What If 2025 formerly known as Burn in the Forest

Welcome to “What If” – A Reimagined Gathering of Creativity and Community

The spirit of transformation, imagination, and radical self-expression returns in 2025 under a new name and renewed vision. “What If,” the event formerly known as Burn in the Forest (BitF), will be held from Thursday, July 31 to Monday, August 4, 2025, in the heart of Merritt, British Columbia—a breathtaking setting rich in culture, connection, and natural beauty.

This gathering will take place on the traditional, unceded lands of the Nlaka’pamux people, and we honour their enduring presence, history, and deep relationship with this land. With gratitude, we invite participants to reflect on the responsibility of being respectful guests and stewards while co-creating this temporary, transformative community.

“What If” is more than just a festival—it’s a living, breathing experiment in creativity, collaboration, and personal exploration. Artists, builders, performers, dancers, musicians, mystics, and curious souls from all walks of life will come together to create an inclusive, open space where art is participatory, community is intentional, and play is sacred.

Expect interactive art installations, mind-expanding workshops, sunrise dancefloors, dusty costumes, fire sculptures, spontaneous performances, and moments of pure magic that only happen when people say “yes” to the unknown. “What If” invites participants to challenge limits, reimagine their world, and connect in ways that transcend the everyday.

As always, this is a leave-no-trace event grounded in Burning Man’s 10 guiding principles—including radical self-reliance, inclusion, communal effort, gifting, and decommodification. There are no spectators here—only participants. Everyone who attends is an integral part of the experience.

The location in Merritt provides wide open skies, rolling hills, and a powerful sense of place. After years of growth and change, this evolution to “What If” represents both a return to our roots and a bold step forward. It’s a question, a challenge, and an invitation to dream bigger.

Tickets, volunteer signups, and theme camp registrations will be announced soon. Be sure to follow our official channels for details, updates, and ways to get involved.