Burning Man 2022's weirdest activities, from bikini armor building to Nic Cage coloring books

Aug. 28, 2022Updated: Aug. 28, 2022 7:18 a.m.

It’s a given that attendees will be interacting with and making their own art, since much of the landscape is dotted with massive art installations. But beyond the freeform exploration of mind-bending sculptures (and inner child-like art camps boasting bedazzle stations Nic Cage coloring books ), there’s an extensive list of scheduled events, with dozens of pre-planned experiences that range from the everyday to the completely absurd. 

These are the standouts we found after combing the extensive schedule.

One major element of Burning Man is the music. Despite the logistical challenges of running a sound system in the middle of a dust-filled desert (don’t expect to see people playing vinyl), there are a ton of opportunities to lose yourself to a live DJ. While the event has a reputation for electronic dance music, there’s a cornucopia of musical genres for those looking to escape the thump of house, techno and trance. From Latin music (with a side of sangria) and jazz jams to ’80s pop and disco (with a side of champagne), there really is something for every eardrum. 

But if your ears need a break, there’s a wealth of more meditative activities on the menu, like a hammock forest, late-night synthesia, hypnotherapy and communal peppermint bomb breathwork exercises.

For those feeling more active, you can stack and climb milk crates (with a safety harness), work out in a pink gym, or test your aim at stations for throwing all sorts of dangerous projectiles. Safety will certainly be stressed at those experiences, and for those who want a little extra protection for the weekend in general, a bikini-armor crafting workshop is recommended.

As far as food and drink are concerned, the buy-nothing mentality of the event means guests won’t be going hungry or thirsty — unless you forgot to bring a few bucks for coffee, one of the two things you can purchase at the event (the other is ice). There will be brain-freeze margaritas and a gin-and-tonic bar serving hot dogs and lollipop forests and sunset pickles and daily cereal My Dad’s House … the list goes on.

This year has a special emphasis on consent, a crucial component given that so many experiences on the schedule involve sex, from after-hour orgies and flogging to black-light bondage and naked cheese parties. For those coming as couples, a workshop on how to navigate such a changed environment while in a relationship would probably be a good time investment, as would be the Buddhist polygamy session. If you’re not in a relationship, the art of flirting and cruising might be useful.

In addition to exploring the human body, there are plenty of options for expanding one’s mind. Look for educational sessions on quantum physics (fueled by Italian coffee), the intersection of AI and astronomy, surgery and psychedelics, and because this is 2022, there’ll be plenty of blockchain conversations to avoid. And for those who want to take their consciousness to a truly unique level, well, you can spend a few minutes pretending to be a cat.

Although this long list of activities seems like plenty to fill a week’s worth of time, they’re really only a tiny fraction of the off-the-wall programming planned for the week, which as always, will end with the soul of the event going up in flames.