Wasteland Weekend 2016 Is A Wonderland Of Fun
I can honestly say that it’s been exceptionally difficult to compile all of my thoughts and experiences concerning Wasteland Weekend 2016 into one coherent article. Seeing so many articles talking about the event, I seldom saw one that touched on its large social aspect. It seemed that the easy direction would be to write about the overall experience and not speak about more nuanced aspects. In the following paragraphs, I hope to detail my first time at Wasteland and provide insight into an event that I’ve wanted to attend since I heard of it a few years ago.
One of the ways I detail that experience is through video, and at the end of the article you can watch a 2:44 minute supercut of the hours of video from Wasteland Weekend 2016.
Being someone new to the world of Wasteland Weekend, I spent a considerable time researching and compiling information on what happens inside and what to expect. The Facebook page Wasteland Central directed me to another page known as Wasteland Basic Training — both closed groups — that not only held a lot of detailed information but also a bevy of people who were more than willing to answer any questions a person such as myself would have. In the end, I learned a great many things about the proper type of stakes to use with the tent, what sort of supplies to bring and what type of costume ideas to use at the event. The clothing for the event had been emphasized as it was meant to help maintain the immersion of a post-apocalyptic theme.
The long line at the beginning of the event had been the low point of an otherwise amazing weekend. My friends and I waited for more than four hours to approach the main gate and be checked into the event. It was an exhausting wait intermingled with a bitter cold that swept through the area. A sand storm had preceded our arrival to the event and stories online told of tents being shredded and people sleeping in their cars to stave off the bitter cold and swirling sands. My friends and I spent about ten minutes setting up our tent before tucking into insulated sleeping bags to ward off the freezing temperatures and lingering bitter winds while looking forward to the next morning.
I learned a value lesson upon first getting myself going in the morning Though layers are an important thing to have out in the desert in case of cold and heat, when festooned with equipment, note pads and a chest harness for a semi-functional gopro it pays to have a game plan for removing all of that when you’re sporting a trendy, vintage duster and body armor and slowing turning into a puddle of sweat and regret.
As I made my way toward the small ramshackle town in the distance I met more and more people who continued to head in from the “wastes.” People dressed in an eclectic assortment of attire that would look odd in any other place. Metal plates attached to outdated baseball gear, weathered and torn shirts and pants and many other items attached to their outfits to make a distinctive look that makes them stand out from one another.
The makeshift town evokes nostalgic memories from every Mad Max movie. A Thunderdome laid empty and unused for the moment as tribes of people moved around the structure. The sound of commerce and laughter carried in the air while a relentless sun beat down upon the visitors. All around me were signs of life as different groups called ‘tribes’ mustered together to talk with one another and to greet those who walked by their camps. Within the boundaries of the town existed many a themed tribe which included a contingent of Warboys, NCR soldiers and a functional casino full of gambling and vice. As I walked the dusty streets I watched the V8 symbol being tossed up as Immortan Joe drove by. Cries of “WITNESS” filled the air as jet planes buzzed the town from above in what was mentioned as a pre-arranged spectacle by some wastelanders. Several motorcycles blew on by with riders dressed in attire meant to raid a tanker of “guzzoline.” I stopped off by a building marked “Forlorn Hope” to get my bearings as I watched themed vehicles slowly roll by. Teams of “Juggers” marched by twirling weapons meant to be used in what I assumed were a gladiator fight.
Off in the distance a burlesque show drew my attention as several women moved alluringly upon a trailer and acted out a skit with fellow dancers.
One of the things on my list to do was sampling the food from Dinki D’s. Their delicious kangaroo chili and atomic wings had been worth the trek through the numerous camp sites and businesses. Having a conversation with the owner enlightened me to his business outside of the wastes and to the fact that he lived close to a very close friend of mine.
My walkabout yielded a lot of wonderful interactions with fellow wastelanders and passed by so many more who in a heartbeat would have stopped to talk. It felt almost like the video game Journey where you just keep wandering towards a distant point and make interactions along the way. The sound of cars tearing through the sands drew me out toward the main stage where a veritable armada of themed cars and trucks loaded with wastelanders circled around a large track. The sounds of battle cries filled the air between the sounds of high octane engines roaring as they tore up the ground around them before moving onward in an almost convoy-like line.
One of the wastelanders I interacted with told me a story concerning his first year at the event. The wastelander had told me his first year had been the lowest point of his life and had possibly considered ending his life at some point. His interactions with the people at the event had changed his perspective on his life and its direction and now his life had reached a better point. Another wastelander regaled me with a tale of how he met the woman he loved at the event. How they had both been first year attendees and camped together without knowing one another. A weekend away from the world had allowed them to bypass their normal social anxiety and together they found a person they loved in each other.
The more I spoke with people at Wasteland Weekend, the more I felt that each story melded into the overall feeling of camaraderie that I had felt from the beginning. There is no feeling of alienation among the people I met but a strong feeling of being welcomed despite being an unknown.
The night life at Wasteland Weekend felt like a beautiful symphony of lights and sounds. Large groups of people engaging with one another, music blasting from all over the small town. The main stage hosted a three-way battle between DJ’s while the clanging of metal pipes summoned all those available to the Thunderdome where strong combatants clashed with one another. Each combatant strapped into a bungie cord harness before being pulled back and launched into one another just like in Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome. People climbed all over the dome to get a better view while cheering on their favored fighter as dancers within the dome kept the audience cheering.
A more fascinating sight came in the form of a large man making crepes a few feet away. His efforts were a strong contrast to the faux savagery happening behind him. He was assisted making the crepes by a friend, who also doubled as the leader of the bike tours around the wastes (the crepes were delicious by the way).
After watching some of the DJ battle between Lord Humongous and DJ Steph Infection and listening to their amazing music, I moved down to the Deez Jr to enjoy more robust sounds and the on-stage dancers. It was a more mellow mood with people standing around a bonfire and getting some semi-quiet time in before people shift over from the DJ battle to the Deez. At this point it was Saturday night and the mood had tapered off as the next morning signified the end of the event and the breakdown time where everyone took down their campsites, policed their garbage and left to return to the real world.
There still is so much to see and do while there, with unofficial games, bounty hunts and ride-alongs offered to the willing. As far as events go, I had an exceptionally great time there and highly recommend Wasteland Weekend to everyone I know. The hard work put into the event clearly showed with every sight, every corner in the shanty-like town I had the pleasure of wandering in.
[divider]
