We got some crazy storms up here in Great Lakes country this past weekend! The Info-bot knows that flooded basements are no fun, but you can turn that frown upside-down, sweetie, because Lakes of Fire 2010 (A Spaced Oddity) is just two little weeks away!! And guess what!?!? By the time our ticket sales closed on Saturday evening, the event was over 99% sold out! Hot damn!

Before getting down to the nitty gritty, the Info-bot would like to remind you briefly that Lakes of Fire 2010 is an outdoor event at which severe weather – including but not limited to lightning, prolonged heavy rains, high winds, and even hail – is definitely a possibility. Please consider some of the weather you may have witnessed this past weekend and think about how you’re going to come prepared with strong and sturdy shelter that will keep you dry in the most extreme conditions.

As usual, there’s a lot of important information here. Please check this stuff out carefully, or just go to our Survival Guide!

http://www.lakesoffire.org/survival-guide/

TICKETS:
Ticket sales are now closed. No tickets remain for sale through Lakes of Fire and there will be no ticket sales at the gate . . . as in zero. Do NOT show up to Lakes of Fire 2010 expecting to pay cash at the gate. If you missed out, we recommend you join your local Burning Man group — plans change so it’s possible someone will sell their tickets and that’s the best place to look. Tickets sold for $35 & $40 depending on the tier. Be sure to get the printed bar code to bring with you to the event. Find your local Burner communities here: http://regionals.burningman.com/na_index.html

GATE HOURS: (All Times Eastern Time Zone)
Thursday – June 24th, 2010
12:00 Noon – 12:00 Midnight – Gate closes.

Friday – June 25th, 2010
8:00 AM – 12:00 Midnight – Gate does not close!

Saturday – June 26th, 2010
12:00 Midnight – 6:00 PM – Gate closes.
Participants only! No spectators please. You must be on-site by 6:00 P.M. to participate in Lakes of Fire. No admittance will be allowed after this time.

Sunday, June 27th, 2010
All participants except for organizers, DPW, and Earth Guardians must be off the property by 4:00 P.M. No exceptions.

SOUND: PROTOCOLS
Excessive sound is the single most likely reason that law enforcement officers will visit Lakes of Fire and, incidentally, your campsite. The rules are as follows.

1) You must report the sound equipment you have with you at the Greeters’ Station, even if it’s just a boom-box.
2) The Sound Squad (Rangers, Organizers, and Sound Team Volunteers) may ask you to turn your volume down to safer levels, or even completely off. You must respect these requests.
3) You may not use sub-woofers after 11:00 P.M. on Thursday, June 24th; 11:59 P.M. on Friday, June 25th; or 2:00 A.M. on Sunday, June 26th. Sub-woofers can be turned on again at 11:00 A.M. Friday-Sunday.
4) Total decibel output may not be more than 95 dB at 20 paces/40 feet after midnight, and may be no more than 90 dB at 20 paces/40 feet after 2:00 A.M.

The Sound Squad will be monitoring sound-levels with decibel-readers, and what will be considered “reasonable output” as the situation demands, after 2:00 A.M. Failure to comply with their requests will be grounds for your removal from the event. If the police arrive with noise complaints, they may be directed toward specific camps which are suspected of violating our Sound Policies.

Unfortunately, Lakes of Fire 2010 is not blessed with five square miles of open playa. We have a relatively small location, local neighbors on whose good humor this event depends, and hilly terrain that propels sound to relatively distant locations in ways we can’t predict. The Sound Squad asks that all camps and participants respect the needs of our neighbors and keep sound output within reasonable levels. Please protect the safety and success of Lakes of Fire by complying with all sound restrictions when they are in effect. Should you choose otherwise, the Sound Squad, which is tasked with protecting this event, will start making the choices for you.

VOLUNTEERS: WE NEED YOU!
Lakes Of Fire is a 100% volunteer run event. Whether it’s building the mighty effigy, organizing the A-maze-ing parking lot, or even constructing this handy-dandy survival guide everything is done by volunteers exactly like you. So don’t just participate, volunteer-ipate! And become an integral part of Lakes of Fire. We’ve got a place for you no matter what your skill set.

If you think you’d like to join our motley crew of do-ers, moties and super(wo)mans, please sign up at http://Lakesoffire.org/volunteer-ipate/ Or contact Breedlove at Breedlove@lakesoffire.org

LEAVE NO TRACE: THE PRIME DIRECTIVE.
Lakes of Fire is a leave no trace event, that means we pride ourselves on leaving the site even cleaner than we find it. We count on every single participant to pick up after themselves and to pick up other litter they see dropped on the site. There is no dumpster on site; be prepared to take home everything you bring including your garbage and recycling. Smokers, bring a tin for those cig butts. Chose cans for that beer and soda not glass bottles. Everyone must bring garbage bags for your trash and be sure it makes it all the way home with you for proper disposal. Want to be extra helpful? Join our Earth Guardians for during event site cleanups and post event complete sweep. Let’s leave the site even better than we find it! http://www.Lakesoffire.org/volunteer-ipate/

Or, you can contact Breedlove at breedlove@lakesoffire.org.

That’s all for now!

Can’t wait to see you at Lakes of Fire (2010).

xoxo,

Get all excited!

Great Lakes Experimental Arts, Inc. is super-stoked to announce that from Thursday, June 24th, through Sunday, June 27th, the mighty Willow Ranch in rural southwest Michigan will again become home to your official Great Lakes Burning Man Regional Event: Lakes of Fire. 2010’s theme is A Spaced Oddity . . . . . of course. So come prepared to make contact!

Hosted at the Willow Ranch Arts and Events Center in rural Lacota, Michigan, USA, Lakes of Fire is a collaborative celebration of art, fire, music, and friendship. Lakes of Fire 2010: A Spaced Oddity will be for you, and by you. Like last year, you’ll enjoy outdoor camping, both in theme camps and in open camping settings; music, a glorious effigy, large and small scale art both fiery and otherwise, a carnival atmosphere, and all of the creative energy and wild spirit that you and hundreds of your closest friends from around the Great Lakes (and around the world) can bring! Envision the Great Lakes version of Black Rock City. Lakes of Fire will be smaller than Burning Man, more accessible, and with rolling hills, forests, and fields instead of open playa. You won’t get dust storms or temperature swings. But you’ll surely enjoy the mosquitoes, rain, and toxicodendrons-radicans.

If you’re driving, Lakes of Fire’s location is roughly two hours from Chicago, four hours from Detroit, Milwaukee, or Indianapolis, six hours from Cleveland or Columbus, and seven hours from Toronto. Our rules, regulations, and binding principles are simple, and can be found here:

If you can live within these guiding principles, you’re beyond welcome to enact the second Lakes of Fire.

Details are still emerging. Tickets will be available in April. We hope you can join us for this celebration of art, fire, and friendship!

Love,