POrtalBurn is a sanctioned regional Burning Man event in New York State, guided by the Ten Principles of Burning Man. Each year we design and set up a temporary community where everyone participates. There are no vendors; nothing can be bought or sold. Items are freely gifted. The entire event is run by volunteers. Everyone including Board Members, Department Leads, and Rangers is volunteering, because POrtalBurn belongs to them and you…POrtalBurn IS YOU! Here you will find the wild, the wonderful, the magical…a world of unbridled creativity and self-expression through music, art, performances, gatherings, food, drink and participatory events. Join us in creating this world…

What If is the Greater Vancouver Interactive Arts Society's (GVIAS) Official Burning Man Regional event for Greater Vancouver and British Columbia. Now in its 24th year, our community of participants and volunteers has been embodying the 10 Principles of Burning Man in BC since 2002. Each summer, around 2,000 people gather in Merritt, BC to co-create a temporary world built on radical participation, featuring interactive art, theme camps, workshops, live music, and performances. There are no spectators here, only co-creators. GVIAS is a nonprofit society with a mission to support participatory arts and culture across the region.

Before form… before flame… before the universe had shape — there was a spark. A flash of possibility. A moment of inspiration. The instant when nothing becomes something, where it all begins. The First Spark celebrates the beginning of creation — the mysterious ignition where imagination turns into reality. In that tiny burst of energy, stars ignite, ideas take form, and new worlds begin. We honor those origins by reflecting the spirit of the Burning Man Project and its 10 Principles within our art, performances, and shared experiences.