The Cottage

09/12/2026

08/02/2026

Thank you from your family at The Cottage Theme Camp!

This year asked more of us than any before it. We rolled into What If (formerly Burn in the Forest) already tired, coming off a long, hard season with a lot more going on behind the scenes than most will ever know. We built it anyway.

Our placement was new to us and not quite near the action, a remote corner where nature did whatever it wanted. Thick smoke in the air, dust in our mouths, wind gusting over 50 km/h, tearing at our structures, wrecking infrastructure, and putting a truly unreasonable number of fur coats in need of a vacuum.

There were about 20 of us. Some showed up already carrying stuff that doesn’t disappear just because you’re on playa. We showed up for each other anyway.

And somehow The Cottage became a place people looked for. Off the beaten path, a bit of a walk, but folx came anyway; cooled off in the chill-out cabin, grabbed a booze-free drink at the bar, lined up for a cheeky grilled cheese, reflected on a workshop, danced under the lights, or just sat down and breathed for a minute.

What got me this year wasn’t the build or the lights or the sound. It was the people. The twenty of you who carried this camp. Our awesome neighbors who went above and beyond with kindness and support, especially Zac Manson. Gvias - Greater Vancouver Interactive Arts Society production and volunteer teams who worked their asses off to curate an amazing and safe event.

Strangers who grabbed a corner of something during teardown without being asked. The folks who wandered over from the bridge and just… stayed. You made our dusty little corner feel alive, and you reminded us that we are loved.

This was a year that tested us, and it told us who we are when things get hard. Turns out The Cottage isn’t the placement, or good conditions, or things going to plan. It’s the people who keep showing up.

Thank you to everyone who built, hauled, cooked, DJ’d, facilitated, performed, ran bar shifts, offered harm reduction, held space, or just showed up kind. Thank you to everyone who came by and shared a moment with us.

Thank you to the ones who helped when they really didn’t have to, and to the ones who kep

06/15/2026

The Cottage Otherworld 2026 Decompression Beach BBQ! Thanks everyone for coming out, showing up, and helping create a lovely afternoon at the beach with friends. Happy decompression! 💙

06/04/2026

Your official Cottage schedule for .bc 2026. Let’s get moist! See you at The Cottage! 🔥

06/04/2026

Behind the Scenes: Building the accessible passion project that was conceived at this year site only 2 years ago. The Cottage has evolved into something bigger than all of us. Thank you for believing in the little camp that goes big, and for continuing to entrust us as your safe and sober home on the playa. We cannot wait to welcome you to The Cottage at Otherworld 2026. Huge love from your Cottage family, see you soon!

06/01/2026

Otherworld here we come. We can’t stop, we won’t stop, and we’ll meet you with all the love we can dish. See you at The Cottage! 🔥

05/22/2026

UPDATE: We were thankful to receive some feedback today regarding our sharing/promoting of local community arts events on our social media accounts. A concern was raised specifically about events that are either not affiliated with The Cottage or not directly in support of a regional Burning Man camp or collective. It was shared that some found it unclear whether certain events were camp fundraisers, or in support of external entities (perhaps even commercial). This stems from the Burning principal of decommodification, and we completely get it.

The Cottage exists as not only a regional burner camp, but a year-long community of friends and chosen family that live, breathe, and create together. Although we firmly believe in the gifting spirit of decommodification during our 2 regional burning events, we also recognize that during the rest of the year, grass-roots creatives in our community need to eat, pay their rent, and (if lucky) invest in their offerings and craft; which in turn become their gift back to us. We believe that the artistic ventures of our community are not only gifts in themselves, but a vehicle of empowerment for our ‘starving’ artists to show up and volunteer their lives, creating a little burner magic twice a year. For these reasons, The Cottage has made it a tradition to leverage our social media presence as a community hub, and to share/promote deserving local community arts events that are non-commercial and not associated with any business.

That said, the concerns expressed are valid and we will be actioning change by improving future communications to be clearer. Going forward, The Cottage will include a disclaimer clearly indicating the nature and affiliation of all community events shared on our Facebook and Instagram pages. We hope this helps in bolstering further transparency, and in allowing our followers to make fully informed decisions regarding the artists, collectives, camps, and communities they are supporting. Thank you for your feedback, and thank you for showing up to support our vibrant community! 💙

-Eric
Founder of The Cottage Theme Camp

04/26/2026

Who’s watching meeee 👀🪩🕺💃

See you 9pm-4am TONIGHT @ Studio 54 platform9.yvr