FLOP No. 10 – Burning Man 2023 Rainout
GatheringPoint.new: The 50 Biggest Flops in Event History
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The Promise: A radically self-reliant utopia in the Nevada desert—art, community, and intentional gathering.
What Happened: Unrelenting rain turned the playa into mud. Thousands of attendees were stranded without supplies. Diplo and Chris Rock hiked out. Authorities issued shelter-in-place warnings.
What Failed: Logistics buckled. “Radical self-reliance” clashed with extreme weather. No scalable evacuation plan.
What We Learned: Even utopias need an exit route. Weather can undo the best intentions.
What an Event Pro Would’ve Advised: Plan for radical conditions. Build scalable shelter options. Partner with emergency services in advance.
