What is a Theme Camp?

Theme camps are groups who provide an interactive experience that helps build the texture of our temporary city. Through the provision of activities, venues, and other participatory efforts, Theme Camps form the foundation to make Constellation City come to life.

A Theme Camp is a gift to the entire community.

Does your camp like to cook for others? Does your camp run a bar? You are a Theme Camp! Does your camp host a place to dance and party? You are absolutely a Theme Camp! Maybe your camp is a place where people can relax and recharge. Indeed – still a Theme Camp! Maybe you want to be the place we go to learn and play together. Awesome! You are a Theme Camp!

The idea for Theme Camps draws from the first two Principles of Burning Man: Radical Inclusion and Gifting. As a Theme Camp, you are creating and giving a gift to the entire community without any expectation. You are gifting events, space, creativity and so much more which all help make our event a success. To distinguish between just a group of people camping together and a Theme Camp ask “What is our collective gift to the community?”

We look forward to seeing and enjoying your Theme Camp. As a Theme Camp who has registered and been approved for placement by the City Planning Team, you get:

  • A pre-approved space for your Camp on site; 
  • Automatic listing in the Hitchhiker’s Guide and on the site map so participants can easily find you; 
  • The opportunity to apply for a theme camp art grant to subsidize your camp art/art making; and
  • The ability to apply for early entry if you need extra setup time!

Official Theme Camp Registration for Constellation 2023 will begin July 19th, but we want to hear from you now if you Intention to Theme Camp at Constellation 2023! Click Here to give us some info about your potential awesome Theme Camp!

Potentially maybe wanna have a theme camp at Constellation Burn 2023?!?

We’re inviting folks to let us know in advance if you think you kinda sorta maybe want to have a Theme Camp at Constellation 2023! (Or if you’re damn sure you do, that’s great too!)

This helps us immensely with all sorts of things, including city planning, map making, signage, logistics, where to place portos, how to provide for amplified sound, and so on.

This is NOT BINDING! It’s just to give us a general sense, and it’s extremely helpful. If you change your mind, plans fall through, your camp infrastructure becomes sentient and hitchhikes cross country to escape, whatever might happen, you can back out. If you don’t follow up with Theme Camp Registration when it opens on July 19 and won’t be coming, just let us know. We’ll be in touch with friendly reminders of the upcoming required registration period, which will ask for much greater detail.


On July 19th, to register your Theme Camp and apply for placement:

Hanging Balls Theme Camp, photo by Sara Muskulus, PDF Spring 2015