This FAQ was created to answer some of the most common questions we receive.

Additional questions can be sent through the Contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions About Midwest Burners (MWB)

Click a question to see the answer. Click the question again to hide the answer.

What is the Midwest Burners Group?
Midwest Burners is a Burning Man inspired Social and Recreational Association. The IRS recognizes Midwest Burners as a 501(c)(7) non-profit group. While we do have formal membership and comply with IRS requirements for tax exemption, we try to keep the bureaucracy and formalities to a minimum. We're pretty laid back and want to focus on enjoying each other's creativity.
Where is the group located?
The Midwest Burners mailing address is in Topeka, KS. However, our members are not limited to one city or region. As a result, we keep in touch and plan physical gatherings on our Yahoo Group.
What does Midwest Burners do?
We basically gather to socialize, camp, experiment with the concept of community, and/or create art in all of its forms.

We also frequently gather at coffee houses, art expositions, taverns, dance studios, drum practices, and other fun places. These outings are organized on our Yahoo Group and listed on our Events Calendar.
How can I contact Midwest Burners?
You can send messages to specific Midwest Burners by using the Contact page. Another way is to join our Yahoo Group and participate in our never-ending discussions and event planning efforts.
How do I become a member?
Go to the Membership page on this website and follow the links. Membership is free.
Can I join the group if I'm not from the midwest?
Yes. We have members from over 30 U.S. states and Canada. The 'Midwest' part of our title is derived from where the group is based.
Who started Midwest Burners?
Nine of us went to Burning Man in 2003 as the Kansas Refugee Camp. While hanging out during the day at camp, we talked about bringing some of the Burning Man energy back home with an Afterburn party. When we got home, Zay started the Midwest Burners Yahoo Group to get us organized. We put together our first event, HullabalU, and we've been growing ever since.
How is Midwest Burners organized?
We organized as an official Association on January 10, 2005, when we signed the Articles of Association. These Articles lay out our purpose and intent.

Decisions are made by general consensus. Zay, the Association Chair, confirms the general consensus.

Event Planners organize the structure of InterFuse (our Midwest Regional Burn) and HullabalU (our Afterburn party).

Informal gatherings and parties are spontaneously organized by whoever decides to throw them.

See also:
Frequently Asked Questions About MWB Events
What is InterFuse?
InterFuse is our annual Midwest Regional Burn, held in central Missouri. InterFuse gives the Burner communities in Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago and beyond, a chance to meet up and hang out together. Only MWB members and their guests may attend InterFuse. Since InterFuse occurs in the Spring, it is also a compression party that builds our excitement for Burning Man in Nevada.
What is HullabalU?
HullabalU is the name of the Midwest Burners Afterburn party that is held after Burning Man, in the Fall. It's an all-night, outdoor event. We release the energy we received at Burning Man, relax, and share our experiences.
What is a Gift Economy?
The Gift Economy is a unique feature of the Burner community. In the world of the almighty dollar, we trade money for goods or services. In a Gift Economy, we simply give things away with no expectation of reciprocation. It's a liberating way to live and share.

Vending, commercial sponsorships, advertising, flyering, and exchanging things for money are banned from all Midwest Burners events.
What is Leave No Trace?
Leave No Trace is an ethic we've adopted from Burning Man. It means that we all work to pick up trash, avoid littering, and transport away any garbage created during our events. By adopting Burning Man's Leave No Trace ethic, we are attempting to show that responsible people can leave no impact on a venue's land.
What does the Midwest Burners Association do with its money?
See the Financials page.
I can’t keep up with the Midwest Burners Yahoo Group discussion, but I would like to keep updated about Midwest Burners. Does Midwest Burners have an announcement list or newsletter?
Midwest Burners does not currently have a newsletter or an announcement list. However, Midwest Burners announcements are posted on the Burning Man Kansas City Announce List. This email list is a free, low traffic, announcement-only list owned by the Burning Man Project and administered by the Kansas City Regional Contact, Zay. On this list, you will also find a variety of other announcements of interest to Burners in this region.

To subscribe, please visit:
https://lists.burningman.com/mailman/listinfo/
kansascity-announce

Related Links