Best Moments from the Burning Man Exodus 2023

Thousands of Burning Man attendees Left stranded in exodus line after heavy rain impedes ability to exit.

The Burning Man Exodus of 2023 will go down in history as one of the most hectic yet magical experiences for burners to date. Among the many who had to leave the desert early due to weather conditions were Chris Rock and Diplo. After posting a video that had gone viral – Diplo revealed that the two stars walked 6 miles in order to escape the mud. 

The video shows the celebs being rescued by fans in the back of a pickup truck. The two stars had essentially been hitchhiking on the side of the road for hours before getting a ride. “Shoutout to this guy for making the smart purchase of a truck not knowing it was for this exact moment”, Diplo wrote. 

This was a lucky escape as most attendees were stuck in the Exodus line for over 10 hours. It was moving so slowly that some were able to leave the line and watch final art installations before returning to the standstill traffic. During the hours of waiting, people were seen making the most out of the Exodus by walking around and playing music.

More fan stories arose including ones about actor Tessa Thompson and supermodel Cara Delevingne. Burner Frank Binney posted on Facebook that he ran into the two during their walk out of Burning Man. 

“Today I met actress Tessa Thompson and her British burner friends as they met their limo driver after a 5-mile hike to a paved road,” Binney wrote.

Another Exodus story at the “swamp” comes from ex-NASCAR driver Danica Patrick. She expressed on social media that although she had taken 4 hours to leave, it showed the “true nature” of Burning Man – which is “ to step up and help each other.” 

Many think that Burning Man is just another festival in the desert when in reality it is not a festival at all. Yes, DJs and artists come from around the world to play for hours from dusk to dawn. But, it is a community that comes together to celebrate art, individuality, and togetherness.

Black Rock City is a place of boundless creativity, unconditional love, and child-like joy. Although Burning Man 2023 didn’t go as planned for many burners, the week ended with unbelievable moments including a double rainbow to highlight the magic of the place.

Kathryn Allyn

My favorite thing in the whole world is music and after hearing “One” by Swedish House Mafia for the first time in 2014, I was hooked on EDM. Dance music has been a large part of who I am and will always be searching for new ways to incorporate it in my life. The pure bliss that I feel from live shows is a feeling I never want to stop chasing (iykyk). Some of my favorite artists are Flume, Rüfüs Du Sol, Mindchatter, Disclosure, Dom Dolla and Fred Again.. 🙂

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