Children at the Mountain: Between Freedom, Family, and Responsibility

Last year, for the first time in Burning Mountain history, we created a Kids Area — a gentle, colorful corner of the festival where families could come together for creative, child-friendly workshops. It wasn’t a drop-off zone, but a shared space for parents and children to experience the magic of the mountain together.

We made this choice consciously.

Because while the idea of a “kids camp” or drop-off area sounds beautiful in theory, in reality it raises serious concerns.

What if parents don’t return on time?

What if they are too altered or exhausted to take care of their children properly?

As much as we wish to trust in everyone’s awareness, we also have to be honest about the nature of a festival environment.

And this honesty has led us into one of the most important — and perhaps most emotional and hard — discussions we’ve ever had as a team.

The Spirit of the Tribe

Burning Mountain, like the wider psytrance community, is rooted in values of unity, love, and family. We call ourselves a tribe — one family under the same sky.

In that sense, the presence of children feels like a natural extension of what we believe in. It shows that our culture is alive, intergenerational, and grounded in care and connection.

Both of our main organizers are parents. Their children will be present at the festival during the day — responsibly, safely, and with awareness.

This is not up for debate, but simply part of who we are as a community and a reflection of our values.

In addition, families from Zernez — our beautiful host community — will continue to have access to day tickets, as agreed with the local authorities.

This is part of our permit and our partnership with the municipality, and it will remain that way.

What We Experienced

We witnessed moments of pure beauty:

Families laughing together, kids painting in the sun, workshops full of joy and curiosity.

But we also saw things that made us stop and think.

Children on the main floor after midnight, without ear protection, in an environment that’s simply too much for them.

This isn’t something we can or want to support.

Could we introduce clearer rules — for example, allowing children but asking families to leave the main floor after 22:00?

And if we did — who would enforce that?

What happens if parents don’t comply?

Do we send children back to their tents?

And who makes sure they’re safe there?

These are not easy questions, but they’re the ones we must face honestly and responsibly.

Learning from Others

We’ve looked at other festivals — Boom, Ozora, and others — where families and children are part of the experience. There, it seems to work. So what’s different? Is it scale, structure, culture, or simply the shared responsibility of everyone involved?

Even Burning Man, the original inspiration for many transformational festivals, allows children. Families attend together, guided by a culture of radical self-responsibility and collective awareness.

So clearly, it can work — if the culture supports it.

The question for us is: How can we create that kind of balance at Burning Mountain?

We believe there’s something to learn from these examples — but also that every festival, every landscape, and every community is unique.

Zernez, our home, has its own rhythm, agreements, and cultural context.

We want to respect that while staying true to our own values.

Between Inclusion and Protection

If we allow children, we must do so with clarity and intention.

It requires parents who are fully present, and a community that supports a safe, respectful environment for everyone — adults and children alike.

If we restrict children, we risk excluding families who live by the very values our scene celebrates: love, togetherness, awareness, and tribe spirit.

Neither choice feels entirely right.

And that’s why we don’t want to decide alone.

A Call for Constructive Conversation

We want to open this discussion — not as a debate, but as a dialogue.

A space for constructive, respectful exchange that helps us move forward together.

We invite you — our tribe, our extended family — to share your ideas, experiences, and suggestions. Tell us what has worked for you at other festivals, what concerns you have, and what you believe could help us find a balanced, sustainable solution.

Every opinion is welcome. Every experience is valid.

We all carry our own backpack — our own story, our own truth — and we can only grow by listening to each other.

Please keep your input factual, kind, and constructive.

There is no need for judgment or attack.

We truly want to learn — from those who are against the idea, from mothers and fathers who have lived it, from your experiences at other events, and from what we all witnessed together at the last Burning Mountain Festival.

We will read every single comment carefully, and your thoughts, suggestions, and experiences will directly influence our final decision.

For anyone who prefers not to comment publicly, you are very welcome to share your perspective privately by email at info@burning-mountain.ch — we appreciate every contribution equally.

Because Burning Mountain has always been more than just a festival.

It’s a living experiment in freedom, connection, and responsibility.

And this conversation — about how we care for the smallest among us — might be one of the most important ones we’ve ever had.