Last Minute Updates – July 10th, 2023

Verify Your Name and Birthday in Volunteeripate

Please – before you read literally anything else in this newsletter – verify your legal name and birthday in Volunteeripate. (While you’re in there, take a screenshot of your ticket – maybe even print it out. Your phone may not get any bars in the Gate line.) Those facts MUST match your unexpired, government-issued photo ID for you to get through the Gate. Email info@lakesoffire.org if you need a hand making changes.

Ice and Firewood Prices

Ice and Firewood are for sale at the RV/office at Center Camp. Bags of ice are $10 for 22 lb bags; firewood is still $5/bundle.

It Might Be Cool At Lucky Lake

Yo, be ready for Lucky Lake to be on the cooler side. I guess that’s all relative, and like – it’s always cool, amirite – but for real be ready for it to be kinda chilly at night. And also bring some rain gear.

But you already HAVE packed your rain gear, haven’t you? Because you’re going to a BURN and you know how to pack for your own needs, right? … Right!?
 

WhatWhereWhen is Live!

We have the print AND digital WhatWhereWhen ready for your reading pleasure. Whenever you need a little pick-me-up for all that’s in store, you can read this… and know that it’s only scratching the surface.

• Digital WhatWhereWhen
• Print WhatWhereWhen

Print copies will be available at Lucky Lake. However, due to rising costs and a surplus from last year, we’re reducing the number of printed copies. Please consider printing a version at home, or using the digital app – or simply running wild in the garden with no sense of time, place, or written language.

$20 RV Sewage Disposal Fee

RV campers, we want you to know – dumping your dumps will cost you $20 this year. Bring the cash or be prepared to hold it the whole drive home. Only RVs dumping allowed here – you can’t toss your kitchen gray water, green water, or any other water. This is RV waste disposal only.

Also, if you are bringing an RV, make sure you arrive before dusk. Because it is not safe for our Placement team to place large vehicles in the dark, we are requiring large vehicles to get in while we have the daylight to place you safely. Read about the policy here on the Gate rules page.
 

Be Prepared: ESD Mini-Manual

If you’re concerned about your safety – and you should be, you’re going to a Burn – I recommend you read these emergency readiness tips from a Literal Pro. A little bird told me about it. The little bird is black with red eyes and belches flames when he opens his beak, but – well, he still told me about it.

Skip this information at your own risk! You are your own best protection against injury at the Burn. Literally bring your own bandaids, and meds, and… yeah, you get it.

But What do I Pack!?

I’m so glad you asked. Because if you need this packing list on July the 10th, then you REALLY need this list. (Also, did you read the Survival Guide yet? No reason…)

Are you REALLY SURE you’re prepared to go to an event where you kinda-sorta have to be your own grown-up? ‘Cuz ain’t nobody want to pick up after you… OK, OK – don’t let my saltiness get you down. Go skim the WhatWhereWhen for some sweetness. A little salty, a little sweet – just don’t forget these basics. You’re gonna do great.

Lakes Letter – July 4th, 2023

LNT Like a Pro || Propane Reminder || Firewood Reminder || Getting Through Gate || Last Minute Online Newbie Orientation || ArtHub Programming in the Nexus || Air Quality

LNT Like a Pro: Read the 2023 Guide

In the interest of keeping Lakes of Fire classy, the Leave No Trace team is pleased to present you the 2023 LNT Volunteer Guidebook.

Keeping Lucky Lake beautiful is everyone’s responsibility. Truth be told this manual is a wealth of information about the GLEA org structure, radio protocols, and self-reliance resources that EVERYBODY needs. For the general participant’s curiosity about LNT, we highly recommend these pages:

Page 17 – “Manage Your Physical and Mental Health like a Boss”
Page 20 – “Garbage Guidance for Moop Warriors, Earth Guardians, and Trash Pandas”
Page 23 – “Let’s Talk About Water!”

Read the 2023 LNT Volunteer Guide Book. Bonus if you read these pages BEFORE you pack, so that know what to leave at home AND how to correctly dispose of camp waste water.

Propane REMINDER: Bring What You Need OR Get an Account

A reminder to bring the propane you need in 2023, unless you are planning to bring 100lb tanks AND have an account with Crystal Flash. Read all about it in the prior news post where we announced the propane situation in 2023.

Firewood in 2023 REMINDER: How to Buy Bulk

As a reminder, if you’re looking for our bulk firewood vendor, read about it here. Please remember to buy only what you need and are planning to split with other theme camps, as you will be responsible for disposing of extra. Smaller bundles will still be for sale at the front office RV near the Nexus.

Getting Through Gate

What do you need to get through Gate, besides your winning smile? Your unexpired, government-issued photo ID with your government name and birthdate. WHAT ELSE?? Make sure you know – it’s your responsibility. We prohibit more than just trampolines, handheld lasers, and aerial photography drones. Read the Gate Rules page and you’ll be all set.

Last-Minute Online Newbie Orientation

One week to go! New to the world of Burns? Still feeling unprepared? Drop in on July 5th – that’s tomorrow – and get caught up.

Join Burning Man Western Michigan Regional rep Thor and Lakes of Fire Infobot TrashPanda online, or live in Thor’s studio in Kalamazoo, for a quick and dirty rundown. We’ll cover the 10 Principles, what to expect at Lakes of Fire, and a Q&A over Zoom. Link will be posted in the Facebook event page at 6:45 PM EST.

ArtHub Programming in the Nexus

This garden has a mind of its own, y’all. We’ve got exciting new developments coming out of our ears. Did you know that ArtHub is offering arts different education and make-and-take events EVERY DAY of the Burn? Check out our 2023 Nexus Arts Schedule and see what exciting skills and art experiences you can have in our Center Camp. Grow your brain, your heart, and your skill set!

Environmental Conditions: Air Quality and Heat

As many of you in the Midwest have noticed the air quality has been a hazy shade of yuck. It has made it hard to be outside and hard to breathe for a lot of people. We can not guarantee that the air quality will improve. We want to remind everyone that we want to see you at the Lake but we want you to be healthy and safe even more. Please consider sitting this one out if you are at risk of having difficulty breathing due to the air quality. (It was better next year anyway.)

Keep an eye on the air quality online, such as with this webpage. As of this writing, the quality is 79/poor. That’s much better than it was even four days ago. With any luck the quality will improve even further as we come up to the week of the 10th.

• Talk to your doctor if you have pre-existing conditions complicated by breathing, smoke, or high temperatures. As usual, you are your own best advocate.
• If you feel you are at risk, stay home.
• If you want to bring PPE to help your breathing, make sure you bring specifically KN95 masks. These are rated for poor air quality.
• Bring extra inhalers; ESD does not carry them and cannot offer you a prescription inhaler if you lose yours.
• You can buy an over the counter inhalers for under $50 under brand names like Primatene Mist.
• If you have trouble breathing, get to ESD. As one of our Emergency Services leads put it, “Our bare minimum goal is to at least keep everyone breathing.”

Effigy Build: Last Chance!

Effigy Build Weekends: Last Chance to Get Involved!

Hello community,

We’re in the home stretch. The Effigy Crew is looking for some spectacular humans who can help get the Effigy home. Every extra pair of hands we get on these next three dates will make the Effigy better, safer, and more excellent for everyone. Here are the details!

Friday, June 30th: Build Day

We will have a impromptu Friday build day on Friday June 30th. Just show up and let us put you to work! Email us for the address. We will be putting the finishing details on the build this day.

July 1st – 3rd: Tear-Down Weekend

Next up, this weekend (July 1-3) is TEAR DOWN! We are looking for as many humans as possible to assist with taking the Effigy apart and getting it prepped for packing the truck. Just make sure you get there – there will be lots to do. Email us for the address.

July 5th: Packing Day

And finally, our fearless Effigy leader, Hanna, and her team will be working their booties off on Wednesday July 5th to get the effigy packed on the truck and ready to head home. We will again take as many hands as we can find – so don’t be shy!

The build weekends are all in Flushing, MI. One more time – email Katie at khurst@lakesoffire.org to get the full address.

Thank you, and hope to see you there!

FIRE SALE on 6/24

Fire Sale on 6/24

The Ticketing Team has been crunching numbers, sweeping up shavings of tickets that weren’t used, and have made a small pile of tickets that must be burned!

A fire sale of a small number of remaining tickets will start on Saturday June 24th at noon Eastern time (11:00am Central time). To participate in the fire sale, you must have an account at volunteer.lakesoffire.org and you must have completed the waiver! Current ticket holders are not eligible to purchase an additional ticket in the fire sale.

To purchase a fire sale ticket, log into your account on Volunteeripate before noon (Eastern). Click on the “buy a ticket” link on the left hand side. If you haven’t completed the waiver, you must do so before you can be eligible for a fire sale ticket.

Then, start refreshing the buy a ticket page! If tickets are available, one will be locked to your account and you will have 20 minutes to complete the purchase. Unpurchased tickets will be offered to another participant after 20 minutes, so do not delay.

Tickets are $180. You may only buy one, and only if you do not have a ticket already. You may buy minor tickets if you are successful.

Good luck! More details will be coming shortly!

–Lakes of Fire Ticketing Team

Lakes Letter – June 20th, 2023

Propane in 2023: Bring What You Need || Volunteeripate How-Tos || Preparing for the 2023 Temple Burn || Covid Policy Clarification for 2023 || Burner Mobility in 2023 || Greeters Food Drive in 2023!! || Buying Firewood

Propane in 2023: Bring What You Need

This year, our propane refills will be provided by Crystal Flash. Please read this if you plan to burn a lot of propane on-site this year.

• Crystal flash will not refill any propane tanks under 100 pounds. If you don’t plan to pack some 4-foot-tall propane tanks, then your only option is to bring enough smaller ones to last you the whole Burn.
• If you want to refill your 100 lb. tanks, you need to open an account with Crystal Flash directly, ideally before you leave for the Burn. When you’re at Lucky Lake, have your account information ready when you go to them for a refill; you will need it.

Volunteeripate How-Tos

Gardens are where people grow, right? We grow plants and we grow each other, man. If you have early entry, you can grow your bestie/partner/frenemy by making them your Early Entry +1, granting them the same entry time as you. That’s a new thing this year at volunteer.lakesoffire.org.

You can also fix typos in your legal name AND distribute Theme Camp Directed Tickets (if you still have some).

But HOW!?

It’s not that hard! Here, we’ll show you. Go check out the Volunteeripate How-To page and be sure to tell us what you need at info@lakesoffire.org.

(Please note, your legal name in Volunteeripate needs to match your government-issued, unexpired photo ID. Click here if you have questions about the Gate procedure.)

Preparing for the 2023 Temple Burn

This Temple is a place to seek solace and peace. Breathe deeply and allow yourself to relax. Allow yourself to feel the emotions that come. This is a place to remember love, find release and rebirth.

This art piece will be burned on the Peninsula at 8 AM on Sunday, marking the start of Exodus.

If you have a temple offering, make sure you read the Prohibited Materials List on the Fire Art Safety Team’s department page. You will find the list is quite long, as the Temple Burn must also leave no trace, so please – think on your offering with care.

Covid Policy Clarification for 2023

This spring the World Health Organization and the US federal government both called an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, GLEA updated our COVID-19 policy for Lakes of Fire. The short version is that we will not require proof of vaccination or a negative test to enter the Burn. We ask you to handle symptoms of illness like you would any other time.

As much as it sucks, please consider the welfare of the community and stay home if you are sick. On a related note, you can transfer a ticket right up until July 12th, 11:59 PM EST. That way if you do get sick you can help someone find their last-minute ticket.

The full COVID policy for 2023 is on our website.

Burner Mobility in 2023

Say hello to your Mobility Team. This year we’ve updated our program. Any time between now and July 13th, you can apply for Mobility and/or Handjob Assistance.

Mobility Assistance will:

• Put you on our shuttle radar
• Give you a flag to notify shuttles that you’d like a ride
• Check in on you to see if you need to get anywhere (Ice? Firewood? Showers? Effigy? Your volunteer shift?)

The Handjob Crew will:

• Help set up your personal camping gear
• Help you tear it down

The “application” is just an opt-in: we don’t need to know why you’re asking for assistance, because it’s none of our business.

We noticed last year that folks were reluctant to sign up and ask for help. Just because someone might have it worse, doesn’t mean you don’t deserve help, and we want to help you have the best burn experience, without judgment.

We also received feedback that some folks who asked for help felt judged and questioned. We are committed to better training our Volunteers to be empathetic and judgement free. Not all challenges are visible, and it’s still none of our business.

We’re also here for you if something comes up at the event. Leaving the medical tent with a bandaged foot? Come on by and sign up for help.

All to say, if you wonder if you should sign up for assistance, the answer is yes.

Here’s the link: https://volunteer.lakesoffire.org/permit-apply?permit=10

-DMV & Mobility Team
“Let’s keep it moving”

Greeters Food Drive 2023!!

We want to see your cans!

The “Greeter Station” and ONLY the Greeter Station will be accepting the food donations through the whole event up to 4 PM on Sunday. Last year we donated over 800 LBS to the New Era Food Pantry. Way to go Lakes of Fire! Let’s keep up the awesome momentum!

Requirements:

• Unopened
• Non-perishable
• Cans are preferred
• No glass please
• Also welcome are unopened unused toiletries – shampoos, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant etc. are sorely needed.

Contact Greeters if you have any questions. Thanks loves!

Buying Firewood

Hello LOFers! This is EZ, your LOF DPW lead.

Some of you have inquired about bulk firewood. I have that information for you, but first let me tell you about our new “Firewood LNT” policy.

In the past, DPW & LNT has taken on the task of cleaning up leftover firewood. This is no longer the case. Beginning this year, each camp will be responsible for removing excess firewood from their space, and relocating it to Don’s woodshed, located behind his RV/office. The RV is located to your left, just as you exit the Pines entering the event, next to the ice machines.

Camps are also required to clean up all wood scraps. Failure to do so will result in a violation of the LOF LNT policy. This violation could jeopardize your chances for placement in 2024. Please include execution of this policy in your camp’s LNT process. Suggested tools: hand cart/wheelbarrow, rake, shovel.

Here are some ways to reduce your chance of having leftover firewood:

1. Don’t order so much dang wood! A cord of wood is a lot of wood!

A cord is a neatly stacked pile of wood measuring 4 feet by 8 feet with each piece of wood 4 feet in length.

A face cord has the same general measurements, but the depth of the pile is the length of the firewood logs, not 4 feet, i.e., 4 feet by 8 feet by 20 inches assuming each log is 20 inches long.

You can also choose to buy regular bundles of firewood. These will be for sale at Don’s RV/office.

2. Split order with your neighbors.

This will reduce your cost and the chance of having firewood leftover.

3. You WILL NOT burn as much firewood as you think!

Especially now that the event is in July. The nights will be much warmer. Also, fires cannot be left unattended. This policy alone is the reason why so much firewood is leftover.

4. If you sense you will have firewood leftover you can donate it to the effigy burn. Upon request, DPW will happily retrieve your firewood. This request will only be honored on Saturday July 15th, no later than 1pm.

5. Cover your wood pile! The reason is obvious.

Why are we implementing this new policy?

Well, every year the amount of leftover firewood has steadily increased. Last year a camp left at least an entire half cord on the site. In total DPW and LNT retrieve at a minimum of 3 full cords of firewood. That’s simply ridiculous. In the beginning it was an insignificant task for us. Now, it’s a task we have to work into our LNT plan in order to honor our contract with the landowner. The extra work load has become detrimental to both departments. The time has come for you to carry the load. Yes, pun intended.

Finally, the info you have been waiting for. Following is the contact information for the new firewood vendor:

Tom Steensma
“The Firewood Guy”

616 551 7089
Pricing: CASH ONLY

$200/cord + $30 delivery fee
$75/face cord + $30 delivery fee

Tom will begin accepting orders on July 10th.

Lakes Letter – May 1st, 2023

BUY YOUR TICKET: Next Lottery Round Begins 5/1 || Placement Form Extension to 5/7

BUY YOUR TICKET: Next Lottery Round Begins 5/1

As the ticketing team took a well deserved rest under a fluffy and shady tree, a great rumble occurred in the Garden of Wonder. Shifting their gaze to the centre of the garden, they observed a small and recently formed chasm. Michael’s contented smile turned into a confounded ponder. Moments later, a new sound started, quietly at first, but more pronounced as the time progressed. It was the gentle hopping noise made by hundreds of cute lil unclaimed lottery tickets as they started a march to the canyon. Raptor looked at him with a slight grin and said, “It’s almost time.”

Campy story aside, 40% of you haven’t purchased your lottery ticket offers. And your new-found luck is about to run out. Check your ticket offer for the exact time and date that it will lemming into the canyon… after it expires, it will be gone and whisked away to a new lottery participant. Seriously. Think of those poor ticket offers – they picked you! Save them today!

Everyone else – watch your emails starting on Monday. Offers will roll over to the next lottery round. Ticket offers are sent in batches over the course of a few days. We expect the next round of offers to be all delivered by the evening of Wednesday May 3rd.

Need to transfer your ticket? Sorry to hear that, and hang tight. On May 6th we will switch on the Volunteeripate ticket transfer page. Come back then and we’ll help you out.

Wanna talk to someone interested in your ticket? Check out the LOF Ticket Info & Exchange group on Facebook. It’s a great place to find someone with a ticket offer, or to post about your own.

Placement Form Extension to 5/7

Hey folks! Your friendly Placement Team had a retreat at Lucky Lake this weekend, along with our ArtHub friends, doing surveys and dreaming big dreams. The list of theme camps who have registered is looking a little lean, and since we want to make sure everyone gets a chance to get their ducks in rows, we are extending Theme Camp Registration deadline by a week.

All theme camp leads: Please have your Placement Registration complete by May 7. We love you all and can’t wait to see what you bring!

Nyki & Hambone

Lakes Letter – April 14th, 2023

Ticketing Updates || Check Your Volunteer Shifts and 2022 Hours || Ranger Training Dates are Live! || 2022 AfterBurn and Financial Statements Are Available || Art Grants || Effigy 2023: The Gnomecoming

Ticketing Updates

Volunteer ticket offers are now good until April 17th, 1:00 AM Eastern Time (EDT). Some of us are paid bi-weekly, and that makes a 14-day purchase window extra tight – so the offers are good for a couple more days.

On April 15th, we will begin releasing ticket offers through the continuous random draw. If you don’t get a ticket offer on April 15th, don’t worry – that’s just when the randomized offers begin to go out. Any time someone passes on their ticket offer (letting it sit for 16 days without buying it), we draw a fresh name out of our digital randomizer and give the offer to them. We’ll repeat this process until all the tickets are sold.

Ticket transfers will be available this year, too. You will be able to get (or send) a transfer ticket starting May 6th.

Once you purchase a ticket you will be able to sign up for a volunteer shift. However, not all volunteer shifts are in the system yet. If your favorite department isn’t showing many open slots, take a peek every day or two.

Need more information? Check out our Ticketing page for the whole spiel.

Check Your Volunteer Shifts and 2022 Hours

Did you apply for a shift that requires approval? Certain roles, like Emerald Ranger, require approval before you take a shift. You still need to apply for a shift after you have been approved for it. Please log into Volunteeripate and double-check that you have the shifts you think you do.

1. Go to “Menu > Your Dashboard” to see your shifts.
2. If you don’t see the shift you were approved to take on, you just need to find it under “Menu > Shift Signup” and apply.

Did you volunteer in 2022? Lots of people are contacting us for help with their 2022 hours. We don’t want you to get stuck when you go to buy your ticket. Please log into Volunteeripate and take a look, and email us if you have any problems.

Ranger Training Dates are Live!

Who are Rangers? They are first-responders, on-shift as the eyes and ears of the event overall. GLEA depends on Rangers to arbitrate conversations using the FLAME technique. As one Ranger lead has said: “Rangers are ordinary community members who took a shift to be sober, carry a radio, and help out.”

Is there more to it than that? Absolutely. The full toolbox of Ranger skills help everyone have a better Burn. Interested? Good! Read the Rangers page and pick an in-person training event. In-person training takes about two hours. Afterward you can sign up for your first Ranger shift on volunteer.lakesoffire.org.

Experienced Rangers can sign up for in-person or virtual training, including Khaki and Emerald. See the Rangers page for more information.

2022 AfterBurn and Financial Statements Are Available

Just like it says on the tin. Travel back in time to our collective visit to the stars, or at least, the accounting version of that. Read it all here.

Art Grants

The 2023 Art Grants program is so close to announcing this year’s projects. The response has been tremendous this year! Phone calls have started going out to artists and contracts are getting signed. The official announcement will be coming as early as next week.

Effigy 2023: The Gnomecoming

One perfectly warm summer afternoon a group of 6 gnomes were tasked to go mushroom picking in the forest that surrounded their small village. They were having so much fun that they lost track of time and the task they were given. They were very deep within the forest by this time. The lead gnome gasps and shouts to his friends “ Stop and look! We are lost!”

Read the story of the 2023 Effigy on our website.
 

Lakes Letter – March 23rd, 2023

Attention Theme Camps || Need-Based Tickets Closing Soon || Check Your Volunteer Hours || Volunteering: Get Into Gate! || Volunteering: Fire Safety Team

Attention Theme Camps

The Theme Camp Placement Registration form will open on April 1st, 2023 and remain open until April 30th, 2023. Don’t worry, you didn’t miss it.

If you blink though, you might miss the window to apply for the Directed Theme Camp Ticket program. The form closes March 25th, so if you intend to register your theme camp, don’t wait until then to apply to this special program. Get your name in the hat!

Need-Based Tickets Closing Soon

The Need-Based Ticket Application will close March 25th. Please apply if you’re even considering picking up a ticket in April. If you wait ’til then it’ll be too late. If you’re curious about the program, read more on our website.

Check Your Volunteer Hours

Last month we announced Volunteeripate, our new volunteer hour and ticketing platform. If you want to tiptoe thru the tulips with us come July, register! Our Ticketing page has a detailed step-by-step guide to get you all set up. Especially if you volunteered in 2022, please get yourself signed up before April 1st. You can verify your 2022 hours and we’ll be so much nicer if you need help fixing them before the ticketing stampede begins. Help us and we’ll help you for helping out. Hanks!

Volunteering: Get Into Gate!

As Friar Tuck passes the torch of leadership, we LOFers are happy to welcome Meow back to the role of Gate Department Co-Lead. Meow is looking forward to collaborating with Violet to shape the Gate department and they’re looking for some new recruits. If you’ve thought about getting involved at Gate, now is an excellent time to learn, brainstorm, and help the department grow. Contact Gate directly or read all about the Shift Lead and Day Manager roles on our website.

Volunteering: Fire Safety Team

Have you ever wanted to volunteer for ESD but didn’t know if you could?
We have two volunteer classifications for our Fire Team alone, Fire I and Fire II. We have spots available for both. Read all about it, and if playing nice with fire sounds like your game, apply today.

Lakes Letter – Feb 26th, 2023

Our Official 2023 Dates || Ticket Prices and Sale Dates || Meet Volunteeripate || Directed Theme Camp Ticket Program 2023 || Need Based Ticket Program 2023 || ESD Call for Fire Safety Volunteers
 

Our Official 2023 Dates

We are happy to report that the dates we announced before are indeed our official dates. Lakes of Fire will take place July 12-16th, 2023 at Lucky Lake in Rothbury, MI.
 

Ticket Prices and Sale Dates

We are pleased to share our Ticketing timeline and official prices with you. These same dates are on our Key Dates and Forms page, where you’ll find the form links as they open.

• March 1st: Ticket Programs Open
  • Theme Camp Directed Ticket Application opens (closes March 25th)
  • Theme Camp Ticket Jury Application opens (closes March 25th)
  • Need Based Ticket Application opens (closes March 25th)
• April 1st: Sales Begin
  • Ticket offers to 2022 volunteer appreciation ticket holders
  • Ticket offers to Theme Camps
• April 15th: Lottery Begins
  • Ticket lottery for remaining unsold tickets

How much is a full-priced ticket in 2023? $180. Which is more than they cost in 2022.

Why? The reasons are all practical and lame. Inflation is the driving factor, either directly on our supplies or indirectly through our vendors. To a lesser extent we added supplies and rentals to increase our event’s safety, but many departments trimmed back to try and offset these expenses. Our Finance Team determined, after reviewing the total event budget, that we could not afford the event in 2023 at 2022’s ticket price. And because we do not fund-raise or take any other income, ticket prices are the only tool we really have to fix that.
 

Meet Volunteeripate

Starting this year, GLEA will use Volunteeripate as our ticket platform. Volunteeripate is a long-time, in-house project of a handful of Lakes of Fire leads. It’s a website built to address the privacy, ticketing, permitting, and volunteer shift management needs of the Lakes of Fire leads.

What does Volunteeripate do for you? Our goal is to simplify our bureaucracy as much as possible for all community members. Volunteeripate tracks your volunteer hours and handles the ticket lottery. You’ll use Volunteeripate to pay for your ticket and receive your ticket. And, as the name implies, ticket-holders will be able to browse for shifts and sign up with your favorite departments.

You can get started right away with Volunteeripate. Read up on our Ticketing page for all the details you need. It takes five minutes to register, get into this year’s ticket lottery, and/or verify your volunteer hours from 2022. Ticket sales begin April 1st, so do yourself a favor and register now.
 

Directed Theme Camp Ticket Program 2023

The Directed Theme Camp Ticket Program is back in 2023. The forms to apply for tickets and to join the jury will both open on March 1st. Click the link to learn how you can request critical support tickets for your TC’s critical support people!
 

Need Based Ticket Program 2023

The Need Based Ticket Program (formerly the Discount Ticket Program and Low Income Ticket program) is also back in 2023. Are you a first-timer to Lakes? You’re eligible. Have you been a bunch of times and just need help this year? You’re eligible. Do you expect a volunteer ticket offer and have a need? You’re eligible too.

The discount is here for you, but you have to apply before March 25th. This is because we have to know how many tickets to set aside for this program before ticket sales start on April 1st.

Please apply if a discount is the difference between you coming and staying home. Learn more about the program and keep an eye on the Key Dates and Forms page for the application link.
 

ESD Call for Fire Safety Volunteers

The Emergency Services Dept is looking for volunteers who want to specialize in fire safety. Have you ever wanted to volunteer for ESD but didn’t know if you could? We want to hear from you! Read all about it on our Become a Leader volunteer recruitment page.

Lakes Letter – Jan 20th, 2023

Dates: So Close, Yet So Far | Art Grant Applications Due TODAY! | Effigy Applications Due January 22nd | Call for Finance Team Members

Dates: So Close, Yet So Far

Maybe you’ve been looking forward to your first Lakes of Fire in 2023; maybe you’re a veteran who is used to taking off Father’s Day to come home to Lucky Lake. No matter where you’re coming from, you want to know when you will be back in Rothbury.

We are in the ides of January. This is an unusual delay for us at GLEA. And as a result we hope this announcement, if unusual, will help: We have almost-dates.

Out of respect for all the artists, theme camps, participants, sparkle-ponies, and other ne’er-do-wells we can’t wait to see again – you know, you – we’re deciding to share what we have with you about our event dates as transparently as we can.

As of today, GLEA is preparing to have Lakes of Fire: Garden of Wonder from July 12 to July 16.

And: Our agreement is still being finalized, so this is not the official date announcement.

Sharing this won’t help everybody, but it will help at least somebody in the community. It’s up to you to decide if you want to plan around those dates now for your own reasons or wait for the official word. Either way, we are not selling any tickets until the agreement is final.

We look forward to sharing that news with you very much.

Art Grant Applications Due TODAY!

Good morning beautiful people. Foxy here from Art Grants. TODAY is the day. Your last chance to submit your art grant application to our team for consideration for the 2023 event. There is no closing time since I am going to honor pretty much any US timezone. Get them in our email before I take my coffee tomorrow morning and you are good to go. At that point, I am going to sit down and close the public form.

So, don’t stress on midnight CST, EST, MST…whatever. It needs to be in our inbox by the morning. Don’t delay because our team starts working right away. Email your submission to artgrants@lakesoffire.org.

The Art Grant webpage with the application, list of do’s and don’ts and sample applications is at this link. If you have sent us an application, make sure I responded to your email. If I did NOT, follow up with me. If I did not respond, a file has NOT been created and will not be considered. Email us with any questions.

Effigy Applications Due January 22nd

The moment of truth approacheth. What effigy will burn at the center of this year’s Garden of Wonder?

To build an Effigy is truly a singular experience, and our goal is to put that power in the hands of new artists each year. Take it from Leta, who helped keep the dream of the 2022 Life Star Effigy alive: “This could be the idea that changes your life.” (Do you want to build your effigy with the help of those who waited out a pandemic and still built theirs? I know I would.)

Check out our Effigy Build Info and Application page – this is where we’ll publish the full application form and some pointers for filling it out. You have two more days – the application period closes at midnight on January 22nd. Whatever you’re growing for the garden, we can help it bloom, but only if you apply.

Contact effigy@lakesoffire.org if you have any questions about the process.

Call for Finance Team Members

Are you good at (ac)counting? Do you know someone who enjoys crunching numbers in Excel? Do you have the skills to juggle money, artists, and timelines? Then we want you!

We have an opening in our organization for Financial Reporting. If you know someone, or you yourself are interested, please reach out, or have them reach out to us at board@lakesoffire.org. We are a volunteer run organization, and our success truly depends on the participation of you, our wonderful community members.

Qualifications: Knowledge of basic accounting procedures. Proficiency with Quickbooks, Excel, and Google Docs. Good communication skills. Availability for at least one LOF production cycle (1 year). You will be a member of a financial team who are responsible for preparing draft and final versions of our annual budget, and you will work with a variety of artists, Burners, and vendors – so having good soft skills will set you apart.

Please tell us about yourself. Feel free to forward any documents that may help us learn more about you, and any experience you have that may be beneficial to our organization. A resume is not mandatory but you are welcome to send one if you like.

Can’t wait to burn with you!

Board of Directors

Great Lakes Experimental Arts, Inc.

Update on Event Dates – Jan 5th, 2023

Update on Event Dates || Art Grants Deadline Extended to Jan 20th

Update on Event Dates

If you’ve been looking forward to Lakes of Fire 2023 then probably you’ve been patiently waiting to hear our official event dates. Sadly, we have to ask you for more patience. Long-timers in our community know the dates of Electric Forest have been a consideration for our event. This year Electric Forest is expanding to Lucky Lake. Their pre-event setup will be occurring during the Father’s Day weekend, which has been the traditional time frame of Lakes of Fire. Father’s Day weekend will not be the date we return home to Lucky Lake in 2023.

You can trust that your Board of Directors is working hard to finalize our contract and secure a new date. In talking to our core volunteers and Department leads, we identified two options: move to early June or later to mid-July. We decided against moving the date earlier in June. Many teachers, parents, and families who help make our Burn possible would not be able to join. Thus we are looking ahead to July.

Moving our dates out means our overall timeline will move back accordingly. You can expect Ticket sales may begin later in 2023 than they did in 2022. We’ll continue to keep you updated as we get more information.

Art Grants Deadline Extended to Jan 20th

With our change in dates it is important to give our art grant applicants additional time to apply, and to make sure they will be able to bring their art to Lucky Lake in July rather than June. The Art Grants deadline has been extended from January 6th to January 20th. If you have any questions about your art grant or your application, please contact arthub@lakesoffire.org.

Lakes Letter – December 30th, 2022

End of Year Donations || Art Grant Applications Coming Due || Submit Your Effigy Ideas!

End of Year Donations

Did you know? GLEA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Our focus is on arts education and community development rather than making a buck off of ticket prices. It also means that US-based burners can write off a donation to GLEA on their taxes. If you’d like to donate to us, please visit our new Donation page and follow the instructions there. Any gifts of money we receive before January 1st can be deducted from your 2022 taxes.

So if you have a ducket to spare, send it our way and we’ll spread it around. Speaking of…

Art Grant Applications Are Coming Due

For Lakes of Fire 2023, we’ve earmarked up to $35,000 for Art Grants, and we want to give ALL that money away. There are only 8 days left to apply! The application window closes on January 6, 2023. Get the application form, example applications, FAQs, and more at the Art Grants page on our website.

Calling All Effigy Ideas

Send us your Effigy napkin sketches by January 6th, 2023. We can’t wait to see what you have to share!

What’s your idea for the Garden of Wonder effigy?!? After all, it must be built before it can be burned.

How do you submit an Effigy idea? Every effigy starts with a sketch. We don’t care what kind of paper you use (do you use paper?), a napkin will do. Have fun with it!

• Have an idea, but not sure how it’ll come together as an effigy? SEND A SKETCH!
• Have an idea and a plan? SEND A SKETCH!
• Have an idea and a build team and loads of experience making amazing burnable art? SEND A SKETCH!

Send your sketch to effigy@lakesoffire.org by Jan 6, 11:59 PM CST to get your idea in the running. Include your name, playa name and a picture of your sketch in the email, and be sure to put “Napkin” in the subject line.

Keep an eye on our Effigy Build Info and Application page – this is where we’ll publish the full application form and some pointers for filling it out. The full application is due January 22nd, 11:59 PM CST.

Go get lost in the beauty of the world outside, bring your favorite stylus, and get sketching. … Or a sharpie and plywood! As you like it.

Lakes Letter – November 22nd, 2022

Fall Retreat 2022 || Theme Announcement || Calling All Effigy Ideas || Art Grants Are Open || Art Grants on Facebook Live 12/7 || Board Announcements || Dates for Lakes of Fire 2023

Fall Retreat 2022

Recently the volunteers with Great Lakes Experimental Arts converged on their traditional meeting place to kick off the next year’s production cycle. A little fun with fire, a lot of snowfall, and many discussions later have launched us into the next year of planning the Burn. Let’s get to it!

Theme Announcement

A big thank-you to everyone who submitted a theme idea for Lakes of Fire 2023. The community sent in over 40 concepts in the first round of the process, and voted 413 times in the second round. The top 12 ideas from the community went to the org at the GLEA 2022 Fall Retreat for a vote.

We are pleased to announce that your theme for Lakes of Fire 2023 is Garden of Wonder!

Run wild and free with your imaginings, and stay tuned for the rest of this Lakes Letter, as we will immediately call on you to bring those imaginings to life.

Calling All Effigy Ideas

What’s your idea for the Garden of Wonder effigy?!? After all, it must be built before it can be burned.

How do you submit an Effigy idea? Every effigy starts with a sketch. We don’t care what kind of paper you use (do you use paper?), a napkin will do. Have fun with it!

• Have an idea, but not sure how it’ll come together as an effigy? SEND A SKETCH!
• Have an idea and a plan? SEND A SKETCH!
• Have an idea and a build team and loads of experience making amazing burnable art? SEND A SKETCH!

Send your sketch to effigy@lakesoffire.org by Jan 6, 11:59 PM CST to get your idea in the running. Include your name, playa name and a picture of your sketch in the email, and be sure to put “Napkin” in the subject line.

Keep an eye on our Effigy Build Info and Application page – this is where we’ll publish the full application form and some pointers for filling it out. The full application is due January 22nd, 11:59 PM CST.

Go get lost in the beauty of the world outside, bring your favorite stylus, and get sketching. … Or a sharpie and plywood! As you like it.

Art Grants Are Open

The Art Grants team is welcoming your art grant submissions today! The application process in fact opened on November 21st, 2022. For Lakes of Fire 2023, we’ve earmarked up to $35,000 for Art Grants. You have time to submit, but don’t linger: the application window closes on January 6, 2023. Get the application form, example applications, FAQs, and more at the Art Grants page on our website.

Art Grants on Facebook Live 12/7

Did you know? The Art Grant program funds new pieces of art or additions/upgrades to existing art. Because supporting the arts is our core mission at GLEA, it’s important for everyone to know how to apply and get funds to make the work you’re itching to create.
Maybe you’ve wanted to apply for an Art Grant but aren’t sure where to begin. Maybe you think your project is too large or too small to consider. Now you can find out. Join us LIVE on Facebook, as Foxy and TrashPanda hash out the specifics and field your questions. The live event is scheduled for Wednesday, December 7th at 6:00 PM CST. See you there!

Board Announcements

We are excited to tell you about the newest members to the GLEA Board of Directors. Starting in January 2023, our Board will welcome the following wonderful beings (human and otherwise) to the Board of Great Lakes Experimental Arts:

• Jen “Tastic” McCommons (’23, ’24, ’25)
• Jr “Uno” Garza (’23, ’24, ’25)
• Nicholas “Brace” Farr (’23, ’24, ’25)
• Emily Ifverson (’23)
• Robert “Rocket” Kolb (’23)

Come January 1st, they will join Just Ben, LoveWarrior, Moni, and Neha, as we say thank you to Pirate for serving a one-year term over 2022.

About the Expansion of the Board

Going into 2023, the GLEA Board of Directors will grow to nine members. This will be the first year we made the decision to have more than seven. We feel they will contribute to the long-term sustainability of our organization, and to plan ahead for that stability, we have also planned with each Board member the length of their current appointment. Three of the new Board Members have accepted full three-year terms, and two have accepted one-year terms with the invitation to re-apply for a full term at the end of next year. We expect these staggered terms will help the transfer of knowledge and values with this larger team.

Dates for Lakes of Fire 2023

Lakes of Fire 2023 does not have dates yet – that all depends on a series of complex star charts and infernal contracts. We can’t tell you exactly when we’re coming home! But, all the same, I will tell you that Lakes of Fire usually happens on the Father’s Day weekend in June. Don’t call in your time off work yet. We’ll have actual dates for you early in 2023.

Lakes Letter – October 17th, 2022

LAKES LETTER || Theme Ballot is Open

Theme Ballot is Open

Our three-week period for submitting ideas for Lakes of Fire 2023 is officially closed. Now for Round 2!

This ballot contains a list of the submitted theme names. Pick your top 3 from the list. The form will stay open for 3 more weeks and close on November 6th. After that, we take roughly the top 10 chosen theme ideas and bring those to the Great Lakes Experimental Arts Fall Retreat for the Leads to choose among.

You have three weeks to get out the vote. I’ll see you at the ballot box.

Lakes Letter – September 26th, 2022

LAKES LETTER || Dates For 2023? Settle Down | Send Us Your Theme Ideas

Dates for 2023? Settle Down

We’ve been receiving many inquiries about the dates for Lakes of Fire 2023. When will tickets go on sale? Which weekend will it be?

To this we say: easy, tiger. Great enthusiasm, and also, we are so early in the production cycle for our Burn. It’s understandable – we all want to go back, especially when we skipped two years (thanks, Covid). But we don’t usually know the dates for the event or the ticket sales until January at the earliest.

As long as you are subscribed to our newsletter you will be in the loop with plenty of advance notice. We gotchoo.

Send Us Your Theme Ideas

It may not be time to get your tickets, but it is time to brainstorm. We need a theme for 2023, and it may as well be yours!

Choosing the Lakes of Fire 2023 theme will be a three-round process:

1. September 26th – October 15th: Submit Your Ideas. Starting today, the Theme Idea Submission Form is open to accept your theme ideas. Submit as many as you like. We just ask you to describe how you think the community will play around with it. Pitch it!
2. October 16th – November 6th: Vote. On the morning of October 16th, this form will close and we will begin Round 2. A new form will open with all your insane ideas laid out and you get to vote on them. Pick your top 3 from the list. That form will stay open for 3 more weeks. (You only get to vote once, thanks to the magic of Google.) We’ll shout that new form link from the rooftops, don’t you worry – you’ll know when it’s open.
3. The Decidening. Once we have all your ideas collated neatly, we take roughly the top 10 theme ideas and bring those to the Great Lakes Experimental Arts Fall Retreat. There, the Lakes of Fire department leads and Board of Directors will participate in a GRAND AND SECRETIVE RITUAL to decide, among your top picks, the theme for Lakes of Fire 2023. Yes, obviously, fire is involved.

Send us your best brainstorms. Let the games begin!

BREAKING: Propane at Lakes of Fire 2022

6/15/22, 11:25 AM UPDATE

The original information release was incorrect – 40 LB tanks will be refillable on site. You can bring your 40 LB tanks and have the option to top-off without leaving.

GLEA Board and Info_Bot Here with a Propane Update

Our propane vendor has changed their policy and we are sharing this information to the community as early as possible. If you aren’t bringing any propane, you can skip this. If you are only bringing propane for a little cooking and don’t need to refill your tank on-site, you can skip this.

Our on-site propane vendor is only refilling tanks LARGER THAN 40 LBS 40 LBS OR LARGER this year. For reference, this is a picture of a 40 LB tank. It’s about 30″ tall and has a capacity of about 9 and a half gallons. Propane tanks smaller than 40 LBs are not eligible for refills on the property.

Why? Michigan law treats propane tanks larger than this size differently (effectively as commercial tanks), and our vendor is only refilling tanks bigger than the one shown.

Who does this affect? Anybody who needs to refill on propane during the Burn, most obviously participants with flame effects.

What do we do now?

• If you have a flame effect, bring cylinders and BRING THEM FULL. Fill up your propane before you begin your drive if at all possible. You should go on the assumption that refilling your tank will not be as easy as past Burns at Lucky Lake. If you can bring extra tanks, it may be worth your while.
• If you NEED to be able to refuel on-site, get cylinders 40 lbs or bigger. If you have some to bring, excellent – you will be able to refuel them on site. If you don’t have larger cylinders, consider buying them on your drive up. Names of vendors outside Chicago, Toledo, and around Michigan on the drive up are given below. Please don’t wait to look for them around Rothbury – the Board of Directors at GLEA have already scoured the area.
• Refill on-site at select theme camps. To refill on-site, you must bring your 40+ LB propane tank to Capn Nemo’s, Valhalla, or the Den. These camps have accounts with the vendor. You will need to settle up the cost with the theme camp runners. We highly suggest you bring cash and a variety of bills so that you can give exact change.

Large Propane Tank Suppliers

• Menard’s chain of stores (Chicago, IL and Toledo, Jackson, Lansing, and Bellville, MI)
• Tractor Supply Co (Toledo, Jackson, and Lansing MI)

Lakes Letter – June 13th, 2022

LAKES LETTER || WhatWhereWhen and Map for 2022 | Ticket Transfer Deadline | Before You Leave for Lucky Lake… | After You Arrive | Packing Dos and Don’ts

WhatWhereWhen and Map for 2022

We’re pleased to give you the PRINT WhatWhereWhen for Lakes of Fire 2022! Weighing in at 84 pages, this is perhaps the largest WWW we’ve ever produced. Thank you to everyone who put in the time to bring a theme camp, finish an art project, tool up a mutant vehicle or prepare a music set and plan an event to share with everyone. It’s because of you that we have so much to share.

If you only want the map, here is the full-color version and a printable grayscale version. Big thanks to Mare Mare and the Placement Team for this year’s gorgeous map!

And last but not least: we are delighted to give you the digital, mobile WhatWhereWhen at 2022.lakesoffire.org. The digital edition has a full events list, art projects, mutant vehicles, and theme camps. Favorite the events that catch your eye and view them on your agenda. Your phone will have a “Save to Home Screen” or similar option – this will make an icon that launches the app directly and full-screen. Thanks a million to the Info_Bot volunteers who made this happen! Aztpod on UX design, Meph on app infrastructure, Sean on the data platform, and the whole ‘Bot team on their feedback.

Ticket Transfer Deadline

The last week of transfers is upon us! A few reminders:

• Receive ticket first, then send payment. We can reverse a transfer, but not a payment to a scammer.
• If you are using the Facebook LOF Ticket Info & Exchange group: once your ticket is sold, or your need for a ticket is satisfied, please update your post and close comments. We want to keep the active offers/requests up top of the bookface feed.
• Transfers end Friday June 17, at 11:59pm Central.

Good luck everyone!

Before You Leave for Lucky Lake…

• Be familiar with the Gate Check-In process, and remember: Lakes of Fire is a no re-entry event.
• Be ready with your COVID vaxx card or recent test result; see our COVID safety policy.
• Have your government ID.
• Are you volunteering? Will you need to use a radio on your shift? Sign the radio waiver
• Are you bringing a phone? Assume you will lose it. Point of advice: set your lock screen to a picture with your NAME, your CAMP, and a friend’s contact information. You won’t regret it! (May want to turn on “Share My Location” with said friend, while you’re at it.)
• Don’t plan on getting any deliveries. We are serious about admitting only ticketed participants past Gate, and about being a no re-entry event. Delivery people don’t get in, Gate volunteers don’t deliver packages to the Lake, and stepping out to accept the delivery yourself means exiting the entire event.

After You Arrive

What are some things that you can do after you get through Gate, especially if you need assistance?

• After you are finished unloading, park in the lot outside and plan to leave your vehicle there (unless you have registered your vehicle with the Department of Mutant Vehicles).
• If you’re an artist, check in with ArtHub at Nexus. They are prepared to give you logistical support.
• If you haven’t volunteered for a shift yet, check in with Info_Bot at Nexus and ask if there are any shifts open. You will get a guaranteed volunteer ticket offer if you step up for 8 hours, but you definitely won’t get that if you don’t sign up and/or you flake out on your shift.
• If you do have a volunteer shift, check in with Volunteers at Nexus to make sure you have the right meeting place and time. Ask any questions you have. The Volunteer Dream Team is here to help the helpers.

Packing Do’s and Don’ts

DO Pack

We’ve got some pro-tips for you first-timers. This is not an exhaustive list – notably missing are things like “clothes for all weather and temperature”, “food”, and “lighting”. (But to touch on each of those briefly: you won’t regret overpacking clothes, you will regret overpacking food, and the more light you can wear at night, the more stylish you look. Visible is sexy.)

So besides what you’re already packing, here are some gifts to yourself and to others:

• Cash for ice and firewood. Firewood is $5/bundle, ice is $3/bag. These are for sale by the Nexus. The price for ice may be higher, so have some singles and be ready to pay a couple extra bucks.
• Lanyards. If you’re a volunteer and you have a lanyard from another event, bring it for the laminate you get on shift! Help us keep down on waste and expense.
• Canned food for the Greeters Food Drive. All foods go to the Trinity Community Pantry in New Era Michigan, a food bank that helps the community that has one of the highest rates of hunger in the state.
• Ingredients list for your food gifts. Save someone the use of an epi-pen! Make note of things like dairy, eggs, nuts, shellfish, nightshades/peppers, MSG, etc, etc.
• A gray water system. Don’t let it scare you – “gray water system” can be as simple as “a bucket with a lid and panythose over the top.” You pour your waste water (from cooking, brushing teeth, making coffee, etc) into the bucket, and the panythose will catch the solids. When you pack up camp, put the lid on the bucket and take the whole thing out with you. Trash the pantyhose and flush the water at home – the service stations outside of Lucky Lake do not want you to dump your gray water on their turf.
• A MOOP bag. Keep a small, durable bag on your person as you walk around Lucky Lake to stash your occasional bits of plastic and litter. Lakes of Fire is a Leave No Trace, “pack in/pack out” event, and having a MOOP bag on your person is the easiest way to do your part.
• Earplugs. If loud music bothers you, having good earplugs will extend your wandering range at night, and will make the music camps more fun/less devastating for you. Bonus perk: better sleep.
• Electrolytes. Stay hydrated.
• A thin plastic drop sheet for your bed. Crazy, right? If you put this over your bed before you head out for the day (or night), it will keep your bedding from getting damp. The drop cloth stops your sheets from wicking up the humid air, so that when you are ready to crawl in for sleep, you’ll be nice and dry. (It’s also insurance against a roof leak in your tent if it rains.)
• A set of fresh, dry clothes to wear on Sunday for your exodus from Lucky Lake! No matter how you feel when you get in the car to go, cozy Exodus clothes are a big gift to yourself.

Do NOT Pack

There are some things that just aren’t worth it to bring.

• Alcohol. We have reports of alcohol being seized during pull-over checks by police – it’s an old law in Michigan still being enforced. Buy your booze in-state!
• Trampolines. Yes they are fun, no they aren’t allowed; we are forbidden by our event insurance.
• Besides trampolines, avoid the forbidden items as detailed on our Gate Department/entry procedure page: Fireworks, weapons, glass, illegal substances, handheld lasers, and pets (Please see our Service Animal policy under our ADA Liaison page for service animal exceptions).

Lakes Letter – May 23rd, 2022

LAKES LETTER || Announcing: the Lakes of Fire Temple Burn in 2022 | Check Your Ticket on Burnertickets.com | Gate Hours Update | Key Dates and Forms For You | Volunteer Drive Update | Apply for the GLEA Board | Greeters Food Drive 2022

Announcing: the Lakes of Fire Temple Burn in 2022

The time has finally come to release this exciting announcement to the world! In 2022, Great Lakes Experimental Arts will be proud to present to you: the Temple of Resurrection by Bartek Karas and Lobo (Jason Araujo).

This piece will be burned Sunday Morning, 8 AM, on the peninsula.

Volunteer Opportunities for ticket-holders are available here!

The Temple of Resurrection is made solely of wood. There are no screws or other metal pieces in this temple. This was done intentionally to make the cleanup as easy as possible. If you plan on placing an item into the temple it can not be made of any material listed on this list, including metal and glass. All items that are created with material that can not be burned (see this list of prohibited materials) will be removed Sunday am, prior to burning and disposed of. If you have questions please email liz@lakesoffire.org.

Check Your Ticket on Burnertickets.com

Your friendly neighborhood Ticketing Team here. If you are currently planning on going to Lakes of Fire, and think you have a ticket, make sure you have a ticket!! So all y’all, we need you to do this. Right now.

1. Log in to Burnertickets.com.
2. Click the My Events/Transfers tab.
3. If you do not see a ticket labeled “Lakes of Fire 2022” (followed by your ticket type – volunteer, general, OMG, etc.) and a ticket number that starts with 22LOF, you DO NOT HAVE A TICKET TO LAKES OF FIRE.

No matter how many times we yell at folk, someone’s still gon’ fuck it up. There is a small contingent of people who still think that they have a ticket because they had one for the previous event. They didn’t read dozens of our emails, social posts, the Lakes Letter, this new tattoo I got on my ass, etc. and SO DID NOT BUY THE TICKET FOR THIS YEAR. That’s what we’re tryna stop. Better to ask our ticketing team now than to be turned around at Gate – cuz we guarantee it will happen to someone.

Gate Hours Update

In our April Lakes Letter, we announced that the Gate would close at 9 PM EST on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. The Lakes of Fire leads have decided to close at 11 PM EST instead, offering travelers from around the globe (but most probably Chicago) more time to arrive home. Huzzah!

Don’t forget to bring your Covid proof of vaccination or recent negative test! We would hate for you to arrive before 11 PM only to be turned away.

Key Dates and Forms For You

As we get closer to the burn, these are time-sensitive forms and volunteer opportunities for your consideration.

• Volunteer with the Effigy Build Team on Memorial Day Weekend
• Sound Installation/Camp Registration Form closes May 27th
• Minor Registration Form closes June 1st. If you are bringing a minor with you to Lakes of Fire, please fill this out before then! Otherwise you may get a long delay at Gate.
• WhatWhereWhen Event Submission Form closes June 1st. If you haven’t told us about your dance party/axe throwing competition/DJ set at the trash fence yet, hit that link and get busy typing.
• Wee Effigy and Other Effigy Form closes June 1st
• Ticket Transfers will close on Friday, June 17th at 11:59 PM Central

Volunteer Drive Update

Each year, there is a period of time running up to the Burn when our volunteer numbers are on the low end. We are currently in that period, having filled only 65% of our shifts. If you are attending this year and have not picked up a shift, please read all about our volunteer opportunities and pick a shift that fits your style today. It takes a village to make a Burn.

Apply for the GLEA Board

Are you interested in joining the Board of Directors at GLEA? Great! We’re looking to onboard 3 new people in 2023.

Great Lakes Experimental Arts, Inc. is seeking highly-dedicated volunteers to join the Board of Directors. Board members are the legal face of Lakes of Fire and are directly responsible for the long term production and sustainability of our event. There are no prerequisites for joining other than a deep commitment to seeing Lakes of Fire continue to thrive.

If you feel you have the experience and desire to serve the organization, event, and attendees through this vital role, come hang out at site 44 during this year’s event to learn more about what this position entails. We will host an “open house hour” at 2 PM on Friday, June 17th for all of your questions.

Look out for an email from us after this year’s event for information on key dates and the application form. Until then, please reach out to us at board@lakesofire.org with any questions.

Can’t wait to “fire emoji” with you in a few weeks!

Greeters Food Drive 2022

Show us your cans !!!

In a few short weeks, you will be frantically working on packing all of the things for Lakes of Fire? Take a moment to grab an extra can or two or ten, for our food donation project. Practice some Civic Responsibility and give back to the community we call home each year. We all know times are tough, but think of those that are really in need.

All food is being donated to the Trinity Community Pantry in New Era Michigan. This food bank provides more than 4,500 lbs of food to more than 180 families every week. This area of Michigan has one of the highest hunger rates and you can help!

In 2019 despite the weather for the week, we collected over 300 pounds of food for the Trinity Community Food Pantry in New Era, Michigan. This is the most we have ever collected, WAY TO GO Lakes of Fire Family!!!

The Greeter station will be accepting the food donations through the whole event up to 7 p.m. on Sunday exodus. We want to see your cans!

Requirements:

• Unopened
• Non-perishable
• Cans are preferred
• No glass please
• Also welcome are unopened unused toiletries
• Shampoos, soap. toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant etc. are also sorely needed

Volunteer Drive for Lakes of Fire 2022

LAKES LETTER || Return of the Culture Quiz! | Volunteer Drive for Lakes of Fire 2022

Return of the Culture Quiz!

In years past, some of you may remember Raptor’s Culture Quiz. If you’re new to Lakes of Fire, this quiz is for you!

As a regional Burning Man event, we strive to observe the 10 Principles. And by “We” I mean GLEA’s Board of Directors, your Department leads, and quite a lot of the people you meet around the Lake. Is this “culture” all just woo-woo hippie stuff? Or is it a transformative way to live generously and joyfully, in the moment, with a snarky community who rejects commodification and prizes free expression? It’s definitely woo-woo hippie stuff *and* the other thing. Test your readiness for the Lake and TAKE THE QUIZ today!

Volunteer Drive for Lakes of Fire 2022

To our fellow members of the Lakes of Fire Community:

The folks at Great Lakes Experimental Arts are coming to you once more with a humble request: help us realize the vision of One Burner, One Shift. What is that? Simple – during the Burn, if each participant takes one volunteer shift, we’ll have all the labor and communal effort we need to make the Burn an excellent experience.

Whatever your taste in volunteering, we have a shift for you. Save time during your burn and help out before and after the event – check out the DPW and Effigy build teams! We have roles for burners who love to be social or prefer to be aloof – see Rangers and Perimeter Ninjas. We always want more medical experts in the Emergency Services Department. And if you have low mobility and/or want to help burners with low mobility get around the burn, see the Mobility Initiative and Team Info_Bot, your friendly help desk jockeys at the Nexus.

8 Ways to Get Involved

Click on a department to learn more about volunteering with them in 2022.

• Code of Conduct
• DPW
• Effigy
• ESD
• Info_Bot
• Mobility
• Perimeter Ninjas
• Rangers

Conduct Crew

This year, the Code of Conduct Committee is seeking volunteers to be part of the new Conduct Crew.

What is the Code of Conduct Committee (CoCC)?

The CoCC is a group of year-round volunteers who investigate incidents that happened during the Burn, after the Burn is over. (During the Burn, Rangers are available to help resolve issues as they emerge.) CoCC investigations begin with a report and are carried out in the utmost respect of confidentiality for all parties involved. As part of that respect for confidentiality, CoCC members are anonymous. By following through on investigations, the CoCC’s goal is to help reporters find resolution – and, in some cases, to take disciplinary action against offenders in order to protect the community. In short, the CoCC does difficult, emotional work in the aftermath of an incident at the Burn.

What makes the Conduct Crew different from the Code of Conduct Committee (CoCC)?

The Crew does not handle investigations. These are volunteers whose time will be spent working in advocacy and education regarding safety, consent, and interpretation of our agreed-upon Code of Conduct. They help enrich our culture of consent by being proactive in talking about our CoC and responsive to community questions about it.

Opportunities to advocate, hold space, educate, and even perform skits will be available at Lakes of Fire 2022 and throughout the year. If interested, please write to board@lakesoffire.org with your interest and how you would like to serve. Thank you!

Sign Up with the Conduct Crew

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DPW

What the F@*K is DPW?

We are the Department of Public Works.

We are the stewards of the event grounds. We pride ourselves on WORKING HARD, PLAYING HARD, and GETTING THE JOB DONE – no matter what. DPW is responsible for transporting, setting up, and tearing down event infrastructure; managing offsite-storage, potable water, and the portos; building and maintaining all our signage, lighting, and barriers; and boots-on-the-ground support for all the event departments, the effigy crew, theme camps, and individual participants as appropriate. We keep the event running smoothly by keeping an eye on the nuts and bolts.

WE ARE NOW ALLOWING NEW RECRUITS TO SIGN UP FOR PRE/POST EVENT SHIFTS!

Want to get involved? Fill out our Crew RSVP form. That includes completing of all 4 steps as described (ie: signup.com, golf cart and radio waiver forms) in their entirety. If you have not completed all four steps you are not fully signed up to volunteer with us!

Which leads us to the “DPW WORK WEEKEND”. Work weekend will be held at Lucky Lake the weekend of 5/13-15. Our mission is to prep the site where event infrastructure storage containers will be placed.

Your volunteer hours participating in the DPW WORK WEEKEND will be recorded and allocated towards access to a 2023 LOF Volunteer Ticket!

Our DPW Work Weekend will also happen at the same time as the LOF SAFETY RETREAT. If the project goes well, interested soldiers will have the opportunity to join in on the activities!

Do the thing. Get on our roster and we’ll see ya at the lake, Soldier.

FYD! 💛

Dearie

Sign Up with DPW

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Effigy

Come be a part of the the 2022 Life Star Effigy cycle! From build to burn, we are still in need of volunteers. Off-site build shifts are still open nearly every weekend from now through Memorial Day! And we are still very much in need of some overnight LNT help Saturday evening into Sunday during event.

Build shifts are 10a-6p every Saturday and Sunday in Warren, MI. Can’t make an entire shift? Let us know you want to volunteer for a partial shift by emailing effigyvolunteers@lakesoffire.org and we will absolutely make that happen for you.

To find out more and to get signed up, Pre-Event build shifts and remaining On-Site volunteer shifts can be accessed by filling out the following form below. Thanks!

Sign Up with Effigy

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ESD

Hey my lovely burner beauties! Your ESD Lead here.

Do you have Medical or Fire training? Mental Health or Crisis Intervention experience? Do you have hands and ears and know how to use a pencil? Because ESD needs YOU to volunteer! Get your hours in helping wayward hippies apply bandaids, being a listening ear for those not having their best burn, or taking notes for the medical volunteers while working with an amazing team of intelligent, wildly attractive, and incredibly fun-loving kats.

Perks include: Daily meals, a very clean porto, and DCBBQ bringing you meats.

Email ESD@lakesoffire.org and tell me about yourself.
Can’t wait to see all your smiling faces in a few SHORT weeks!

Sign Up with ESD

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Info_Bot

At Team Info_Bot, you’re in the communications biz, baby. Your job is mostly to be helpful, friendly, and in the same place for a few hours. You will be responsible for helping other volunteers find their shift lead (when such groups are meeting around the Nexus), as well as helping volunteers when they need to drop or change their shift. It helps to be detail-oriented, working with information on paper. ‘Bots also help run the Lost and Found, such as it is at Lakes of Fire. (I hear there are special stickers for the Lost and Found volunteers this year, but THAT is a secret.)

This is a great volunteer role for someone who enjoys being conversational, who may need to be seated for long stretches of time, can track down open and filled shift information in our binders, and who does not mind seeing a lot of strangers on the other side of the desk. Training is available and we’re real easy to get in touch with! Contact us at info@lakesoffire.org if you’re interested, and also, please fill in the SignUp.com link below to guarantee your shift.

Sign Up with Info_Bot

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Mobility

This year, Lakes of Fire is pushing for greater access to Lucky Lake for burners with physical limitations and low mobility. In addition to supporting these burners with our shuttle program, we are seeking them out to help us operate the program. We have shuttle driver and shift leader hours available for anyone with physical limitations.

Shuttle drivers must be sober for their shift and will be doing check ins on burners who have requested it along with regular shuttle rounds.

Shift leaders will be checking drivers in and out and dispatching Hand Jobs to help where needed. We look forward to hearing from you!

Sign Up with the Mobility Initiative

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Perimeter Ninjas

We are looking for a few good Ninjas!

As Lakes of Fire grows more, we get more fire, more sound, and more participants. Unfortunately, this also means that we have an increase in folks that want to crash the party. We have to make a concerted effort to keep out anyone that might sneak in and become injured (or injure others.) To that effect, we have a number of roles available that might suit your unique Burner style:

ROVING NINJAS walk around the event and are REQUIRED to visit Theme Camps, parties, and bars. They are encouraged to “patrol” the dance floors and keep their eyes open for wrist bands. If you would like to volunteer, make a difference, and still experience your Burn, this may be the job for you!

(Partial sobriety required, but Ninjas should mingle with the bartenders, as they are often our first line of defense!)

Is the burn a bit too much for you sometimes?

STATIONARY NINJAS take a peaceful break from the noise and the lights. Stationary Ninjas are limited-mobility friendly, and you are welcome to bring your Little Ones. Star gazing, a quiet break, and even bird spotting are all bonuses for Stationary Ninjas. You are provided a shelter and chairs. We even have a couple of tall towers set up, for those who want to patrol from on high.

Are you good at keeping your cool and managing other people?

SHIFT LEADS are the communication brains of the operation, Shift Leads run our spy operation by radio. They coordinate movement and pass information between our roving and stationary Ninjas, Co-Leads, and Rangers. Moving resources where they are needed, they keep the whole operation running smoothly. Shift Leads with previous experience as Ninjas or in Logistics are preferred. Snacking is highly encouraged. (Snacks provided.)

Volunteers on Burn Night receive bonus hours!

Sign Up with Perimeter Ninjas

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Rangers

Rangers are the stewards of an event. They are intended to be a helping hand, a voice of reason and a source of information. They are the go-to resource for everyone from the participants to the Board of Directors. “I need a Ranger to …” is often heard.

Rangers are called on for conflict resolution, safety perimeters, and emergencies. Most often they are burners with radios, present all around the event building a sense of community, and helping burners to help themselves and each other.

A Ranger is not a security or police force for the event. Rangers “surf the edge of chaos,” appearing when needed and disappearing when all is well. Their art and gift to the event is providing appropriate, creative help – with style.

Why Ranger?

• You aid participants at the event anything from helping to problem solve to mediating disputes
• It is a great opportunity to also engage with people you might not normally get to talk to at an event
• You act as an ambassador for burner culture and the event
• You get a cool hat
• Rangers are not the police but we do help in emergencies
• Rangers do not ranger alone. You always have a partner to work with and a khaki shift lead

Ranger volunteer minimum requirements

1. Must be at least 18
2. Must attended training. See dates below for in-person and virtual training dates
3. Rangers need to be well rested and clear headed for doing their shift
4. You will need appropriate clothing for shift. Details in the ranger manual and you can always ask if you have questions

The following dates are planned for trainings:

• Detroit: (EST): May 7 12p-3p; June 4 12p-3p
• Chicago (CST): May 11th 7-10PM; June 2nd 7-10 PM
• Virtual: May 18th time 7PM CST

We will be scheduling additional virtual sessions and if we get enough demand for in person training we will setup additional dates.

If interested in attending or if you have questions, please contact Rangers@lakesoffire.org.

Sign Up with Rangers

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Lakes Letter – April 20, 2022

LAKES LETTER || Meet Our 2022 Art Grant Recipients | Key Dates and Forms Update | Gate Hours, Minors, and Covid Safety Info | Timestamps – An Effigy Take-Home Art Project | Car and RV Camping Reminder

Meet Our 2022 Art Grant Recipients

We are thrilled to announce our Art Grant recipients and projects for 2022. These projects represent more than $36,000 in funds to our artists, including projects led by young burners. See the Art Grants page on our website to see the full list!

Key Dates and Forms Update

You know we love paperwork at GLEA. So much so that we have a whole Key Dates and Forms page to track it all! Here are some upcoming dates that might affect you, dear reader:

• April 16th and 18th: Ticketing Fire Sales waaAAIIT that already happened! (If you are looking for a ticket, join the LoF Ticketing Info & Exchange group on Facebook)
• April 19th: Flame Effect registration form opens
• April 19th: Minor Registration form opens
• May 1st: WhatWhereWhen event submission Form opens
• May 1st: Art Project Registration Form closes
• May 15th: Mutant Vehicle Registration Form closes
• May 15th: Medical Necessity, RV, & Infrastructure Vehicle Registration Application Form closes
• May 15th: Flame Effect registration closes
• June 1st: Minor Registration form closes
• June 1st: WhatWhereWhen event submission form closes

Gate Hours, Minors, and Covid Safety Info

Suppose you have your ticket and are planning – scheming, let’s say – your exact arrival time at Lucky Lake. First – lucky you. And lucky me, because I get to see you there. Second, there are some things I can tell you right now that you should factor into your plans:

1. Gate’s Hours. Gate will be prepared to receive on Wednesday, June 15th through Friday, June 17th from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM local time. On Burn Night, being Saturday, June 18th, the hours are 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Nobody gets in on Sunday. Don’t be early and don’t be late.
2. But wait! What if you need to arrive before Wednesday? Well then, what you need is WAP. That’s right, you need a Work Access Pass. Arriving before Wednesday is strictly for those in possession of WAP. If you don’t have one and you show up on Tuesday, you will not get in. There is no way to apply for one; if you run a Theme Camp or need to arrive early for a volunteer shift, a Lakes of Fire lead should already be talking to you. If they haven’t, go talk to them and ask for WAP in whatever manner you find appropriate.
3. Minors must be registered with GLEA online. Only if you are bringing a young’un to Lakes of Fire, that is. Lucky for you, the Parents/Adults and Minors form (AKA the Minor Registration Form) is now open. A lot of this information used to be collected right at Gate, but to help save time at entry, we’re now collecting it in advance. If you are bringing kids, don’t wait – tell us before the form closes on June 1st.
4. COVID Safety. Mask up; if you don’t wear a mask when you’re talking to Gate, then Gate won’t talk to you. Second, in accord with our COVID policy, everyone in your vehicle will need proof of vaccination and/or a recent negative test result (within 72 hours of arrival) provided by a licensed facility. No safety, no entry.

Is all this entry information readily available outside this missive? Why, yes! Check our website here for a feast of instructional content on sailing smoothly through the entry process. Oh, nutritious instructional content!

Timestamps – An Effigy Take-Home Art Project

The Effigy Team is pulling out all the stops this year to get our whole community in on the action, whether you have a ticket home or not. Contribute to the burn with this burnable art project called “Timestamps!”

Fun Video Explanation available here.

For the Life Star effigy, any community members who want to contribute a piece of art to hang from the branches of this cosmic tree are welcome to do so!