AZ Burn After Reading
News and updates from the Arizona Burnerverse, August 2025
Welcome to your monthly’ish dose of community sparks, desert magic, and ways to get involved. In this issue:
- Black Rock City 2025
- AZ Decompression
- Town Halls
- Board Updates
- Burners Without Borders
Read on for all of your AZ Burner news!
Burning Man 2025 | Tomorrow Today
Playa-Bound? Here’s What to Know:
- Gate opens August 24th,
- The Man burns August 31st.
- Time to pack all the things!
Find all the details at https://burningman.org/event/
Want Other AZ Burners To Visit You On Playa?
Go to https://forms.gle/B57m9hS2bH9796bN6 This is the place where AZ Burners share info about where they’re camping at Black Rock City. Before you head out, print the list and find your fellow AZ Burners while you’re there!
🌵 AZ Playa Meetup – Thursday at Center Camp
Calling all Arizona Burners! Join us for the annual AZ meetup on Thursday, August 28th, from 2–4 PM under the Center Camp canopy. Let’s share drinks, stories, and community.
While you’re there, don’t miss the Arizona art installation curated by our very own Rene Johnson, part of a new Burning Man initiative highlighting regional creativity. Come show your support, celebrate AZ art, and connect with your people!
🌵 Phoenix Artist Kristin Wesley Brings Altar of Awen to the Playa
Step into reflection and inspiration with Altar of Awen: Temple of Reflection, House of the Radiant Heart—a sculptural experience by Arizona artist Kristin Wesley.
This diamond-shaped structure of steel and mirrored acrylic transforms throughout the day. In daylight, it reflects the world around you. By night, it reveals an illuminated interior—a radiant heartspace inviting introspection and creative connection.Support the journey of Altar of Awen to the playa: Donate here.
🌵 Community Ride Shares + Resources
Looking to carpool, lend gear, or coordinate with other AZ-bound Burners? Check out the AZ Burners ride share and planning groups on Facebook.
🌵 The DUST App
Download the Dust app available on iOS App Store and Google Play Store. It’s the same one we used for Saguaro Man, now updated for Black Rock City. Schedules, maps, and more—all in one dusty place.
AZ Decompression 2025 – Galactic Garden
AZ Decompression will be held October 10th-12th, 2025, at Landy McLandface near Willcox, AZ
All the info you need is at http://azburners.org/az-decompression/. Here are some highlights:
- Tickets go on sale at Noon on August 1, 2025 at https://events.humanitix.com/az-decompression-2025
- A limited number of Early Bird tickets will be available for $70. Once these sell out, General Admission tickets will be $80.
- Every animal, child, and human attending needs a ticket. If you don’t have a ticket, you cannot enter and will be turned away.
- Returning volunteer ticket codes will be sent in the next few days.
The main Decomp page has Decomp info and FAQ
The Decomp Tickets page has Ticket info and a Ticket FAQ
Town Halls: A New Direction
We’re reimagining what Town Halls can be—less lecture, more connection.
🗓️ October 26th – Phoenix
🗓️ March 1st – Tucson
Expect booths from theme camps, artists, and departments; a chance to get involved, get inspired, and help shape the future of our community. Did we mention food and music too?
This fall’s Town Hall will also kick off a months-long community conversation about what to do with the AZ Burners land—your voice matters.
Interested in helping? In participating? We’d love it! Please send an email to Arizona@burningman.org
AZ Burners Board Updates
Welcome, Rene and Robert! 🎉
In June, the board welcomed Rene Johnson, who steps into a leadership role as our liaison for the IGNiGHT program.
And the newest addition to our community board is Robert Tait (aka Mr. Mom), whose first board meeting will be in September.
We’re so excited to have Rene and Robert’s perspective, wisdom and spark on the team!
We’ll give you a more complete introduction to both of them in the next issue.
Burners Without Borders Celebrates 20 Years!
Burners Without Borders (BWB) is celebrating two decades of community-driven impact! From disaster relief to neighborhood clean-ups, Burners Without Borders continues to embody radical civic engagement. Read its 20th anniversary newsletter here.
Arizona is one of 23 active Burners Without Borders chapters around the world. From blood drives to canal cleanups to collecting donations for communities in need to offering mini-grants for civic oriented projects, AZ-BWB provides ways for our AZ Burners community to put in practice our principles of Civic Responsibility and Communal Effort. Get involved! Consider participating in the next blood drive, August 10th. More information at https://www.facebook.com/share/16gdUG6dgi/
Save the Date: Holidaze
Friday, December 13, 2025
We’re heading back to Carrean & TC’s place in Phoenix for our annual end-of-year burner bash: Holidaze 2025, happening Saturday, December 13th.
It’s our last hurrah before the year wraps, an evening of music, food, art, and sweet reunions with our AZ Burner fam. Whether you’re a dusty veteran or new to the scene, Holidaze is for you.
Dress cozy, campy, or just plain ridiculous, come ready to celebrate the season, the community, and all things wonderfully weird.
Want to be part of the planning? Send an email to arizona@burningman.org and let us know!
New Reads & Deep Listens
Scotto’s New Book
Longtime AZ Burner Scott Platsky has released a self-published eBook, Dustfall —a reflective and heartfelt look into his journey through the Burning world. It’s a story of transformation, community, and dusty magic, told from the heart of someone who’s lived it. Download the pdf version here or the audio version here.
Sassy Cat on the “Shadow of the Man” Podcast
Catch our Regional Contact, Lisa Scheinkopf, reflecting on her Burning Man experience from 2011 to the present on the July 1st episode of Shadow of the Man. Listen now
Got something for the next AZ Burn After Reading? Want to volunteer, share your art, or just say hi? Drop us a line at arizona@burningman.org.
Until next time—pack your goggles, hydrate, and keep it weird out there.
See you in the dust 🖤
– Your AZ Burners Comms Team
