Portugal, Secret Location / Lugar Secreto

28. 12. 2023 ~ 3. 1. 2024

FAQ

Top Line

What’s a Burn?

You’ve probably heard of Burning Man, right? Well, that’s just the OG and the biggest of all the Burns. There are 100s of regional Burns around the world that are built on the same principles and encompass the same ethos.

Is this a (regional) Burn?

Well… there’s an official accreditation that the Burning Man organisation administers, and we don’t have that… but neither do most of the other regionals, so…

Is this a cult?

If you want to describe it this way for some “edginess” points, then fair play to you. Generally, cults come with a strong side dish of ideology. For Burns, it’s the reverse, it’s a celebration of individuality and we encourage you to bring you full self with all it’ quirks for others to appreciate and connect with.

What's different about this?

Whilst we love the hardcore dancey dancey of many of the bigger burns and festivals, we wanted to make something a little more wholesome. Yes there will be dancing and drinking, but more of the focus in the daytime will be on outdoor activities that we’re able to do in the beautiful paradise we’ve found!

As it’s the first time we’re running it, we’re also doing a compulsory ‘vibe check’ to make sure all attendees understand the event, and are going to have a good time.

Where is ReBurn?

In a secret location near Faro in Portugal. If you have bought a membership and are coming by car please message the organisers for the location.

What are the dates?

Dec 27th to 29th Build
29th – Jan 2nd Mad party
2nd – 4th Strike

December 27th is the earliest arrival date

How many people are coming?

No more than 150 people.

Can I bring a +1?

Whilst we encourage you to bring your friends, +1s are not allowed – everyone must do their own application form.

What will the weather be like?

Current best predictions are 17* days, 8* nights, low chance of rain. This is the weather forecast for a nearby town.

Do I have to come for the full week?

Everyone is welcome for as many or as few days of ReBurn as they can make.

How do I get there?

Fly to Faro in Portugal. We will be doing regular shuttles from the airport to the site for £5-10 (depending on numbers). Otherwise it is a £60 taxi, (we’ll give you an address to go to) or you can rent or bring your own car if you’d prefer. Please let us know if you’d like to drive and need the address.

The last 6km is a fairly serious off-road track. We’ve done it in vans and cars, but a lil fiat panda probably won’t make it. A bit of off-road driving experience would be preferred for this section – definitely do it in the light if possible or with one of us to guide you.

When should I get my flight for?

We recommend getting to Faro before 3pm on the 28th or 29th!

What to Bring

What do I need to bring?

Essentials:

Thermals – Prepare for lows of 5-8*c at night (17+*c in the day!) 5* at night is quite cold for camping, so be prepared good sleeping bags, good sleeping mat, good thermals, a good time. Hot water bottles for sleeping are also awesome, jus’ sayin.

Waterproofs – No rain is expected, but you never know!

Tent & sleeping bags – We have some sleeping spots available in shared bell tents, please get in touch if you need to use this.

Snacks – We will be providing one big vegan/gf meal a day for lunch, toast and cereals for the morning, and leftovers for the evenings. Bring some snacks for yourself. You’ll have a chance to buy food on the way from the airport.

A cup – It’s a burner thing. Bring a (non glass) cup and a caribiner so you can be gifted drinks.

An ashtray – if you’re a smoker, butts count as MOOP. Keep hold of them and put them in the right bin.

A headtorch – outside of the central area there really is 0 lighting. Bring a headtorch or two!

Recommended:

Fun things! – ReBurn is a unique opportunity to show off your weird and wonderful skills and interests! Bring things to play, share and enjoy! Musical instruments, Paint, Costumes, Silliness, Wholesomeness – all highly recommended.

Batteries – ReBurn is off grid, so if you want to use your phone, bring a power bank!

A towel – Surely you want to be the kind of cool frood who always knows where their towel is.

Spare socks – Yep

A spare blanket – We’ve never not appreciated a spare blanket.

Fairy lights – see and be seen! (Battery powered obviously)

Cutlery – If you can! Otherwise we have some for you

Drinks etc – we will have a bar with free booze included in your membership, but more is always more 🙂

A gift – Gifting is one of our principles. It’s super nice, bring some things to give to others.

Can I bring kids?

Unfortunately ReBurn is an 18+ event. If you have babes in arms or toddlers, we may be able to make an exception. Please reach out to discuss.

Can I bring my dog?

The land owners would prefer we didn’t have dogs, but if it’s absolutely necessary (and you’re able to pick up ALL their poop), then reach out and we’ll give you a doggy pass.

I can't bring a tent, can I come?

We have around 30 pre-set sleeping spaces available to those who most need it. Please reach out to claim one.

Volunteering

How many shifts do I need to do?

We ask that all participants, particularly those unable to make build or strike, sign up to 3 shifts: 1 kitchen shift, 1 cleaning shift, and 1 ranger or welfare shift. These are only an hour or two each, and are genuinely super fun ways to make friends and get involved. Honestly.

So wait, I pay AND work at a Burn?!

We know this sounds wild, but trust us, it ends up being a much better experience this way. When you help create the event from the ground up and take it all back down again, no one is a spectator and we all co-create and co-curate this experience for one another. Trust us on this one.

What do you mean by “Build” and “Strike”?

“Build” is the period during which the communal infrastructure for the event in put in place and “strike” is the period at the end of the event, when the site is returned to it’s original state and all of our “stuff” is removed from the site.

What is a Ranger?

These are generally experienced Burners who take on a position of responsibility and look after the well being of everyone on site by being sober and responsive to what is going on so as to mitigate risks for everyone concerned.

What's the deal with food?

We will be providing one big main meal per day for lunch – included in the membership – this will be vegan, gluten free and allergen respectful. We’ll be providing cereal, coffee and toast etc for breakfast, with leftovers and snacks for dinner.

Will my dietary requirements be catered for?

Yes and no. We will do what we can, but cannot guarantee cross-contamination won’t occur. If you have severe allergies please let us know and we will do the best we can, but we also encourage everyone to bring some snacks for themselves.

Quality of Life

How is waste being managed?

There are divided compost, recycling and trash recepticles by the kitchen.

What are the noise restrictions?

Well, this is an interesting one. Technically, there are no sound restrictions – we have no neighbours. Literally. However, whilst ReBurn will have some crazy night dancing, it’s also a more wholesome daytime burn, this is definitely what we’ll be focusing on, so we will be shutting down music at about 3am every night, except for NYE itself, where the party may just not stop.

What facilities are there?

There will be compost toilets and outdoor showers. If the build goes well we may be able to convert these into showers heated by an outdoor fire!

What about the loos?

We have 4 compost loos already built, and will be building 2 more during ‘build’. These are for solids only. Peeing must be done in the wild.

Can I use my own shampoo etc?

Only if they’re “camping safe” / biodegradable

Why burn stuff?

Because it’s cool! A bit of fire is always mesmerising to gaze into. There is also a ritualistic value. Often attendees will treat Burns as an opportunity to “let go” of any emotional that they’d rather not carry around.

What is MOOP?

MOOP stands for “Matter Out Of Place.” This means any piece of rubbish that is not in a bin or on it’s way to a bin. One of the conditions of the land hire is that we collect every single piece of moop. So we will.

What are the rules on nudity?

Allowed and encouraged! Nude shaming will not be supported – be free!

How do you ensure safety when on site?

We are all friends and friends of friends and we will all look out for one another. We have a welfare team, and first aiders on site, and a few medics who are there for fun, but will lend their expertise if needed. However, it is first and foremost your responsibility to look after yourself

Can we swim in the lake?

You can absolutely swim in the lake. Bear in mind to do so with a friend for safety reasons and certainly don’t attempt this in the darkness or when intoxicated. It will be cold!

Is there a guide to what will happen at ReBurn?

But of course! Click on (and contribute to!) the JoMo (Joy of Missing Out) guide in the master spreadsheet

Good to know

Why do this as a not for profit event?

It’s done for the love of the community, the experience and the connections that it brings. It’s fair to say that Burns are a very different culture to the default world.

What’s a sparkle pony?

This is a mythical creature that roams the playas of various Burns, relying on their sparkling personality to provide them with all they need, having made no preparations of their own. Sparkle ponies rock up, glitter and shine, and fuck off, without contributing to the magic. We don’t like sparkle ponies.

Will Paris Hilton be there?

She’s still stuck in the mud by Robot Heart.

Will Keanu Reeves be there?

Dear god we hope so

Will Kanye be there?

No.

What’s the point of effigy?

We will burn an effigy to signal the start of ReBurn!

What’s the point of the temple?

The temple is built throughout the event, and is a silent burn on the night 2nd symbolising the end of ReBurn (and the transition to strike)