tent as it is a safety hazard. It is not possible to buy fuel on site. No generators will be allowed under the tent area.
None of this is negotiable.
What about Toilets?
For sustainability reason we no longer provide porta potty chemical toilets in the camp.
What about Shade?
We will have shades for the tents area and the kitchen area.
1001 Nights constructs shade structures spanning more than 3,500 square feet. These structures stand at a height of ten feet and are designed to provide shade for our members who choose to camp in tents or any other camping option that can fit beneath them. The tops of these structures are made of a material that blocks 100% of UV rays, ensuring that your camping area doesn’t turn into a scorching oven under the sun (which is particularly pleasant for restful sleep after a night of adventurous activities). The sides are crafted from a mesh shade cloth that filters out 75% of UV rays while still allowing some airflow.
These shade structures have undergone rigorous testing on the Playa, enduring winds exceeding 60mph.
What about Pump Out?
We can not guarantee pump out. The layout of the camp is made to have emergency exits and is organized with our neighbors as much as possible in order to have the maximum access road, however these accesses can not be guaranteed once on site.
What about Showers?
We will have showers in the camp for Nighter’s. The camp provides water but it must be used sparingly. They operate with your own shower bag system or similar.
What about Food – are meals provided?
During the Build week
We provide meals for our build team as soon as the kitchen is operational (breakfast, brunch & dinner).
During the Burn week
Morning self breakfasts (included tea, coffee, milk, vegan milk option) and Dinner preparing Meals. This is not beans out of a can type food; our camp members who volunteer to run the kitchen are amateur cooks.
The camp provides all of the food for these meals, and most people find this to be all of the food that they need at Burning Man (where people tend to eat much less than in the default world) except for brunch time. For brunch we encourage you to discover the many tempting food camp offerings at this time of day.
For sustainability reason (BMorg Sustainability 2030 roadmap) the meal plan is in transition and we move to a vegetarian diet.
You have to take your own cup, plate, silverware and bowl. You have to manage your lunch, snacks and beverages (keep in mind that gifts from some camps are meals or drinks). Camp fridges can not be used for personal purposes. During the day the kitchen is closed.
We can not guarantee special diets, but we do our best to make sure that every Nighters’ stomach is satisfied.
Water – what about the 1.5 gallons/day/camper?
The camp will provide you the water you need for yourself, sparingly, during all burn week long. Our intention is to limit plastic waste for sustainability reason (BMorg Sustainability 2030 roadmap)
- Everyone is invited to take a backup supply of drink water for one day or two days in case of water delivery delays
- Builders are required to bring their own water for the build week as during this period water delivery is even more subject to delays.
What do my camp dues pay for?
1001 Nights is a non-profit organization made up of volunteers – we do not pay ourselves for the work we do year-round or pre-playa. We do not pay our build team. Every year there are new volunteers who in addition to their sweat, give a week of their vacation. We do not pay our DJs or our artists; they offer their talent to our camp. PARTICIPATION year-round is crucial to 1001 Nights being successful.
Currently we raise our funds in two ways: donations and dues.
Donations and dues are used to pay for our infrastructure on the playa for our campers. This includes showers, the kitchen, meals, shade area for tents and kitchen, our stage, dome, supplies for Makateeb and bar, sound system, generator and the cost of building, transporting and storing all of these amenities.