‘Burn’ Postponed at Burning Man Fest as Rain and Mud Limit Access

Still, the flooding, the mud and the confinement have not disrupted the party for many of the 70,000-plus burners. They have kept dancing to ever-present, bass-heavy house music blasting across the desert; doing yoga; and visiting one another’s camps to drink and socialize and discuss the popular topic of how to make Burning Man better.

On Saturday afternoon, in the Playa Piano Bar, the musician Eric Lewis, known as ELEW, 51, belted out a marathon three-hour set of jazz and rock under an open-sided tent. Outside, water lay in puddles. Inside, he was surrounded by two dozen burners dressed in G-strings and Jedi garb. But their feet were bare or in plastic bags, instead of platform shoes and boots.

One attendee, Angie Peacock, 44, said in a phone interview that though there was some anxiety among the people and the weather temporarily halted some partying, the spirit of the festival was still on display on Saturday night. Earlier, one of the campers said that they had enough food and provisions to last at least 10 days.

“We’re not going to let anyone starve, you know?” Ms. Peacock said. “This is not ‘Hunger Games.’”

On Saturday night, neon lights were still visible across the makeshift city, and the raves were continuing as usual.

“It’s lit up,” Ms. Peacock said, looking out. “It’s beautiful.”

Justin Schuman, who came from Harlem to join the event, said in a voice message on Sunday that he expected to be uncomfortable at the site but that this deluge really “throws you through a loop.” He described the site on Saturday morning as “horrifically muddy.”