Rangers are Recruiting!
Are you looking for ways to get more involved at SOAK and volunteer in service to the community, or just help burners have better vacations? Rangers might be your team! We are a passionate group of burners committed to making a positive impact at SOAK.Rangers have a willingness to help others, mediate, and educate, and circulate the event to support participants. Special skills we desire include friendliness, knowledge about SOAK/the Burner Community/the 10 Principles, good ole’ common sense, problem solving, and mediation skills are a plus! This team is looking for onsite event help Thursday - Monday, and operates 24- hours a day. There are usually 4 off-site trainings leading up to SOAK, we are down to 3 trainings left until SOAK: Electric Ocean!Accessible options available: we are able to meet needs around mobility on-site (set you up to Ranger in a gator or golf cart, assign you to a stationary Ranger outpost, etc). Deaf or HoH volunteers can request a translator for training ahead of time. On-site (at SOAK) ASL translators are not currently an option, but we want to make Rangering work for you, please email us so we can plan ahead.
Brand New to Rangering? We have a few criteria for joining:
1. Have attended SOAK at least once before.
2. Attend one of our 3 remaining training sessions offered prior to SOAK. (Apr. 7, Apr. 26-28 @Safety NW, and May 1st)
3. Walk what we call an “Alpha” shift at SOAK. This shift is worked with other more seasoned Rangers to make sure you’re Ranger ready.
Once you pass your Alpha shift, you can sign up for more shifts on-site at SOAK!New to Volunteering? Please register at the SOAK PDX Volunteer website and check the Rangers Department box. Once you’ve done that, please fill out the training registration form to sign up for your Ranger training. Once you’ve done that, we will send you the Ranger Manual and some other info about training location, etc.If you are a visiting Regional or Black Rock City Ranger, please feel free to register with us to Ranger via the SOAK Volunteer website. We will need to confirm you are a Ranger in good standing at your Regional and/or Black Rock Rangers.If you have any questions, please email Ranger Department Leads at rangers@soakpdx.com
Radical Inclusion!
SOAK Department Spotlight: Radical Inclusion
Who we are:
Radical Inclusion is in its first year as an official SOAK Department! We are on a mission to create new pathways for underrepresented communities (according to our 2023*SOAK Census) to access and have a voice at this incredible event. We work with these communities to build initiatives customized to their needs, conduct external outreach to increase our impact and create educational resources to streamline inclusive practices throughout the event.
What that looks like:
Working with SOAK Production, Departments, Precipitation NW Board and underrepresented community members to ideate and implement inclusive practices throughout the organization.
Conducting outreach through diverse Art and Outdoor Collectives, a virtual AMA for questions to our department, and offering the Radical Inclusion Ticket option for underrepresented folx + their support person to increase their access to SOAK.
Offering RadInc Workshops, creating the Radical Inclusion Library to increase awareness for the existing SOAK community, hosting an in-person meetup (free food/drink anyone?) for underrepresented groups to connect pre-event, and a unityHaven at SOAK for people of color to build community focused connections.
How you can get involved:
Are you a member of an underrepresented community and/or have a demonstrated background in diversity, equity and inclusion? Volunteer with Radical Inclusion to help curate initiatives and earn hours for your contributions.
Spread the word! Join the newly created BIPOC Burners Facebook Page to connect with fellow BIPOC burners everywhere!
Add content to the Radical Inclusion Library! This is a collection of mediums to provide educational source material. Your participation and learning is key to the success of radical inclusion!
We are in our first year as an official department, and while we take great care in developing initiatives, we are learning and adapting every day. The SOAK Production Team recognizes it will always take more work to make a system accessible retroactively, and that's work we as a community need to be doing intentionally. If you have any questions/feedback you would like to share, you can contact us at the Radical Inclusion email. radicalinclusion@soakpdx.com
-Gattaca and Claudia, your Radical Inclusion Leads for SOAK*2024
Expanding SOAK
Largest population ever this year!
This year at SOAK we are electrified by some major updates to the event. These changes are meant to allow SOAK to continue to grow and increase our ability to be as welcoming and inclusive as we can while at Justesen Ranch in Tygh Valley. All told, the following changes will allow the event this year to grow from 2,000 participants at SOAK*2023 to 2,300 participants at SOAK*2024. That’s an increase in population of 15%!
With an increase in camp applications and art installations, this is going to be the biggest SOAK ever!
The Meadow - new neighborhood
First and foremost we are exceedingly happy to announce a new neighborhood at SOAK named The Meadow! The Meadow is located in an area that was formerly overflow parking near Gate. While it is a little distance from much of the rest of the event, there will be open camping and Theme Camps there that have daytime offerings, and we expect night time to be rather quiet in this new neighborhood.
Parking Passes - new policy
In order to better coordinate an expanded camping area, SOAK is introducing parking passes for the first time ever. This pass will be required to park your car in the parking field for the duration of the event after unloading your belongings at your camp. Note that it is different than the RV pass, which allows you to camp in a camping area in your camper/trailer/RV.
The number of passes in 2024 will not decrease in any significant way from the number of cars that came to SOAK in 2023, although that might change in coming years. Over time this system will allow for potential future expansion of camping areas (which means more tickets can be sold!), and will hopefully encourage more carpooling and a more sustainable SOAK.
While the exact price is still up-in-the-air, it is expected to be fairly nominal. Care will also be taken to ensure participants who absolutely need parking passes will get them such as volunteers, theme camps and art support camps.
Stay tuned for more info to be posted to the Ticket page in the coming days!
SOAK Train - Returning and expanding
This year the SOAK Train is coming back around! The department provides greater support to those in our community with mobility challenges, as well as connects the traditional event space with the new Meadow neighborhood. It will operate for the duration of the event on a regular (enough) schedule, giving participants rides from one area to the next.
Check out the currently proposed route for the expanded SOAK Train this year:
We hope you are as excited about these changes as we are, and that you join us along this journey to make SOAK more fun and accessible for more of our community!
Art and Civic Grants are open!
Grant Cycle has begun, and it’s a tight timeline!
Get ready to dive into the excitement as SOAK kicks off its much-anticipated art and civic grant funding cycle (fka provisions)! Calling all creative minds and event enthusiasts – it's your chance to turn your wildest ideas into reality. There are two types of projects we fund, art and civic. Civic grants are generally smaller projects focused on community support (theme camp frontage, fuel for completed projects, etc.). Art grants assist PNW artists with materials for new & repaired art projects/installations. Grab the opportunity to make a splash and bring your SOAK projects to life with the support of Precipitation Northwest's vibrant grant program. The grant application form will close on Feb 19, 2024, at 11:59 pm. To learn more, visit the grants page at soakpdx.com/grants and apply here!
TAG Call for Volunteers
Would you consider yourself to be interested and passionate about the art that comes to SOAK? The TAG Team is looking for volunteers! TAG is a peer review team that reviews civic and art grant applications for SOAK. Whether you're a seasoned event enthusiast or just eager to lend a helping hand, there's a spot for you! We will be meeting virtually on Feb 25th and 26th. If you want to join our team and earn volunteer points towards a ticket, please sign up to volunteer with us. Visit soakpdx.com/volunteer and complete the sign-up form!
Grants Team office hours round two!
Are you thinking about applying for a *SOAK related grant and don't know where to begin, this meeting might be for you! On Tuesday, 2/13 from 6-7pm, Grants Team Leads will be available to answer questions about the grant application process! If I can't answer them, we'll work to find someone who can (likely Sepia)!
Disclaimer: In an absence of questions about grants, metaphysical discussions may be take place.
Whether you can make that meeting or not, you can always reach out to the Grants Team with any questions (not metaphysical ones via email however) by emailing the leads at: grants@precipitationnw.org
What: Grants info office hours
When: Tues. 2/13 @ 6pm
Where: Google Meet: meet.google.com/qsa-veqn-gmw
You can join the meet by phone: (US) +1 319-343-8899 PIN: 925 371 731#
2024 MBS Design Submission
The MBS (Major Burnable Structure) is SOAK’s version of The Man. Just like The Man, all SOAK citizens are invited to watch the structure burn on Saturday evening of the event. Unlike The Man, however, the MBS can look like anything.
Past examples of MBS designs: a phoenix, a rocket, a gnome castle, a battle narwhal, 5 people sharing 1 head, a puzzle cube and a bonfire.
YOU decide what to burn at SOAK!
Design submissions are open now!
You are encouraged to be inspired by this years theme, Electric Ocean, but your design is not required to follow that theme. Also, keep in mind that you don’t need to have any building experience to submit an idea. All the MBS team needs is your creativity, and they will build it.
To help us understand your idea be sure to include a back-of-the-napkin-sketch, photo, and detailed description your concept.
After the deadline, the most feasible and interesting design will be selected. The deadline is only one week away, so apply now!
Submit your design via the form below by Friday, Jan 26 at 8pm
Covid Policy Clarification
SOAK begins in TWO WEEKS!
We would like to provide some clarification about the SOAK*2023 Covid Policy to help answer any questions you might still have about vaccination status before you reach the Gate.
SOAK’s Covid Policy is that to attend SOAK you must be “fully vaccinated as defined by the CDC”. Currently, the CDC considers you fully vaccinated “2 weeks (14 days) after your dose of an accepted single-dose vaccine” or “2 weeks (14 days) after your second dose of an accepted 2-dose series” (source).
The TL;DR is: if you have received a vaccination in any form, regardless of boosters, you are considered fully vaccinated and may attend SOAK. Digital copies of your vaccination card will be accepted. As always, if you are exhibiting symptoms of Covid, please make alternative plans.
This policy was crafted to be as simple as possible, using the CDC as a source for credible information. Of course, information isn’t always clear and can change over time, often with little warning. We apologize for any miscommunication or conflicting information about the policy, and hope this clarifies the matter.
See you all in two weeks!
<3 SOAK Producers
Beware of Ticket Scammers
There have been reports of accounts messaging members of our community on Facebook and elsewhere in an attempt to initiate a scam.
Please keep the following in mind when considering buying or selling tickets from people you don’t know:
Use the Tixel escrow service to conduct ticket exchanges: https://soakpdx.com/ticket-transfers
If the seller is suggesting using any other form of payment outside of Tixel (venmo, paypal, etc) then they are probably trying to scam you.
Ticket sales were limited to 2 per person. If anybody is claiming to have 4 tickets for sale they are probably trying to scam you.
Ensure the person is a member of the official SOAK*2023 Ticket Exchange group. Members here are lightly vetted and removed by admins if they are trying to execute scams.
If someone messages you attempting to buy/sell you tickets and you find the interaction suspicious in any way, please bring it to our attention by emailing producers@soakpdx.com.
Stay vigilant and good luck!
DPW: seeking co-Leads
Department of Public Works (DPW) is responsible for the setup of SOAK’s infrastructure on-site, pre-build of support items, and transportation of all requested SOAK departments inventory to and from the site. DPW is seeking 1 additional Lead to join an established team.
Responsibilities:
- Communicate weekly in person and by email
- Assist with managing department volunteers, including:
- Recruit new volunteers with the skills needed for department tasks
- Support less experienced volunteers in gaining the skills necessary to keep volunteering
- Runs DPW crew for onsite build OR strike
- Attend department work parties (optional)
- Contribute to department After Burn Report
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Ability to drive a 24’ Box truck (preferred)
- Knowledge of safe operations of shop tools
- Analytical problem solving skills
- Experience using a share drive (Google Suite; doc, sheets, etc)
- Tetris packing skills
- Organized and timely
Requirements:
- Must have access to the internet and transportation to Burner Barn.
- Must live in or near Portland.
- Must be able to attend SOAK with a mandatory commitment to either early arrival or staying after event close
- Must be familiar with department tasks and be able to delegate effectively
Perks
- Free DPW department shirt/tank for year worked
- Free SOAK Lead’s hoodie (exclusive to Lead’s team)
- Free DPW Patch & Stickers
- Guaranteed 16 hours for volunteer ticket
Time Commitment:
Build Lead
Pre-Event
- 3 work party (shared attendance with other leads)
- Up to 4 hours of DPW planning meetings
- Truck load day 4 hours
During Event
- Early access day Tuesday with a 4 hour work day
- 8 hour day of site build Wednesday
Post Event
- Contribute to After Burn Report
Strike Lead
Pre-Event
- 3 work party (shared attendance with other leads)
- Up to 4 hours of DPW planning meetings
During the Event
- Strike day 8 hours
- Drive truck back Tuesday (shared with other leads)
Post Event
- Day after the truck returns 4-6 hours of truck unload and Burner Barn restore
- Up to 3 hours of DPW post meetings
- Contribute to After Burn Report
Sanctuary Update 2023
This year we have made a difficult decision to transition our Sanctuary Department and Medical services to a new team: Rock Medicine. The medical services from Adventure Medics have supported our community for a long time, and the Sanctuary Department has been a pillar of our safety services for even longer. As we continue to strive to meet community best practices we are choosing to move to a more integrated model, and Rock Medicine is in a unique position to do that.
Rock Medicine provides fully integrated medical and crisis support, and have been providing care in settings like Oregon Country Fair and other alternative events for decades. The values of our communities align wonderfully, and we are really looking forward to the supportive care our participants will receive when they are most in need of a safe space and professional care.
The SOAK Sanctuary department and all of it’s volunteers have long served our community members by providing quality harm reduction offerings and a safe space for participants to escape to. We appreciate every person who has made the department a success over the years, and look forward to your continued participation as a volunteer in other forms.
As such, we have created a pathway for long term Sanctuary volunteers to join the Rock Medicine team in an effort to further integrate our communities! Stay tuned for further announcements regarding how to get involved with our new Medical and Sanctuary services.
Camp Registration is Open
It’s that time of year again! As we enter 2023 and wake from our collective slumber, we know that everyone has SOAK on their minds and is excited to get this ball rolling. SOAK*2023: Summer Camp is closer than it seems, and there is much to do. So, without further ado, we’re opening the Camp Placement Application, Art Placement and Mutant Vehicle Applications!
General Information about Camps at SOAK
Camps requiring Placement at SOAK include Theme Camps, Art Support Camps, and Work/Staff Support Camps. Please see this page for general information about these camps, what differentiates them, and for other relevant information such as vehicle policy, etc.
Criteria to be in Good Standing
The SOAK Placement Team would like to remind you of the new Good Standing Criteria for being placed as a Theme Camp, an Art Support Camp, or a Work/Staff Support Camp. Please review these criteria prior to submitting your Placement Application.
Camp Placement Application: One Form for All Camp Types
As implemented in 2022, please note that we are now using one common Camp Placement Application form for all camp types (Art Support, including Mutant Vehicles; Work/Staff Support; and Theme Camps). The user experience has been improved such that, while still fairly long, the form is less complex to navigate and will only show you questions that apply based on previously-answered questions.
The Camp Placement Application can be found on this page, along with all other SOAK forms.
Art and Mutant Vehicle Application
Similar to what we did with the Camp Placement Application, we’ve merged the Art Placement and Mutant Vehicle Applications into one form, which can be found on this page, along with all other SOAK forms.
Camp Plan Layouts
We require camp plan layouts in order to better understand your frontage needs and to more easily play tetris with the uneven ground of SOAK to fit as many camps in as possible. Follow these guidelines when creating your camp plan.
Email your camp’s plan layout to placement@soakpdx.com with your layout included as an attachment in a common image format (e.g. JPG, PNG). The attached plan layout filename should include your camp’s name, and not be something generic like “camp plan” or “camp layout”. Example: “YOURCAMPNAME-layout”
Art and Camp Applications and Placement Timeline
Monday, January 30th - Art and Camp applications open
Wednesday, February 15th - Art and Camp applications close EOD
Early March - Art and Camp placement announced along with DGS numbers
Mid March - Directed Group Sale Tickets
Early to Late March - 1st Draft of Map is sent out and Feedback form opened for potential change in placeme
All forms for art installations and camps can be found at: https://www.soakpdx.com/forms
Helpful Links
Art Overview: https://www.soakpdx.com/art-overview
All Camps: https://www.soakpdx.com/camp-overview
Theme Camp Submission: https://www.soakpdx.com/submitting-your-theme-camp
Art Support Camp: https://www.soakpdx.com/art-support-camp
Criteria to be in Good Standing: https://www.soakpdx.com/criteria-to-be-in-good-standing
If you have any questions about camp placement, you can email Placement at placement@soakpdx.com (Please put your camp name in the subject line. Ex: Cow Pie Camp - I have a question!)
If you have any questions about art placement, you can email art@soakpdx.com (Please put the name of your art installation or MV in the subject line. Ex: Combustible Penguins - I have a question!)
Thanks for all your hard work in advance! We look forward to seeing all your plans!
MAJOR BURNABLE SCULPTURE (MBS) IDEAS REQUEST
The MBS team will convene from February to May to assemble this year’s MBS for our yearly Tygh Valley assembly.
We need YOU to tell us what to assemble and how!
The MBS is SOAK’s version of Burning Man’s Man. Just like The Man, all SOAK citizens are invited to watch the sculpture burn on Saturday evening of the event. That’s right - whatever sculpture we help you bring into being only has to be transported ONE WAY!! Fire will do the disassembling for us!! YAY FIRE!!! Unlike The Man, the MBS can be anything you want and not necessarily an effigy. Past examples of MBS’s include a phoenix, a rocket, a gnome castle, a battle narwhal, 5 people sharing 1 head and a puzzle cube.
The MBS doesn’t need to correspond with the year’s theme (Summer Camp), but it is preferred. Also, you don’t need to have building experience. All we need is your idea and good instructions, and we will materialize it for you. You are welcome to join the team during our weekend builds.
To help us understand your idea, you MUST send us a back-of-the-napkin-sketch/photo/detailed description of it. We’re looking forward to helping your concept become a reality and have you join our talented crew of MBS builders. We can even work with IKEA-style assembling instructions!
After the deadline, a group of people will then vote and select the best design. The deadline is only one week away, so you’ll need to act quickly!
Submit your idea(s) via the form below before Monday, Jan 23 at 8pm
Vote now: SOAK*2023 Theme
After an unnecessarily complex and rigorous process the Theme Submissions have been whittled down to the top three contenders:
Robotopia
Occupational Hazard
SOAK Summer Camp
We now need your help in choosing the final theme for SOAK*2023. Use this form or click the button below to vote now! You have until Friday, January 13th at 11:59 pm.
We are also in search of a Graphic Designer to help design the official SOAK artwork based on the selected theme. The art will appear on the website, the What Where When, SOAK’s social media pages, volunteer shirts, participant stickers and more.
If you want to volunteer, or know someone else in the community who might, please use this form or click on the button below!
Seeking Leads, Directors, and Themes
As the end of the calendar year looms near, some of the more involved SOAK volunteers are already preparing for SOAK*2023. The event cycle will officially kickoff in February, but in the meantime we need your help with a few things.
The Leadership team is accepting applications for new Department Leads. By becoming a Lead you are joining a passionate group of Burners who are dedicated to creating this special event year over year.
Applications for the Director role are also now being accepted. The Director role is a brand new position and is designed to work closely with the Producers and support Department Leads.
And finally, submissions for the SOAK*2023 Theme are open! The theme helps inspire the MBS design, art and overall creative vision of the years event. Think of an idea (or two or three) and submit them now!
Now hiring producers for SOAK*2023!
Precipitation Northwest is seeking producers for SOAK*2023!
As a SOAK producer, you will create Oregon’s largest regional Burning Man event, SOAK.
Interviews begin immediately, so apply today! Read the position description, and find the link to apply here.
Questions? Reach out to recruitment@precipitationnw.org.
SOAK*2022 Happened!
SOAK happened, and what a SOAK it was!
The event was just as marvelous, joyful, wacky and weird as always, and we hope you left Tygh Valley with energy to share with the wider community. While you’re winding down and unpacking from the weekend, here are a few important resources to consider.
General Feedback — Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or thoughts about the event? We’re always striving to do things better and would love to hear from you! Email afterburnreport@precipitationnw.org with your ideas.
Moop and Found — Did you lose something? Did you end up with someone else's thing(s)? Visit the Moop and Found Facebook Page and follow the instructions there or email moopandfound@soakpdx.com.
Covid Testing — Being a responsible member of the community means getting tested for Covid after attending a large event like SOAK. Take some time this week to get tested. If you test positive, make sure to notify those with whom you’ve been in physical contact so that they can take precautions to protect their own health https://getvaccinated.oregon.gov/#/locator
SOAK Photos — Did you take some awesome photos at SOAK and would like to share them? We are always in need of content to help highlight our community's vibrant art. Email info@precipitationnw.org with your photos. Please provide your own info for photo credit, and only share photos where consent was given by any participant whose face was captured.
We want to thank you all one last time for creating such an amazing event and for being so kind to one another after such a difficult few years off. It has truly been an honor to finally SOAK again with all of you while witnessing the incredible creativity and compassion of our Burner community.
Deepest Love and Gratitude,
SOAK Producers & Precipitation Northwest
Saturday night MBS Burn at SOAK*2022. Photo credit Kyle McCallum.
Survival Guide and Entry Requirements
Now that all SOAK tickets have now been distributed it’s time to start thinking about entry to the event! The Survival Guide is required reading and has everything you need to know to prepare for SOAK*2022, but we’re going to go over some of the highlights here.
When do gates open, you ask? The earliest you can arrive is 9am Thursday, May 26. Be sure to check out the Survival Guide for Gate hours for the entire weekend.
Do you have an RV pass? Great! Remember that an RV is considered any vehicle permanently modified for camping with a bed and sink. There is no car camping offered at SOAK except for qualifying RVs accompanied by RV passes, and there were a limited amount of RV passes available for sale.
As always there are no services offered at the event; you must bring all your own water, food, fuel, shade and anything else you need to be comfortable in the high desert. It’s hot during the day and cold at night so be sure to pack accordingly.
Ice will be available for sale every day for $5 a bag, so remember to bring cash $$$.
Now that you have your ticket and all your stuff packed, here are a few important things to know to help you get through Gate safely and quickly:
Be sure you have a ticket in your name at Will Call. There will be no sales of tickets at the Gate. Email boxoffice@soakpdx.com if you have any questions about your Digital Will Call ticket.
Bring a government issued ID. Your digital Will Call ticket needs to match your photo ID or you will not be allowed in, no exceptions.
Remember that ALL TICKETS are at Will Call. There is no print at home option– EVERYONE must go through Will Call.
Bring your proof of Covid-19 vaccination. Everyone is required to be vaccinated to attend SOAK, so be sure to remember your vaccination card (or a photo of it)! Visit the Covid-19 Policy page for more info on SOAK’s vaccination policy and requirements.
Want to transfer your ticket? To do that, simply fill out the Ticket Transfer Form at transfer.soakpdx.com. Transfers must be completed by 5pm Saturday, May 21.
One more time: May 21st at 5pm is the very last day you can submit ticket transfers. No transfers will be processed after that time, so please plan accordingly.
Need to sell or buy a ticket? Visit the official SOAK*2022 Ticket Exchange. The Production team can’t vet everyone there, so keep on the lookout for scammers (they usually say they have four tickets to sell at way below sale price).
The Survival Guide is required reading for newcomers and veteran Burners alike, so be sure you read it before the event.
See you at SOAK!
SOAK Producers
SOAK*2022: Main Sale Complete
SOAK*2022 Main Sale tickets are officially sold out. We've created a SOAK Ticket Exchange page where you can buy/resale tickets at face value: SOAK Ticket Exchange Group. Our OMG Sale will be on May 4 and the link will be active on https://www.soakpdx.com/tickets at that time.
Thank you,
SOAK Producers
Covid-19 and Radical Inclusion
To our incredible Burner community,
After two long years, we are so excited to return to the regional gatherings that mean so much to all of us. An essential part of gathering safely has meant crafting a Covid-19 Policy that protects and supports as many people as possible. In the interest of transparency and radical inclusion, we wanted to share our thought process with you.
Our Covid-19 Policy is based upon these core understandings:
Covid-19 is a real disease that can cause severe illness, disability, and death. The resulting illness and disability from infection is sometimes permanent and can affect people for the rest of their lives.
The Covid-19 vaccines are effective at preventing severe negative Covid outcomes, including short term hospitalization, Long Covid, and in some cases even death.
The Covid-19 vaccines are proven to provide a measure of protection against the transmission of Covid-19.
Preventing the overall number of Covid-19 cases and limiting (or even eliminating) severe Covid outcomes provides a positive benefit to our local and global communities.
Those who do not agree with the basic points above will likely not agree with our Covid-19 Policy.
For those who do still agree with the above points and are questioning whether it is “radically-inclusive” to exclude people who have not received a Covid-19 vaccine: We urge you to think beyond a single-issue view point. Yes, we recognize that it may seem as though we are excluding humans by the simple fact that some humans do not meet the criteria outlined in the policy and therefore are not allowed to attend. However, please understand that our intention is not to exclude people; we’re really trying our best to exclude the virus. Here are the reasons we believe the policy is in-line with Burning Man's principals of Radical Inclusion and our own Precipitation Northwest’s values of Inclusion:
Populations who are more vulnerable to severe cases of Covid-19 get to attend without putting their health and lives at risk.
Attendees who live in communities with at-risk populations can attend with a lessened fear of directly or indirectly exposing their communities to the virus.
Vaccines are a part of important community-oriented measures. We don’t get vaccinated just for ourselves; we get vaccinated for our local and global communities.
Vaccines contribute to ending the pandemic. Events with thousands of people in attendance can be hotspots for Covid-19 outbreaks. In implementing this policy we are doing our part to end the pandemic, which continues to negatively affect local and global communities and economic, social and mental health issues therein.
We care about medical professionals, who have worked tirelessly throughout this pandemic, and we want to lessen their burden by reducing the chances of an outbreak at the event. Widening our circle of compassion beyond our own selfish desires to have an event is radically inclusive.
Attendees can be close, physically connected and gather in enclosed spaces, knowing that all reasonable actions have been taken to not harm others who are not protected from the virus.
A necessary part of putting on a successful event is our relationship with local government entities. By showing that we are a responsible group that cares about preventing Covid-19 outbreaks we continue to build trust with these stakeholders and ensure the survival of the event long term. In turn, more events means more human connection and more community.
Radical Inclusion does not mean that absolutely everyone gets to come to the event. It means that the doors are opened as wide as possible, but not without protective boundaries that are a necessary component of our civic responsibility.
Some have also asked why we are not offering the option of testing as an alternative to vaccination. The reason is simple: we want the Covid-19 Policy to be as effective and simple as possible. Testing gives us data for only one specific point in time – the time of the swab. A person could be contagious, but just not show as positive for that one point in time. Or a person could be exposed to the virus just prior to the event, provide a negative test, and become contagious before the event is over. Because we are a 5-day event, obtaining testing data for the exact point of entry into the event does not provide protection for the entire 5-day event. Simply put, the most effective way to prevent Covid-19 infection at SOAK is if every attendee is fully vaccinated.
Thank you for reading and understanding, and we’re looking forward to seeing you all at SOAK*2022!
Sincerely,
SOAK Producers and Precipitation Northwest Board of Directors
P.S. As always, please feel free to contact us with questions, comments and feedback about this topic.
SOAK*2022 Ticket Sales Update
The SOAK Production Team would like to apologize for the KAOS of the Wednesday, March 23, ticket Mainsale and would like to provide more information on what occurred. At issue was the payment handover from the ticket processor Brown Paper Tickets to PayPal, our credit card processor. PayPal saw hundreds of transactions at once, flagged them as suspicious, and shut down the account. While we had proactively notified PayPal to expect this influx of payments, they were unable to manually override this fraud prevention setting.
We had been using PayPal for two reasons:
It provides money up-front to SOAK so that we can produce the event.
It keeps prices slightly lower for you, the purchaser.
Moving forward, we will no longer be relying on PayPal as the credit card processor for high volume sales like these.
As a result of these issues, NO tickets were sold on March 23rd and no people were charged for any tickets that made it into their carts. The entire allocation of Mainsale tickets will be sold on the next sale, the exact date of which is still being discussed. We still plan holding the OMG sale closer to SOAK.
We want to recognize that there’s a lot of excitement and anticipation for gathering at SOAK after two long years, and are working diligently to ensure that Wednesday night’s experience does not happen again. Look for additional communications on the next sale date and time shortly.
Thank you,
SOAK Producers
SOAK*2022 Mainsale Announce
Set your alarms and prepare your browser tabs! SOAK*2022 tickets go live this Wednesday, March 23rd at 8pm. For more information you can visit us at our website at: http://soakpdx.com/tickets
Tickets can be purchased Wednesday at: http://soakpdx.com/tickets
Read the Covid-19 Policy at: http://soakpdx.com/covid-policy
Questions? Email Box Office at: box@soakpdx.com
See you in Tygh Valley!
SOAK*2022 Production Team