A Brief History Of The Melon Camps

"protomelon" @ 5:20&GIn 2009 three friends from Chicago made plans to return to Burning Man and camp with a few other mutual friends. While at a thrift store picking up playa fashions, they found a large beach umbrella decorated with a watermelon pattern. It was glorious, it was impractical, they were certain it wouldn't last 10 minutes on the playa, so naturally it had to be bought and dragged ~2000 miles to Black Rock City. They placed the umbrella at the front of their camp and it became the camp's marker: "we're by the watermelon umbrella." The umbrella survived, and on the drive back the three friends made plans to return next year.

Brötermeløn @ 4:45&G

The umbrella returned in 2010 to form Brötermeløn, a placed camp of 19 people on a 50x100 plot.

Othermelon @ 4:20&G

While planing for 2011, the original three friends were joined by a fourth and they tongue-in-cheekly became the "Executive Vision Committee" or XVC. The umbrella returned in 2011 to form Othermelon, a placed camp of 20 people on a 150x100 plot.

Melondrome @ 4:45&F

The umbrella returned in 2012 to form Melondrome, a placed camp of 35 people on a 150x100 plot.

Melonstone National Park @ 3:50&F

The umbrella returned in 2013 to form Melonstone National Park, a camp of 37 people that did not get placement because someone missed the application deadline, whoops!

Fool's Melon @ 4:40&H

The umbrella returned in 2014 to form Fool's Melon, a placed camp of 58 people on a 150x100 plot.

L melon O P @ 4:20&E

The umbrella returned in 2015 to form L melon O P, a placed camp of 64 people on a 200x150 plot.

Melon of Troy @ 3:45&A

The umbrella returned in 2016 to form Melon of Troy, a placed camp of 96 people on a 200x150 plot.

Octomelon @ 5:15&G

The umbrella returned in 2017 to form Octomelon, a placed camp of 80 people on a 200x200 plot.

Planned Melonhood @ 5:10&G

The umbrella returned in 2018 to form Planned Melonhood, a placed camp of 80 people on a 200x200 plot. Read our Report for Placement

Melon Rouge @ 8:29&F

The umbrella returned in 2019 to form Melon Rouge, a placed camp of 94 people on a 150x200 plot. Read our AfterMelon Report