[ryan42]

I've never been to BM, but I think there are many art/music festivals which you could go to that are more accessible and very similar themes and things happening burning man has, but on a smaller scale. I just attended my first "art/music" focused festival a few weeks ago. It had meditation/yoga/various educational workshops, artists displaying all different kinds of wares for sale, people trading and giving small things freely (think shared water, wristbands, food, trinket). There was a rock that had a sign, purposed to "give something, take something". The downsides were there too. Lots of people just there for the music/drugs/party aspect or whatever. There are probably 100's of alternatives to burning man - regional burns and music/art festivals, that are much more accessible to get to and experience. Most are 2-3 days long, and that is more like prepping for a regular camping trip than something the scale of burning man.