SOAK*2020 cancelled due to COVID-19

SOAK*2018 - Photo credit Preet Gujral

Due to state and national restrictions and mandated measures concerning the unprecedented COVID-19 public health crisis, Precipitation Northwest (PNW) and the SOAK*2020 Producer Team - as responsible stewards of our local burner community and the event - must prioritize the health and safety of our participants and families.

It is with heavy hearts that the board and leadership team have unanimously decided to cancel SOAK*2020.

While heartbroken about this difficult decision, we are looking forward to bringing SOAK back in 2021.

So, now what?

There are many factors in play about what this means for our community. We’ve done our best to be proactive and answer some of the questions you may have now below.

We’re a community, and we will get through this together. We are creative, we are connected, we are quirky, and we are resilient. We can’t wait to burn with you in 2021. Please feel free to reach out to board@precipitationnw.org with additional questions you may have, and we’ll do our best to answer them.

FAQs

Q: Can SOAK be rescheduled over the summer or fall this year instead of waiting until next year?

No. While the team shares an enthusiasm for planning an alternative gathering, planning an event in the short term is not realistic or possible in light of Oregon’s Executive Orders 20-05 (Prohibiting Large Gatherings) and 20-12 (Stay Home, Save Lives) and the CDC’s guidelines on mass gatherings. With the community's help, there may be an opportunity to have another event in 2020, but it would not be SOAK. Currently, BurnOut 2020 is still being planned.

Q: I am a current lead or volunteer for SOAK*2020, and I’ve already logged a bunch of hours. What happens to these hours? Do they still count?

Yes! Any of the hours completed during the SOAK*2020 event season will roll over and will apply to SOAK*2021. Any current volunteers should contact their department lead to make sure that any and all hours completed for SOAK*2020 have been accounted for. Any volunteer tickets that were deferred from 2019 that would have been applied to SOAK*2020 will be rolled forward to SOAK*2021.

Q: I was awarded an Art or Community Provision. What happens to my money? Do I still qualify for it?

All awarded artists will be contacted personally in the next few days by Sepia with additional details and instructions. We will reach out to awarded artists at the beginning of the SOAK*2021 event cycle to check on their availability for attending next year’s event, to see if there have been any changes to their project’s scope, and with further instructions regarding streamlining their application process. Our priority is to ensure artists continue to have the funding they need for years to come. Please know that we are being sensitive to the needs of artists who may have already allocated personal funds to an art project for this year. For questions related to provisions, please contact sepia@precipitationnw.org.

Q: I was awarded a subsidized ticket this year. What happens?

All people interested in receiving subsidized tickets for next year's event will need to reapply. These ticket sales were never opened for 2020, so no subsidized tickets were actually sold.

Q: I am a theme camp - what happens to us?

All theme camps will need to reapply next year.

Q: What about next year’s theme?

We plan to keep the 2020 Theme (Some Assembly Required) to make use of the already constructed art and planned camp infrastructure, as well as this year’s Major Burnable Structure (MBS), “DIYMBS.”

Q: How about an alternative thing that weekend - [local event, campout, expanded burnout, etc] Anything fun in the works?

We’re looking forward to the time when “safer at home”, “social distancing”, and the quarantine are just memories and there is a safe time for us all to get together in community. As plans come together, these will be shared on PNW’s Facebook page and Portland Announce listserv. We are brainstorming what virtual gatherings could look like. If you have ideas for an event and would like Precipitation Northwest’s help to make it happen, please fill out the Event Proposal Form on our website.

Q: I have more questions - who do I talk to?

Please reach out to board@precipitationnw.org with additional questions.