L.A. Techno Hippies Rejoice: Burning Man Attendance At, Er, New High
As we loaf in the June-like dreariness of rare, early September gloom, let us not forget the blazing sun and whipping sand that is Burning Man -- the Labor Day weekend techno-hippie festival that is one part Angeleno, two parts San Francisco. This year's event appears to have set an attendance record, with 51,515 campers officially at the Black Desert, Nevada "Metropolis" at the beginning of the weekend, according to the Reno Gazette-Journal. That's a 20 percent improvement over last year's attendance.
And while we're sure many sights were seen at the psychedelic happening, it went off mostly trouble-free. (Mostly. A Hong Kong actress, Rosemary Vandenbroucke, was reportedly arrested twice -- once for allegedly using or having ecstasy and again on suspicion of hit-and-run).
It was, in other words, a good year on the "playa." Even Burning Man-related supply buys (no, not ecstasy, LSD and shrooms ... we'll maybe) were up. If so-called burners are the canaries in the economic coal mine, maybe things are looking up after all.
So all you Angelenos who contributed to this small uptick and economic activity, give yourselves a pat on the back. And take a shower. Please.
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