What you do defines who you are. We do some really offbeat stuff, so that should tell you something.

The Historical Timeline at right lists only the major decisions and event highlights accomplished by our Association. We've done so much more!

Take a look at our Events Calendar.

Tracking The Times Gone By

This section preserves a record of our group's history. Highlights, major changes, and important decisions will be archived and explained here for later reference. Depending on the historians' time and energy, this section may not be complete or constantly up to date.

If any members feel that this section needs to be updated, please type something up and send it to Zay for consideration.

2003

    • August 25 - September 1 - Burning Man, Black Rock Desert, Nevada.
      Kansas Refugee Camp decides to do a local burn event when they get home.
    • September 11 - Zay starts the MWB Yahoo Group and Midwest Burners is founded!
    • October 11 - The first HullabalU, a free event outside of Lawrence, Kansas in Johnny Carcaz's yard. (photos)
      • Effigy: Scarecrow Man

2004

    • April 23-25 - Our first InterFuse, the Midwest Regional Burn, happens at Ozark Avalon in Boonville, Missouri. (photos)
      • Theme: Can we make this thang happen??
      • Effigy: Wheaty
      • Participants: 186
      We burned Wheaty, a man shaped structure that had wheat bundles for hands. Wheaty later became the Midwest Burners' symbol.
    • June 24 - The Midwest Burners website goes online. http://www.midwestburners.com
    • August 27-29 - Castaway, our first orphan burn, at Camp Gaea in McClouth, Kansas.
      We camped on "The Ridge" and partied through a storm of monumental proportions. Organized by Aldric and Celebration.
    • September 9-10 - HullabalU 2, at the Tribal Vision farm outside of Lawrence, Kansas. (photos)
      • Theme: Celestial Disembarkment
      • Effigy: Prairie Grass Spaceman
      We were inundated by clueless partiers and decided we needed to focus on quality and organic growth, not quantity. We also decided to not wear ourselves out with a burn and pre-burn performance next year.

2005

    • January 10 - Midwest Burners adopts Articles of Association and becomes a non=profit social and recreational association.
    • May 13-15 - InterFuse 2005, at Ozark Avalon. (photos)
      • Theme: Mad Science
      • Effigy: Der FrankenMann
      • Participants: 383
      We burned Der FrankenMann, a conglomeration of independently created appendages attached to a torso and swiveling table.
    • August 26-28 - Castaway 2005, at Ozark Avalon.
      • Effigy: The Palm
      Our palm tree effigy had big, cardboard fronds and it burned from the top down. Organized by Aldric and Celebration. (photos)
    • October 8-9 - HullabalU 2005, at Ozark Avalon. (photos)
      • No theme or association-organized burn
      The event is still free but now participants have to pay Ozark Avalon a camp fee. Only open to members and their guests.

2006

    • May 5-7 - InterFuse 2006, at Ozark Avalon. (photos)
      • Theme: The Archaic Imagination
      • Effigy: The Pantheon
      • Participants: 486
      We burned The Pantheon, a cross shaped platform and gallows frame that supported myraid personal effigies, gods, and mythical creatures.
    • June 16 - The IRS recognizes Midwest Burners as a 501(c)(7) tax exempt non-profit organization.
    • August 25-27 - The orphan burn is renamed Shipwrecked and organized by Tony Kaos. The event also includes children for the first time. (photos)
    • October 14-15 - HullabalU 2006, at Ozark Avalon. (photos)
      • No theme or association-organized burn
      • Participants: 166

2007

    • May 3-6 - InterFuse 2007, at Ozark Avalon. (photos)
      • Theme: The AfterLife?
      • Effigy: Pyre-amid
      • Participants: 710
      We burned the Pyre-amid, a spiral staircase set on top of a pyramid. The Pyre-amid was our first climbable effigy. A fourth day is added to the event and ticket prices increase to $25 to cover the additional expense.
    • July 31 - InterFuse is permanently set for the first weekend in May every year.
    • August 18-19 - Shipwrecked 2007, at Ozark Avalon. Maev organizes it with assistance from Mooncrest and FD. The event was again all ages.
    • September 15 - Minors Policy at Association-organized events changed and resolved.
    • October 13-14 - HullabalU 2007, at Ozark Avalon. (photos)
      • No theme or association-organized burn
      • Participants: 121
      • Largest Art Burned: The Shape, by Lohr

2008

    • May 1-4 - InterFuse 2008, at Ozark Avalon.
      • Theme: Technophilia/Technophobia
      • Effigy: The Television
      • Participants: 770
      We burned The Television, a giant wooden effigy that also served as a performance stage for three days before it was ignited. Pre-burn pyrotechnics were increased this year. Formal parking areas were created to preserve the land.