About FZB

FreezerBurn Texas is a Central Texas winter regional arts event and community experiment. FreezerBurn 2023: Weird Science will be held on Jan. 13-16 at Valkyrie Ranch in Paige. See below for more details. 

March 10 Update

Closing Out FZB23

What We’re Doing With The Effigy

We deliberated. After considering the timing of other community events and volunteer capacity as well as logistical and operational considerations, we decided that we’re going to burn this year’s effigy at FreezerBurn 2024. We’re still considering how it’ll all work, including: what this means for camp and art placement, if we’ll have two effigy burns or one large one, and more. Have thoughts? Want to help? Reach out to our Art Team at art@fzbtx.com. 

Leadership News

After seven years, Cheese Wiz is retiring from the FreezerBurn board. We’ve already had a mini-retirement party for him, but we don’t think he got enough toasts and roasts. Tell him your fondest or silliest memory at cheese@fzbtx.com before we turn off the account in a few weeks. 

We’re looking for 2-3 more Board Understudies. Relevant experience would include work with non-profit/volunteer organizations generally or at our event–or just an interest in how we run things! Nominate yourself or someone else here: https://bit.ly/fzbnominate 

We Need Your Feedback

Have something to tell us about? Whether you want to discuss a sensitive matter with the Board or just have feedback about the event in general, we want to hear from you! Reach us at board@fzbtx.com. 

Hey, You. Yeah, You. Thanks. 

We want to give a big “THANK YOU!” to all of the volunteers, artists, theme camps, participants, and community members who made this burn happen. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Stay safe. Stay frosty. Stay in touch. 

Jan. 20 Update

Weird Science Experiment concluded!

The experiment codenamed “FreezerBurn 2023: Weird Science” was conducted this past weekend near Paige, TX. As our scientists contemplate the results and findings, here are some things you should know:

Load In – Saturday @ 10am

Org infrastructure and gear needs to get off of the land and back into storage for next time. Load in begins at 10am at Valkyrie Ranch. We’ll be loading things up onto trucks and unloading it back at the storage unit and warehouse in Austin. This is a great chance to visit the land again and lend a much-needed hand. Food and water will be provided, but do bring your own water bottle. More details at the Facebook Event.

Lost and Found

Lose something? Find something? There’s a Lost and Found thread in the FreezerBurn Facebook community group. Load In is a great opportunity to recover lost gear handed back to the org! Check out the thread here.

One particular lost thing of note: A dog skull was removed from an art project near the effigy. He was nestled in a bucket of mirrors and fairy lights. This piece is of significant personal value to the artist. If you know its whereabouts, please reach out to the board (board@fzbtx.com) or one of the community members who have volunteered to help its return (no questions asked).

What Comes Next

While winds meant that the effigy could not be burned as planned on Sunday night, our team of dedicated scientists are hard at work coming up with a way to conduct the burn at the land at a later date. Wanna volunteer? Sign up here. Stay tuned!

A Good Word from Our Neighbors

“As we were closing everything out on land today, I got a call from the neighbor. The new sound policy did its job (along with Phillip’s tireless department) and helped ensure that we can keep burning on this gorgeous land for years to come.” Hypothesis confirmed!

Thanks Volunteers and Participants!

Many many thanks to all the volunteers and participants who made FreezerBurn 2023 GO! As a volunteer driven event, it’s the community who brings the magic, and y’all really brought it.

Feedback or Something to Report?Do you have ideas on how to make the event even better? Do you have feedback as a volunteer on how your shifts went? Do you have information about a problem or incident that the Board should be aware of? The Board wants to hear from you! Contact them at board@fzbtx.com. More information on how this information will be handled is available on the website.

Jan. 11 Update

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Event Time

Over the next few days, more and more of the organizers, chief cat herders, circus ringleaders, and other folks crazy enough to try and guide this weird science experiment will be heading to land. That is to say: Practice radical self reliance if you have questions or problems. Search the Facebook group for answers. Read the Survival Guide. Also, there’s a map that’s super helpful too. Not finding answers there? In a pinch, just hit “reply” and we’ll get back to you as we’re able. Use your best judgment, and come prepared. 

Arriving and departing the land

Be sure and be a good neighbor. Support local businesses if you can. Obey all traffic laws entering and leaving the event. Avoid dumping trash in businesses’ dumpsters as you head home. Make sure items in trailers and truck beds are secure. Just as we try and leave the land just as we found it (or better), we don’t want to leave a negative mark on the surrounding communities.

A note about your vehicles 

No carts or any other vehicles will be allowed on the paths through the no-camping area in the Southeast part of the property in Zone 2. This is a foot-traffic only area. The road through there (primarily Rens Rad Road) is washed out and too dangerous for vehicles to pass. The entrances will have signs blocking vehicle access. 

Catalyst Beltway and Thorium Turnabout (Zones 3 and 4, serving some open camping and art) are 1-way only (clockwise direction). The roads are only big enough for smaller vehicles and art cars – no RVs, box trucks or campers.

Final event schedule

Submissions for the event schedule have closed, and a printable schedule can be located here! Have a last minute idea? The information kiosks have chalk and a blackboard, so you can still let people know!

Jan. 6 Update

Loadout is happening on Saturday Jan. 7! Can you volunteer a truck or trailer to transport event goodies?

We Need Your Help To Get The Stuff To The Place To Do The Thing 

Loadout is a great opportunity to sneak a peek at your camp’s placement and get a head start planning what to put where. (No personal or camp gear should be taken out yet.) We especially need trucks and trailers. We also critically need help loading in Austin and unloading at Valkyrie Ranch. 

Here is a ROUGH schedule for the day. We will update the Facebook event throughout the day if you want to join us in progress:

  • 10am: loadout at storage unit (9717 E US Highway 290, 78724)
  • 10am: loadout at Flipside Warehouse (3106 Industrial Terrace, 78758) 
  • Noon: head to land (Valkyrie Ranch, 2008 FM 2104, 78659)
  • 1pm: unload at land

Register Your FreezerBurn Event – Deadline Extended! 

We extended the deadline to Jan. 9. Tell us what’s happening! Tell the community about your art or meal or workshop or whatever!

Want to know what’s going on in the city? Check out the events folks have already submitted here.

Is Your Ticket Ready For Gate? 

The name on each ticket needs to match the legal name of the person using it. To transfer a ticket (or just to update the name associated with a ticket), go to quicket.com/account/users/mytickets.aspx. If you do not yet have an account, use the “reset password” function with the email address you used to purchase the tickets.

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Event Time

Over the next few days, more and more of the organizers, chief cat herders, circus ringleaders, and other folks crazy enough to try and guide this weird science experiment will be heading to land. That is to say: Practice radical self reliance if you have questions or problems. Search the Facebook group for answers. Read the Survival Guide. Also, there’s a map that’s super helpful too. Not finding answers there? In a pinch, just hit “reply” and we’ll get back to you as we’re able. Use your best judgment, and come prepared. See y’all soon…

Jan. 2 Update

Gates open a week from Friday! Things are heating up in FireFrost City. (Figuratively. Not necessarily literally. Be sure to read the full Survival Guide–and to keep an eye on the weather forecast.)

First off, if you need help signing up for volunteer shifts or just want to learn more, join the Volunteer Job Fair and Help Desk happening TODAY (Monday, Jan. 2) from noon to 3pm.

Here’s what else you need to know… 

Tickets Are Currently Available

The last round of ticket sales is happening now. Tell your friends and campmates. Snag them here: https://qkt.io/FZB2022

Scheming Up a Shindig? 

Are you hosting a cool event at FreezerBurn? Get on the published schedule. Let the community know before the Jan. 6 printing deadline!

FreezerBurn Is Powered By Volunteers

We are still working to fill some critical volunteer shifts! Sign up for one or more here: freezerburn.duplie.com 

Pre-event trainings are still ongoing:

The Safety Team also made this handy walkthrough about how to sign up for shifts. 

Encountering issues or have a question about signing up? Join the Volunteer Job Fair and Help Desk happening TODAY (Monday, Jan. 2) from noon to 3pm.

Already Volunteering? Send Us A Pic! 

Submit your volunteer badge photo and info by uploading your photo as a profile picture in Duplie. Or email your photo and burner name or radio handle to volunteer@fzbtx.com. We must receive photos (which must show your face clearly; no sunglasses) by Friday, Jan. 6. 

Help Get The Stuff To The Place To Do The Thing 

Loadout is a great opportunity to sneak a peek at your camp’s placement and get a head start planning what to put where. (No personal or camp gear should be taken out yet.) We need help loading trucks and trailers at two sites in Austin and then help unloading on land. 

Here is a ROUGH schedule for the day. We will update the Facebook event throughout the day if you want to join us in progress:

  • 10am: loadout at storage unit (9717 E US Highway 290, 78724)
  • 10am: loadout at Flipside Warehouse (3106 Industrial Terrace, 78758) 
  • Noon: head to land (Valkyrie Ranch, 2008 FM 2104, 78659)
  • 1pm: unload at land

On-Site Conclave Safety Meeting – Saturday, Jan. 14, at 1pm 

Want to participate in Conclave on Burn Night? All fire spinners and dancers are invited! It’s a fun experience and a great way to radically express yourself! You must also attend a mandatory safety meeting on Saturday, Jan. 14, at 1pm at the effigy. (If every fire dancer wrangles a safety person to the meeting, we will be covered!)

In Case You Missed It

  • The map is out! Big thanks to Ren, Scott P., and Monk for all their hard work!

Reminder: All participants must be up to date with COVID vaccines and boosters. For FreezerBurn, this means you need to have had a booster within the past six months–or be newly fully vaccinated (two initial shots) within the past six months. If you have questions or concerns, reach out to board@fzbtx.com.

Dec. 30 Update

Scientists from the FireFrost City Weird Archeology Society have unearthed another cache of tickets to FreezerBurn! Reviving a traditional ritual called a “Fire Sale,” these tickets are being made available while they last at https://qkt.io/FZB2022 starting… now. Don’t be left in the cold; Get them while they’re hot.

And, yes, we do still critically need more volunteers! Please help our event, go to https://freezerburn.duplie.com or email volunteer@fzbtx.com.

Dec. 26 Update

We have a map!

From FreezerBurn Research Facility #42, we bring you the culmination of months of research, geometry, super-scientific quantifications, piles of spreadsheets, and tomes of experimental data: The Official 2023 FreezerBurn Placement and Safety Map!™

Now with even more map! Check out the second page for: A theme camp index. Plus, a map showing the route from the property entrance to the event site.

HUGE THANKS to Ren, Scott P., and Monk for all their hard work!

Dec. 16 Update

Ranger Training

  • There will be online ranger training Saturday, Dec 17. If you haven’t trained since 1/18/2022, you need to if you want to do a ranger shift at FreezerBurn. Check out the Facebook event for more information.

DMV Registration

  • If you are coming to Freezerburn and plan on bringing an art car, please fill out our registration form to make sure that you get placed on a main road and not a small interior road

Survival Guide

  • If you haven’t checked it out yet, read the Survival Guide! There are new things you need to know!

Selling tickets

Volunteering opportunities

  • Register to volunteer here! Many shifts are still available. If enough folks volunteer, we may be able to open the event on Thursday!
  • Effigy build expands to Thursdays – come on out and volunteer! 7-10p at the Warehouse! (FB Event)
  • Voice overs: use your radio voice and record information about art. Email comms@fzbtx.com if interested.

Event Schedule

Dec. 12 Update

Hey, did you know you can earn Volunteer Ticket access through volunteering? 

Did you know most Volunteer Ticket codes expire in 10 days? 

Also in 10 days, we’ll decide whether to open the event on Thursday PM instead of Friday AM–based on volunteerism.

This all adds up to one simple answer: 

Sign up to volunteer NOW! Help make FZB23 GO! 

All volunteer shifts are open now. Sign up to volunteer at http://freezerburn.duplie.com!

Questions about signing up to volunteer? Email volunteers@fzbtx.com

Dec. 2 update

Important dates this week

  • Now – Release of Survival Guide 2023
  • Dec. 2-4 – Work Weekend #2
  • Dec. 7 – NEW! Theme camp registration deadline
  • Dec. 9 – NEW! Sticker contest deadline

Release of Survival Guide 2023

After a bunch of WEIRD SCIENCE, it’s aliiiiive! Presenting the Survival Guide: https://fzbtx.com/survival-guide/

Read it. Read it again. Send it to a friend. There’s new things in there, so don’t skip it.

Work Weekend Happening Now!

Come on out to the land (Valkyrie Ranch) and help prep for the event! Camping is encouraged: Friday night through Sunday noon. 

Folks are already onsite getting things done. Gate hours will be 7am-7pm on Saturday and 7am-12pm on Sunday. Email siteops@fzbtx.com if you will be arriving outside these hours or there is no one at gate when you arrive.

Everyone is welcome, and We especially need volunteers who have:

  • Chainsaws and/ or chainsaw experience for processing firewood for the event. 
  • 4×4 vehicles to help haul firewood.

If you’d like to camp in the shade, come and clear your camping spot in the trees.

More details on the Facebook event.

Questions? Contact siteops@fzbtx.com.

Theme Camp Registration Extended 

Are you a theme camp lead and super bummed that you missed the theme camp registration deadline?  Lucky you!  We have extended the deadline until midnight on Wednesday, Dec. 7!

ICYMI 

Theme camp registration form: https://forms.gle/8qqFQRbKf1B5C69HA

(Warning: This form is long! Here’s a PDF of the questions so you can come prepared: 2023 PDF Theme Camp Sample Form: https://bit.ly/themecampsample

Questions? Email cityplanning@fzbtx.com.

New Deadline for Sticker Submissions

Do you have a desire to see your design all over the event? If your sticker gets picked, you’ll get the only free ticket to FreezerBurn! Your design should be 2-3″ wide and 2-3″ tall at 300 dpi. A vector file also works great. Include the text “FreezerBurn” and “Weird Science” somewhere in the design. 

Email your design to comms@fzbtx.com by midnight on Friday, Dec. 9!

We Need Volunteers!

Volunteer intake is officially open. Go to freezerburn.duplie.com to sign up! Keep checking back as new shifts and other volunteer opportunities are added. (With enough volunteers, we may be able to open the event on Thursday… Hint. Hint.) Questions? Email volunteer@fzbtx.com.

Nov. 13 update

Upcoming Events

Register to Volunteer

Volunteer intake is officially open. Go to freezerburn.duplie.com to sign up! Keep checking back as new shifts and other volunteer opportunities are added. Questions? Email volunteer@fzbtx.com.

We Still Need a Few Good Leads

Effigy Build Foreman:

  • Coordinate all build plans and paperwork, coordinate volunteer tasks for effigy build days. Interested? Just hit “reply.” 

Conclave Lead:

  • Coordinate with Fire Lead to organize performers for burn night procession, recruit fire performers. If you’re interested, contact art@fzbtx.com.

Work Weekend #2 (Dec. 2-4)

Come on out to the land (Valkyrie Ranch) and help prep for the event! Camping is encouraged: Friday night through Sunday noon.

Everyone is welcome, and We especially need volunteers who have:

  • Chainsaws and/ or chainsaw experience for processing firewood for the event. 
  • 4×4 vehicles to help haul firewood.

If you’d like to camp in the shade, come and clear your camping spot in the trees.

Sign up on our registration document for the work weekend ESPECIALLY if you intend on eating provided meals (TBA).

  • If you have questions, please contact siteops@fzbtx.com.

Got Art? 

Second Art Grant Cycle is Now Open!

This time we are looking specifically for 2D and 3D visual art or large interactive pieces. (Not camp infrastructure. Not culinary.) Grants are limited to $1,000 each. Grant cycle timeline:

  • Applications due by Sunday, Nov 27 at midnight.
  • Decisions made by Dec 2.
  • Funds disbursed by Dec 9.

Apply for a grant (or just art placement) here. Questions? art@fzbtx.com.

Announcing the Weird Science Fair

Saturday afternoon on the effigy field: Bring a project board and/or demonstration to show off your mad science skillz! Register here.  

Land Updates

  • As we continue to develop the land, the Site Ops Team has set goals to make the property more accessible. If all goes well, we should have a one-way road for art cars can into the woods, past some art installations, and eventually returning to the main road at HQ Hill.
  • We are also exploring moving the effigy further up the hill to allow for more theme camps in flatter areas. Remember, if you want to clear a space to camp in the woods, come out for the next work weekend. See you on the grassy playa!
  • See attached map for details (ATTACH MAP FROM MONK)

Theme Camp Registration

Do you lead a theme camp that’s offering something to the community? Want dedicated space and to get listed on the map? Complete this form by Nov. 30. (Warning: This form is long! Here’s a PDF of the questions so you can come prepared: 2023 PDF Theme Camp Sample Form.)

Questions? Email cityplanning@fzbtx.com. 

Calling Artists, Designers, Doodlers

…for sticker submissions! 

Would you like to be the only person in the universe to get a free ticket to FreezerBurn 2023? Do you have a desire to see your design stuck to cups and beakers? If your design reigns supreme with our panel of esteemed judges, then you will be rewarded with the only golden ticket. Your design should be 2-3″ wide and 2-3″ tall at 300 dpi. A vector file also works great. Include the text “FreezerBurn” and “Weird Science” somewhere in the design. 

Email your design to comms@fzbtx.com by Friday, Dec. 2!

Thanks for helping us make this event go!

Oct. 16 update

UPCOMING EVENTS

VACCINATIONS

Y’all asked; we listened. Here’s the clarification y’all wanted: Vaccinations still required.

All participants must be up to date with COVID vaccines and boosters. For FreezerBurn, this means you need to have had a booster within the past six months–or be newly fully vaxed (two initial shots) within the past six months. For “pre-event events” like Work Weekends, Effigy Build Days, Hypothermia, etc, you must be at least fully vaccinated (at the very least, possibly more at the discretion of the event lead).

ART

We’re recruiting volunteers! We want to give money to artists! We want to help spread the word about your art! Learn more on the Art page.

PROJECTS AND MORE:

  • Event Map: Interested in supporting the folks who make the event map? Learn about cartography and how to create the event map. The event map shows all the theme camp placement, the art placement and the infrastructure, effigy location, and all roads/paths throughout the event as well as entry and exit. Email siteops@fzbtx.com for more information.
  • WEIRD SCIENCE FAIR!
    • Saturday afternoon on the effigy field. Bring a project board and/or demonstration to show off your mad science skillz! 
    • Weird Science Fair Registration
  • We’re also looking for one or two more Board Understudies. Help be responsible for all operations of our event and help nurture and grow our community. Nominate someone for Volunteerz AF or Board Understudy.

More to come soon! In the meantime, thanks for being part of our community.

Sep. 25 update

The General Ticket Lottery is now open! Get signed up here. Lottery closes at midnight on Saturday, Oct. 1.

Sept. 15 update

Art Ticket sales open at noon at https://qkt.io/FZB2022

Sept. 11 update

Hi, y’all. Here’s a recap of items we discussed at yesterday’s Town Hall.

We’re having an event! For realsies. We think. We hope.

We canceled FreezerBurn 2022 because case counts were spiking, the severity of Omicron was not yet known, a third of the FZB Leadership had active COVID cases in their homes two weeks before the event, and volunteers were voting with their feet in droves. 

This cycle, we’re taking measures to mitigate what we can. Of course, we will always follow federal, state, and local guidance about outdoor events. Fortunately, the severity of COVID seems to be down for many populations. We can anticipate that there will again be a post-holiday spike, so we’re working to build more cross-training and backups into our Leadership structure. This means making sure that each Team is led by folks who have enough social distance from each other immediately pre-event so they don’t share COVID cooties. 

Please be thinking about and sharing your thoughts on how we can help mitigate cancellation. How can we stand up volunteer shifts and critical staffing at all levels in a sustainable way?

To be frank, we can’t financially handle another cancellation without some pretty big support** or changes. So we’re doing everything we can not to cancel again. We want to hear from y’all about this. Please hit reply or talk to your volunteer Leads if you have thoughts.

**A related note about money.

We have been very intentional about minimizing unnecessary expenses, but costs necessarily incurred during two years of canceled events eat into our very tight operating budget.

If you have the means and inclination, consider donating to the Art Fund or General Fund for Art Community Builders, the nonprofit that organizes FreezerBurn here: https://bit.ly/fzbdonate

Vaccinations still required. 

All participants must be up to date with COVID vaccines and boosters. This is true for both FreezerBurn and “pre-event events” like Work Weekends, Effigy Build Days, Hypothermia, etc. We are discontinuing use of VaxYes to gate ticket sales to save money. (We may still use it at the physical gate to enter the event.) 

Land: We have a home for a while! 

We’ve signed a five-year contract with Valkyrie Ranch. We value this partnership and can’t wait to see it grow.

This event is powered by volunteers. Volunteers like you!

All Teams need volunteers! Learn more about the Teams and Departments here: https://fzbtx.com/volunteer/. We’re working on improvements to the volunteer onboarding process, but for now email volunteer@fzbtx.com to get connected. 

We’re still looking for 1-2 more Board Understudies. Relevant experience would include work with non-profit/volunteer organizations, or just an interest in how we run things! Nominate yourself or someone else here: https://bit.ly/fzbnominate 

One other potential change this year is that we are considering maybe officially starting the event on Thursday evening– if and only if we have strong volunteerism. So tell your friends!

The info you’re looking for: Tickets! 

If you already have a ticket, you’re good to go! 

Not sure if you do? Email tickets@fzbtx.com. 

Don’t have a ticket?

  • General Tickets ($125): We will release these via a lottery using Quicket, like last year. The lottery will accept entries Sept. 25 to Oct. 1.
  • Art Tickets ($200): These will be sold first come, first serve. (No lottery for Art Tickets.) Sales start at noon on Sept. 15 and will enable us to do another Art Grant cycle. 
  • Volunteer Tickets ($125): We’ll also have a robust pool of Volunteer Tickets. Talk to your lead or email volunteer@fzbtx.com.

There’s a possibility of a fire sale in late December or early January if Volunteer Tickets are undersold.

Reminder: There are no more Vehicle Passes, but RV Passes ($25) are still required for anything over 25 feet.

Upcoming Dates/Deadlines:

Hypothermia (our big annual training for the Safety Team) is scheduled for November 4-6 at Valkyrie Ranch. RSVP to the Facebook event if you’re into that kinda thing. Otherwise stay tuned for more details. 

Keep an eye out for more dates for Work Weekends, Come Chat with FreezerBurn Leadership social events, Art Grant application deadlines, Theme Camp registration deadlines, and more.

More to come soon! In the meantime, thanks for being part of our community. 

Contact us: board@fzbtx

Facebook: FreezerBurn Texas

Twitter: @fzbtx_news

Oh, and if you happen to be looking for the FreezerBurn Alberta, a Canadian Regional Burn: Their website is at http://www.freezerburn.org. We are not associated with that event, but we have common values and names. It’s a small world, after all.