Can you really replace the salt flats, or the stationary art, or the mutant vehicles?  I’m really not sure, but certain variables have me considering alternatives to this…   alternative culture event. Last year was the first time Burning Man has sold out, which has had the organizers implementing a lottery system, which means that not everyone who wants to go, will get to go. I think this video summarizes most of my feelings pretty well.

A new friend of mine, that I met at a Decompression party here in Toronto mentioned Boom Festival in Portugal.

I was just told about the Lightning in a Bottle music festival in California, around May.

The Rainbow Gathering(s) which occur all over the world.

Another festiva-…er… “republic” that I have come across (thx Mackenzie) is called Kazantip and is apparently the largest rave in eastern Europe.

WHOAH… ok, that was NOT work-safe viewing. Also, not sure how comfortable I would be partying it up with a bunch of Russian mobsters.

There’s also Shambala, Ibiza, Movement in Detroit, the Winter Music Conference in Florida and others (that I’m either forgetting or haven’t yet discovered). However, I don’t expect to find anything that will compare to dancing on a two-story pirate ship while visiting 30+ foot sculptures in the desert. Though music can be a large factor in these festivals, there’s also something quite amazing about the absolutely silent locations you can find on the playa at Burning Man.

Oh boy… what to do. :\