“Going Home” … for some of us, it happens more than once a year. The Playa calls to us and we can see the mirages of shenanigans, hilarity, and pure exuberance that await us shimmering in our mind’s eye.
For those of you who are unaware: there is a large Burner camp-out that takes place at Black Rock Desert the weekend of July 4th. It is an unorganized scene during which we cohabitate on the Playa with many groups of people who aren’t burners that come to ride ATVs and shoot off fireworks. The last two or three years though, we’ve seen a profound increase in Burner attendees who come out for a taste of what, “Burning Man used to be like.”
Before I get to telling you any more about what we saw out there, we know what you are dying to find out so here it is: THE PLAYA’S SURFACE IS EXCEPTIONALLY WELL COMPACTED AND DUST-FREE. We’ve been attending the burn for over a decade and have yet to see the Playa’s surface in this good a shape 
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There were several theme-camps set up including the Esplanade’s infamous Spanky’s Wine Bar (which had the Frog Pond hot-springs looking better than we’ve seen it in years), Lunar Camp, Fandango, and Reno’s ever-loving BRCU which fed us paella!
It really is the people that make 4th of JuPlaya the incredible experience it is. Erin, pictured above in her fabulous jewel studded goggles & rainbow neck sarong, immediately took us on a tour of her awesome hand-made faux fur wardrobe.
We met the Native American fellow pictured at right just before sunrise on Sunday. He was in high spirits and happy to demonstrate the exceptional elements of his blazer which include hand-dyed cow-hide overlaying the shoulders (front/back) and dingo-ball trim on the sleeve as well as the butt-flap.
To see pictures of the unbelievable mobile command center we saw out there along with more angles and better detail of the outfits shown here, check out our JuPlaya Facebook Gallery by clicking here.
We meet Burners every year who choose to go to 4th of JuPlaya instead of Burning Man for various reasons. It really is a fantastic alternative if you decide to forgo the biggest regional burn. This Spring, the Playa was a bit too wet for us to consider the Black Rock Rendezvous. We even thought about skipping the 4th of JuPlaya due to a significant rain-storm at the end of June and temps in the high 90s. So glad we decided to go!
Thanks for the link. I will definitely have to get to this event someday, it sounds wonderful.
Thanks Kit. I got some feedback recently from someone that doesn’t know much about )’( who said I should define terms like “playa”. I was immediately thankful for your excellent resource! Maybe you could define “fashion” and include a link-back to this blog?
So sorry I missed you out there, Dusty. I heartily agree. Eight years of attending Burning Man, and I thought this, my first Juplaya, was epic.. in some ways, a little better than Burning Man, dare I say!
Wish I would have known you were going to be there too! I am SO glad you enjoyed it
It’s a different kind of event for sure: a blending of the old burner ways with the new in a setting that, though the same as the Burn geographically, is completely different in many ways …
So, given that the 4th falls in the middle of the week this year, does it start on the weekend before the holiday, or begin on the 4th and run through the following Sunday?
Hard to say at this point. Perhaps do some research and determine if any schools or federal employers are choosing to have a monday off and go the weekend attached to that. Myself, I will go the weekend my friends are going. Be forewarned, law enforcement is aware of this event and knows that with all the confusion around burning man there are bound to be lots of people out on the playa doing quasi-legal activities for the fourth this year! Also be forewarned that the weather is much less comfortable in July. Check the forecast and if it’s close to 100 degrees or possibly thunderstorming DON’T GO!!!
gonna gotta happen! working on an epic fort of july for the juplaya = fort of juplaya!