In light of Saturday’s attacks by Hamas, organizers of Israeli Burning Man regional Midburn have called off the 2023 event.
Saturday attacks by Hamas on Israeli soil have claimed at least 900 lives, including at least 260 attendees of Universo de Paralello World Tour stop Supernova. In light of the tragedy, organizers of Israel’s Burning Man offshoot Midburn have postponed their event from November 6-11 to an as yet undetermined date range.
Midburn takes place annually in the Negev desert, two hours south of Re’im, the small town in which Supernova took place near the Gaza Strip. In a statement posted to the Midburn Facebook page, the team behind the event shared that they are aiding in evacuation efforts and have taken in attendees fleeing the Supernova site. Because of this, preparations for Midburn will not go on as planned.
“The event setup will not commence next week,” reads the statement. “It is clear to us that the city of Midburn will not be able to stand at the planned location for the event in less than a month. We are announcing a postponement to an unknown date at this stage, further details about cancellations and more details will be provided soon. It is still too early, and the circumstances are complex.”
Midburn is a Burning Man regional, meaning that it’s recognized by the Burning Man Project for closely following the principles espoused by the flagship event’s core community. While Burning Man itself has taken place since 1986, Midburn inaugurated in 2014. Its debut edition drew 3,000 revelers; in 2019 attendance swelled to 13,000.
Midburn’s statement celebrated the rescues of many members of its core community but mentioned that Hagit Rafaeli Mishkin, who oversees their billing and credits, is still missing. “Once again, our hearts, prayers, and efforts are with the victims, the missing, and their families,” it reads. “We hope that days of peace and healing will come upon us soon.”
