A heated thread on r/BurningMan (Feb. 3, 2026) is calling for a boycott after community members say the organization added a controversial figure to its board. The original poster — an experienced attendee — wrote they will skip the event “if these creeps are still involved,” and the thread quickly filled with anger, exhaustion and talk of leaving the city behind.
Top reactions captured the mood:
– “Good timing, we’re taking a year off, for the first time since we started in 2010,” one user wrote.
– “Fuck Elon. it’s clear he’s a bad human. everyone needs to stop enabling that guy,” read another comment.
Several commenters framed the issue as one of transparency and nepotism, saying the organization has plenty of qualified community members it could have considered for leadership roles. Others pushed the rhetoric further: some users referenced unverified claims linking a board member to files tied to Jeffrey Epstein. Those claims are circulating in the conversation but have not been independently verified.
Why this matters: Burning Man’s culture depends heavily on community trust — artists, theme camps and volunteers are the event’s backbone. A number of posters said artists and longtime contributors are already pulling back, and some warned that ongoing controversy could hollow out the event if organizers don’t address community concerns.
What people are saying the org should do:
– Be transparent about board appointments and selection process.
– Engage longstanding community leaders and artists in decisions.
– Address any credible misconduct claims quickly and openly.
A few lighter notes: someone pointed out the European Leadership Summit in April will almost certainly see this topic come up; others shared GIFs and short jabs at artists suggested to headline or represent the org.
Editor’s note: This post reports on reactions and claims made by Reddit users. Allegations referenced in the thread — including ties to Epstein files — have not been verified by this newsroom. We’ll update if the organization responds or new facts emerge.
Stay tuned to the Festival Wire for updates and community reactions as this develops.