Swirl party turns out the hotties with psychedelic aesthetics and Burning Man principles
The Burners of New York kicked off May on a psychedelic trip with their annual Swirl party.

The Burners of New York kicked off May on a psychedelic trip with their annual Swirl party.
Hosted at Brooklyn’s 3 Dollar Bill, this tie-dye festooned fete was the collaborative brainchild of Gotham’s most prominent Burning Man camps, Future Turtles, BRC Municipal Pool, and Fruit Pop.
“Swirl started as Queer Burning Man Pride,” explained long-tenured GlamCock Dustin “Dusty” Schur. It’s meant to be a collaboration between multiple queer camps to help build a community and interconnectedness, which is a lot of bringing the Burning Man principles back to the default regular world.”
Pack your bags, we’re going on an adventure
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for the best LGBTQ+ travel guides, stories, and more.
Subscribe to our Newsletter today

For those uninitiated in the dust-stained culture of Burning Man, every summer 70,000 people schlep to a barren plot of land in the Nevada desert to create a temporary city full of radical art, radical music, and radical interpersonal relationships.
While the event is international, Dusty noted that New York’s Burners have a distinct personality, reflected in Swirl and in its current home at 3 Dollar Bill.

“New York [Burners] in general are high achievers, said Dusty. “It’s our first time doing it [at 3 Dollar Bill]. We have filled out the venue previously every year, so we’re trying to continue to grow our party. This is a larger space, and has another adjacent bar, so hopefully, if we’re successful enough to take over that space next year.”

One of Burning Man’s principles is civic responsibility. In that vein, a portion of the Swirl’s funds raised are being donated to SAGE New York, which provides services for the queer elderly.
For those of you who missed out on this year’s Swirl, photographer Liam Koji snatched the best images of this psychedelic dance party.











Related
[photos] Burning Man, a retrospective in pictures
As a nod to this year’s theme, “Burning Man 2025: Tomorrow Today,” we will explore its traditions through our exclusive GayCities photographs.
Join the GayCities newsletter for weekly updates on the best LGBTQ+ destinations and events—nearby and around the world.
Mark