Survival Guide
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The Survival Guide


This Survival Guide is essential reading for every participant - Read it carefully!

The POrtalBurn Survival Guide is a resource to help participants prepare for and enjoy the event. It is our handbook to help you understand the rules, expectations, supplies needed as well as other information about POrtalBurn and our interpretation of Burn culture.

Like every regional, POrtalBurn has its own unique rules and policies. While we strive for unity with Burning Man and other regionals, POrtalBurn has its own unique challenges and, therefore, its own policies.

Please review this Survival Guide often, it is updated regulary as we adapt to the ever changing needs of our Burn. PLEASE DON'T ASSUME ANYTHING.

POrtalBurn is an officially sanctioned Regional Burn! We are not a festival but a charity with a mission to support artists and their communities in Upstate New York.

POrtalBurn is a 100% not-for-profit charity that operates under the name (UNYPA) Upstate New York. POrtalBurn Arts, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) and is guided by the Ten Principles of Burningman, created by Larry Harvey.

POrtalBurn is the main event produced by UNYPA. It is a Temporary Town and Autonomous Zone (TAZ) where participants create a self-sustaining community designed for social interaction, participation, and the display and creation of art of many different forms of art.

POrtalBurn POrtalBurn, an officially sanctioned Burning Man Regional Burn, follows the 10 Principles of Burning Man. We ask all participants to familiarize themselves with the principles before the event, practice the principles during the event, and help us build and create amazing things in our communities around the world

Burning Man co-founder Larry Harvey wrote the 10 Principles in 2004 as guidelines for the newly-formed Regional Network. They were crafted not as a dictate of how people should be and act, but as a reflection of the community's ethos and culture as it had organically developed since the event's inception.

Radical Inclusion
 Anyone may be a part of Burning Man. We welcome and respect the stranger. No prerequisites exist for participation in our community.

Gifting
 Burning Man is devoted to acts of gift giving. The value of a gift is unconditional. Gifting does not contemplate a return or an exchange for something of equal value.

Decommodification
 In order to preserve the spirit of gifting, our community seeks to create social environments that are unmediated by commercial sponsorships, transactions, or advertising. We stand ready to protect our culture from such exploitation. We resist the substitution of consumption for participatory experience.

Radical Self-reliance

 Burning Man encourages the individual to discover, exercise and rely on their inner resources.

Radical Self-expression
 Radical self-expression arises from the unique gifts of the individual. No one other than the individual or a collaborating group can determine its content. It is offered as a gift to others. In this spirit, the giver should respect the rights and liberties of the recipient.

Communal Effort
 Our community values creative cooperation and collaboration. We strive to produce, promote and protect social networks, public spaces, works of art, and methods of communication that support such interaction.

Civic Responsibility
 We value civil society. Community members who organize events should assume responsibility for public welfare and endeavor to communicate civic responsibilities to participants. They must also assume responsibility for conducting events in accordance with local, state and federal laws.

Leaving No Trace
 Our community respects the environment. We are committed to leaving no physical trace of our activities wherever we gather. We clean up after ourselves and endeavor, whenever possible, to leave such places in a better state than when we found them.

Participation
 Our community is committed to a radically participatory ethic. We believe that transformative change, whether in the individual or in society, can occur only through the medium of deeply personal participation. We achieve being through doing. Everyone is invited to work. Everyone is invited to play. We make the world real through actions that open the heart.

Immediacy
 Immediate experience is, in many ways, the most important touchstone of value in our culture. We seek to overcome barriers that stand between us and a recognition of our inner selves, the reality of those around us, participation in society, and contact with a natural world exceeding human powers. No idea can substitute for this experience. POrtalBurn is typically held the last weekend of July.

POrtalBurn's home is Humming Bird Hill in Almond, NY. The exact Location can be found in ticketing. This information is located in the Gate Menu on the Ticketing page.

Other information about the gate and what happens at the gate can be found further down this list! Our principle Radical Self-Reliance states an "individual should aim to discover, exercise and rely on his or her inner resources". Meaning bring whatever it is you need to camp in a variety of weather.

The event space is a natural area that consists of a hilly mowed field and wooded areas, with a swimable pond in the center.

Bring your own food, bug spray, sun block. Be aware of ticks, and do daily tick checks. Learn what poison ivy looks like, and don't touch the fuzzy vines. Bring clothing appropriate for warmth and protection. Burning is about Radical Self-Expression!

People find all kinds of fun and creative ways to express themselves. On-site you will see naked people, painted people, puppy people, shinny people, BDSM people and some of the most creative outfits you can imagine.

Just be yourself, and say hello! Remember Nudity is NOT consent, and photos of you can only be taken with consent! Please see Media Policy in waiver

Burners LOVE it when new people discover our culture. You will likely be welcomed with open arms. However, many Burners are very protective of the culture and have the expectation that you have at least glanced at the 10 Principles.

Remember POrtalBurn and Burns in general are NOT festivals! There is no stage, what is here is beacuse someone like yourself worked to bring it. Please Respect that and figure out a way to help that!

Here is a link to the Ten Principles to help you make the best of your experience. Get involved, and don't be afraid to ask questions on the POrtalBurn Facebook Discussion Group. Since you're reading this, you're off to a great start!

Volunteering

Glad you asked! Every person that comes to portal is a participant. Volunteering is what makes portal function, there is zero paid staff and we as community work together to make Portal Burn Happen.

Volunteer sign-ups & information can be found on our Volunteer page.

Once on-site you can also visit the TIT – The Information Tent, to see the volunteer schedule and sign up for open shifts.

This event cannot happen without volunteers! Repeat: POrtalBurn is a volunteer driven event. Without YOU, POrtalBurn cannot happen. Just do it. You know you want to. C'mon… click it and sign up!

Getting there and back

Many of us drive a very long distance to get there. You are responsible for getting your stuff together and removing it at exodus.

The organizers will be on-site for a very long time after the event restoring the property and ensuring we have left no trace. PLease do your Part.

We are not a festival, and not your mom. Please figure your stuff out, and don't expect others to do it or you. Burners are always looking to give a hand up, but don't expect a handout. No one is obligated to give you anything. This includes rides, food, and shelter. Practice Radical Self-Reliance. An awesome member of our POrtalBurn community created a rideshare group on FaceBook. And thank you for ridesharing! We are asking everyone to carpool! All Vehicles are required to have a Parking Pass, RV Pass and a Utlity Trailer Pass.

Primary parking is on-site, not far from open camping. You may be allowed to drive into parts of the event site to unload, then move your car to a parking area. If you arrive after dark, please use flashlights or headlamps while walking back to the event site. When you arrive, Parking volunteers will guide you. Parking will be tight - please carpool!

Most of the open camping does not have vehicle access, so it will be 'walk in' with a load/unload zone not far away. We will have some wagons available to help make it easier, but you are encouraged to bring your own wagons and handcarts as well.

Most placed Theme Camps will have vehicle access for loading and unloading. Parking Volunteers will manage the number of vehicles permitted in the theme camp space at any given time. Once unloaded, theme camp vehicles will need to be moved out of the event space to the primary parking area, unless they have been granted permission by our Placement Lead to park onsite. All RV, camper, and those wishng to sleep in vehicle placement must have a pass and be pre-approved (theme camp or not). If you do not have pre-approved on-site parking, you will need to park your vehicle in one of the main event parking lots. Do not bring an on-site vehicle (camper, van, RV, etc) without prior authorization, and do not anticipate sleeping in your vehicle in the parking lot. On-site sleeping vehicles will be in designated areas only and will be provided with an 'On-Site' Parking Pass at the Gate.

Please visit our Camps page for Placement registration

Email our Placement Lead here if you have questions portalburnplacement@gmail.com.

I am on-site, what do I need to know?

When you arrive at PortalBurn you will first stop your car at gate and check in.

DO NOT GET OUT OF YOUR CAR. GATE VOLUNTEERS WILL COME TO YOU!

You will need a Valid ID, and a ticket in your name.

A gate volunteer will check you in put the wrstband on your wrist and instruct you on what to do next. (For example, unload, where to park, and where to find parking.)

Everyone attending POrtalBurn will be given a wristband that must be worn at all times during the event.

Wristbands colors denote the participants age group and are different from year to year.

Please see the signs posted throughout the event for wristband information.

If your wristband is lost or damaged please contact a POrtalBurn BOD member. Anyone found without a wristband will be ejected from the event. There are designated areas for theme camps, open camping, and some 'quieter' spaces, but it can still be loud. If you want quiet, you should bring earplugs. The majority of open camping will be on the hill, and there is a primary field that will be used mostly for theme camps and big art. A site map showing designated areas will be posted prior to the event.

Burners are typically "Glampers" set up whatever you like; the bigger the shelter, the more challenging it may be to find adequate space.

We highly encourage you to light up your camp to make it magical. Use flashy lights or laser strobes, or be as extra as you like! Illuminating pathways invites participation! Humming Bird Hill has a large lodge and deck—we affectionately call it the Burrow! It is central to the event space and time slots can be reserved at The Information Tent. All events in the Burrow must be appropriate for children.

To reserve a time slot in the Burrow pre-event, please visit the ART & Events page and request in the appropriate form. POrtalBurn does not provide on–site electricty. If you need it please bring it! Please do whatever you can to mitigate sound, and be considerate of your neighbors. If a neighbor is bothered by your generator, be graceful and work it out. Do not run generator/power cords across walking/driving paths, and be conscious of positioning your generator safely if it's in a wooded area. If you're able to share gennie power with neighbors, it's a beautiful thing.

There is electricity in pavilion, however it will not be available for general camp use. We anticipate the electricity will be used for activities in the pavilion, and our Safety Core volunteers. Please bring potable water for personal consumption and camp needs from home. Any water provided by POrtalBurn is for Emergencies. There will be a communal co-ed open shower (no walls) in a central area using potable water provided by our hosts. In keeping with POrtalBurn tradition, it is often cold! You are welcome to set up your own shower system near your camp. Please be aware of any water runoff and how it may affect the environment and other participants.

Principle reminder: Leave No Trace! Soaps or shampoos MUST be environmentally friendly, biodegradable, and non-toxic. Please do not leave your shower supplies behind as a 'gift'—that's just gross. Leave No Trace! Hummingbird Hill has a pond, and yes, you may swim in it AT YOUR OWN RISK! Don't forget your floaties.

ALL CHILDREN MUST BE WITH A SOBER ADULT AT ALL TIMES!

NO SWIMMING AFTER DARK, Those in violation will be removed from the event. Ice is the only thing for sale at POrtalBurn. It is available in the freezers at the Burrow and on-site from Thursday afternoon through the weekend. The freezers will be restocked if they run low before Sunday. The ICE cost will be posted on the front of the freezers. We use the honor system for payment; please don't ruin it for everyone.

Recommended minimum donation will be posted, it is generally 3 to 5 per bag. Any extra proceeds will benefit POrtalBurn Art Grants!

There is NO RE-ENTRY so please DO NOT LEAVE to buy ice! There is NO dumpsters or trash recepticals. This is a 100% LNT (Leave No Trace) event. So, pack it in, pack it out. You are responsible for every piece of trash you generate. It is our Civic Responsibility to ensure our event does not negatively impact the community around us. DO NOT dump your trash at local businesses. It jeopardizes the future of our event.

Have a 'camp trash plan'. Discard product packaging before arrival. Bring trash bags. Embrace reusable supplies. Burn your burnables. Avoid glass containers. Collect your recycles. Bring your portable ashtray. Keep trash and food in your camp covered and closed to avoid attracting wildlife. LNT means you pack it out with you. DO NOT leave your trash behind. Camps that fail to LNT may not be granted placement at future POrtalBurns. Open campers… we see you too. DPW will conduct a final moop sweep and publish a moop map. Please make our moop map pretty! We recommend disconnecting for the weekend. We understand that times have changed, and cell phones have become integral to our lives. However, a break from the digital world can be refreshing and beneficial.

The service is mostly dead zones, but if you walk around the site or to the very top of the hill, there are some spots where you can get service.

If you have an actual emergency, contact a BOD member, and they will help get you connected to the internet.

Fire!

Fire is the very heart and essence of life. For it is phenomena rather than substance, that is revealed, seen and touched in ways of risk and ritual.

Yes, you can have a burn barrel or elevated fire pit. Propane grills for cooking are still allowed at the event.

Campfires must be at your campsite, raised off the ground, in a contained barrel or elevated fire pit, and must be monitored at all times. DO NOT leave any fire unattended.

Camps with fire must have a fire extinguisher (5 pounds, ABC type) or 5-gallon filled water bucket readily available.

As part of your ticket price, POrtalBurn will provide locally obtained wood for the effigy burn, camp burn barrels, and fire pits.

DO NOT bring outside firewood. This region is highly sensitive to the Emerald Ash Borer (a disastrous invasive species that is tightly monitored) and wood from outside of the immediate area is prohibited.

There will be a designated ash dump in the effigy burn field. When you leave, you must responsibly dispose of any ashes from your burn barrel or fire pit. Do not discard any ashes or embers anyplace other than the designated ash dump.
Due to new insurance regulations, all fire effects, boofers, poofers, and flaming art are banned from POrtalBurn 2024.
There will be a zero-tolerance policy; any person(s) in violation will be immediately removed from the event.
Hell yes! Fire spinning is encouraged in open, safe, and designated areas. Do NOT spin fire in the woods. If theme camps wish to host a fire circle, they must ensure the area has been cleared of debris and flammable objects. Fuel should be stored safely outside the fire circle in an appropriate fuel dump. Every fire performer is expected to have a designated safety spotter, fire blanket, and fire extinguisher. The Fire Conclave is a composition of select fire performance groups from around the world who create choreography dedicated to honoring the Man

Do to insurance only five performers can be lit at one time. Every spinner MUST use a desiginated safety spotter!

If you need more information please contact our Conclave or Fire lead! portalburnfire@gmail.com! The effigy and temple are the core of the Ten Principles. We are not worshiping anything.

Together, we create a temporary town for each other to enjoy. We work hard to uplift and help each other out.

Some say Effigy symbolizes the city we created together, the effort, the art, and our temporal place together. No Matter what we do, all good things must come to an end.

Others have said the Temple symbolizes our love for each other, our acceptance of each other, and our acceptance of what has been lost. Of course, you can! And there are tons of money in art grants to help you do that and encourage all to apply.

Contact the Fire Lead before the event if you don't need a grant and want to burn your art! Our leads will also help you ensure your project meets fire safety guidelines. You'll find guidelines for Fire Safety, Inspections, and Burn Barrels here.

Art

If you insist on calling Burn a Festival, understand it is an art festival! We are not a Music Festival! Music is just one of the many forms of art.

You are encouraged to make and share art and events for others to enjoy. It is why POrtalBurn Exists and is part of our mission.

If you want more information, please visit our art page, and don't forget to submit your plans and ideas to the HELP guide.

If you have any questions about bringing your art to POrtalBurn, please get in touch with our Art Leads at portalburnarts@gmail.com.

If you want to know the finer details about selection and funding for projects, please see the Art Grant FAQs here

All artists are asked to provide an 'Artist's Statement' for any artwork placed there. All Artists should review the POrtalBurn Art Practices (PAP), located here, to learn more about art at POrtalBurn.

 We have an Art Committee comprised of awesome volunteers from the POrtalBurn community! If you are interested in being on the Art Committee, please email portalburnarts@gmail.com with the subject 'Art Committee.' Yes, though vehicle traffic throughout the event site is limited and weather-dependent. If you would like to bring an art car, please email the POrtalBurn BOD at POrtalBurnny@gmail.com with the subject 'Art Car' and your project name. We'll need to understand the nature of your art car and talk about safety. Yes there will! If it didn't come out of your body, don't put it in the potty. Single ply TP only. Please use them responsibly. Wanna decorate one to make the potty experience better for everyone? Apply for a grant HERE! Yes! It's a burn. Let's get this straight: BURNS ARE LOUD. One more time for those in the back: BURNS ARE LOUD.

There are quieter areas, but there are no quiet areas. You may hate them or love them, but sound camps do not give AF. If you have ever had the opportunity to attend Burning Man, you will quickly understand that horns, bass, alarms, and every other sound are part of Burner culture tomfoolery. POrtalBurn does have a sound policy. But trust me, it's still loud. We highly suggest bringing earplugs to sleep.

Any camp with amplified sound must apply for Theme Camp Placement. Sound camps are expected to honor the following guidelines:

Position speakers and adjust levels so the sound is contained to your camp and doesn't bleed into other camps or open camping.

Consult with your neighboring camps when positioning speakers to avoid conflict.

Bass often travel farther than the event. If a neighbor complains, we will ask you to turn down your bass at night or possibly turn off your subs.

If a neighboring camp asks you to lower your sound, we expect you to resolve the issue amicably. If you are not able to resolve it, contact the BOD on Call for assistance.

During the event, the sound will be carefully monitored by our dedicated team of event volunteers. If you are asked to adjust your sound by someone in an official capacity, you are expected to comply. Rest assured, our volunteers are here to assist if needed.

Sound turndown is between 2 am and 10 am (74 decibels measured at 50' from the sound source). The BOD on Call and Sound Team has db meters available if you need help gauging an appropriate sound level. This is just a guideline. Even if you are within the decibel range, you may still be asked to turn it down if the situation warrants it. Sound carries in unpredictable ways, so on-site judgement calls may happen. Let's work together!

The entire Sound Policy is here. Any member of the POrtalburn BOD may update the POrtalBurn Sound Policy or shut down a camp's sound. Any impromptu changes will be verbally communicated. Please comply with sound management requests to avoid losing sound privileges for the remainder of the event and possibly losing future sound privileges. Don't be that camp, be a good nieghbor, we all want to have fun. If you have any questions about Sound Policy, please email portalburnny@gmail.com to discuss. When you apply to be a Theme Camp you can also requesting placement, which means you will have a designated space and be included on the site map. You can still be a Theme Camp and not request placement… you'll just need to find space in open camping, and won't be on the site map, but will be listed in our online HELP Guide.

Camps, and anyone who would like their art placed.

RVs, Campers, and anyone sleeping in vehicles must request placement, even if they are not associated with a Theme Camp.

Please vist the Camps Page for more information.

Every year, POrtals HELP Guide volunteers assemble a guide of all the events registered before the event, along with other pertinent information.

If you need the Burrow (the main lodge), the form to reserve it is there too! It has a sound system available if you need one! Details are on the Event page.

***We are trying for 2024. But, for a multitude of reasons, we will not be printing an Event listing this year. It will be made available prior to POrtalBurn so you can print it yourself. An Event listing will be posted at the TIT during POrtalBurn. You can add last minute events while on-site too!

The HELP Guide submission form is located on the ART page under Help Guide.

Rules

Below is a short least of some rules, for more information on BYLAWS, BOD members please vist the ORG page.

The POrtalBurn waiver is subject to changes at anytime. Every participants is bound by the rules of this waiver. Please read it!

Parents and guardians are always responsible for monitoring minors in their care.

If you or your camp serve alcohol, you are responsible for checking the wristbands and potentially verifying the IDs of anyone you serve. This is worth repeating: If you serve alcohol, you MUST check wristbands; if there is any doubt, verify their ID. Do not serve minors, period. Parents and guardians are always responsible for monitoring minors in their care.

If you or your camp serve alcohol, you are responsible for checking the wristbands and potentially verifying the IDs of anyone you serve. This is worth repeating: If you serve alcohol, you MUST check wristbands; if there is any doubt, verify their ID. Do not serve minors, period. Yes. Nudity is allowed within the event space only. Nudity is not permitted at the gate, entrance road, parking area, or any area visible to the general public outside of the event.

Nudity Does NOT imply consent

Public sexual acts are strictly prohibited outside of the Red Light District. I can't believe we need to say this. Yes, all New York State laws, including those regarding drugs and alcohol, apply. Upstate New York POrtalBurn Arts, Inc. (UNYPA) does not condone any illegal activity. While creating a space outside the normal constructs of the default world, this community must follow New State Laws. Consent must be obtained for all photography, film, or video to which a participant may be clearly identified. Any person that is identifiable in a photographer's work can demand a photograph destroyed, even if prior consent was granted.

Participants understand that taking photos or videos of a camp or person is prohibited if a 'No Photos' sign is posted or at an event where a 'No Photos' policy has been announced.

POrtalBurn owns all images taken at the event and will use legal means to protect the community members. Please see the media policy in the waiver.

The site is somewhat accessible, but we cannot assure it. It is a large hilly field! The event site does not have paved roads. The main theme camp field and RV space is pretty flat and accessible, weather permitting. There are some established paths through the woods, but most are fairly rugged, with inclines. Open camping will be in the wooded areas, and will all be walk in camping. We welcome all participants, however we cannot assure accessibility to all areas of the venue. We will have at least one wheelchair accessible porta potty, and will do our very best to accommodate needs. If you have a need or concern, please contact us for additional information at POrtalBurnny@gmail.com. To Burners this is known as MASH ..."Mobile Area Supporting Health"

MASH is loosely based on "Mobile Army Surgical Hospital." However, if you have yet to figure this out, POrtalBurn's MASH is neither part of the army nor a hospital. It is just a essential First-Aid area, and that is why we call it the "Mobile Area Supporting Health." Due to the nature of emergency services, the POrtalBurn BOD has opted to contract our medical needs with a licensed independent provider.

These people may not be Burners (yet) and may not be familar with the 10 principles. Please treat them with respect.

All POrtal Burners are expected to be self-reliant. This includes bringing any and all supplies you might need, such as OTC medication, first-aid supplies, sunscreen, etc.

The nearest hospital facility is St. James Hospital 7329 Seneca Road North Hornell, NY 14843 Rangers are helpful, clear-headed participants and non-confrontational volunteer mediators. They are not cops and not your mom, but good people to find if you need help! You can spot them in their super swanky khaki clothing. Blue Light Polls and The TIT (The Information Tent) can radio a Ranger if one needed. The BOD and the Leads are the Event organizers. They are in charge, please show respect if they ask you to do something!

For more information please vist the ORG page and see who is who.