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Thanks for your interest in ChiCargo 2025!
New & noteworthy
The basics
Prohibited items
Bins
Bikes
Irregular items
Chicago drop off
Playa pick up
Playa drop off
Chicago pick up
Payment
Link to sign up form
Stay connected
1. New & noteworthy
Reminders from last year:
New "Shipping Aid" discount, 40% off, honor-system-based
Public art discount increased from 10% to 40%, also honor-system-based
Playa drop off deadline is now Monday 9am (formerly 10am)
Weight limit for all items is 80 lbs
2. The basics:
Roundtrip prices:
$80 for BYO standardized bin
$16 per cubic foot for irregular items
$240 for bikes (includes $100 refundable deposit, details below)
One-way prices:
50% off for bins & irregular items
Bikes not eligible for one-way (see below)
Transported by contracted freight professionals via a licensed & insured semi-trailer
Space is limited, first come first serve, and reservations are valid only after completion of the online sign up and successful payment processing
Sign up closes when space is filled OR Friday 8/9 at 11:59pm CDT and there are no refunds after that time
Discounts
All discounts applied automatically during sign up! (previously manual)
Public art
40% discount! (previously 10%)
During sign up, artist must provide art's name, description, and approximate location
Personal items & art must be two different sign ups, must be physically separate during packing & shipping
Before 10/1/2025, artist must provide 1-3 photos of installed art, for addition to ChiCargo art showcase
Shipping Aid
40% discount
Details:
This program is based on Burning Man's Ticket Aid program, but without any submission requirements, i.e. it is based on the honor system
This discount is reserved for participants on a limited income who cannot otherwise afford regular priced shipping.
Participants who successfully received an event ticket through Burning Man's 2025 Ticket Aid program definitely qualify!
For both discount programs, eligible and ineligible items must be two different sign ups, and must be physically separate during packing & shipping
Misuse or abuse of discounts may result in ChiCargo lifetime ban!
3. Prohibited items
Prohibited items include but are not limited to:
illegal drugs: cocaine, LSD, ecstasy, etc;
"partially legal" drugs: marijuana, cannabis, derivatives or synthetic thereof, etc;
perishable food or beverage: produce, milk, fresh juices, etc;
fireworks: signal flares, sparklers, other explosives, etc;
flammables/fuel: propane, butane, gasoline, diesel, white gas, matches, lighters, etc;
paints: spray paint, oil-based paint, etc;
household Items: bleach, spray starch, insecticides, drain cleaners, solvents, etc;
pressure containers: scuba tanks, camp stove propane canisters, carbon dioxide cartridges, nitrous oxide cartridges, etc;
weapons: firearms, ammunition, gunpowder, mace, tear-gas, pepper spray, etc;
hazardous materials: dry ice, gasoline-powered tools, wet-cell batteries, camping equipment with fuel, radioactive materials, poisons, infectious substances, etc;
wet goods that could open and destroy other property and/or stink up the trailer (stinky cheese), etc.
living beings: dogs, cats, humans, fish, etc.
4. Bins
$80 price is only for 27 gallon "Commander" bins by Centrex
NOT 27 gallon "Professional Box" at Costco
NOT 27 gallon storage tote by HDX sold at Home Depot
NOT 27 gallon "Tough Tote" by Homz sold at Amazon
If you use a non-Centrex tote, it will be irregular and you will be charged $90 or more
Bins are available at:
Lowes (#rightbin): Ashland & Division, Diversey & Narragansett, etc.
Gross weight limit for bins is 80 lbs per bin (gross = contents + bin + lock + etc)
We reserve the right to refuse any bin that is visibly cracked or damaged at load in
Bag your bin contents or tape the edges of your bin to prevent intrusion of playa dust
If you’re re-using a bin from a previous ChiCargo year, make sure you remove previous labels!
At Chicago drop off, bins receive heavy-duty labels with the shipper's name & info, so labeling/decorating is not required.
If you want to label/decorate your bin, do so in non-MOOPy ways:
OK: Sharpie, paint pen, duct tape, large plastic stickers
NOT OK: Spray paint, house paint, masking tape, washi tape, small stickers, paper stickers
Lid must close completely and be secured at all 6 points with zip ties: cinch zip ties tight, cut off extra length
Bins should be packed carefully: they will have hundreds of pounds stacked on it, or leaning against it from any direction
BYOlock system for bins
At Chicago drop off, bin owners must bring one lock per bin (unlocked)
Locks must be compatible with lock holes in Centrex bin.
We recommend a shackle of 1.5 inches or greater (see diagram)
Locks cannot obstruct or interfere with bin stacking
Combination style locks strongly recommended, especially if a friend may pick up or drop off your bin
Bike locks (cable or U lock) are OK if meeting the above criteria, but not recommended, and can only be used for one bin
Bins cannot be locked together or otherwise attached to each other
5. Bikes:
$240 round trip, which includes $100 deposit (deposit refunded to payment card after Chicago pick up)
We CAN ship: single-rider bikes which fit into a 70" x 41" x 8.5" box after simple disassembly: wheels and tires remain ON (remove pedals, turn/remove handlebars, remove baskets [pack in your bin!], and similar).
We CANNOT ship: recumbent bikes, tandem bikes, tricycles, bikes over 80 lbs, extra-dimensional chopper/tall/rat bikes, etc. (...because they cannot fit into a 70" x 41" x 8.5" box after simple disassembly with wheels and tires remaining ON...you get the idea)
Additional notes/requirements:
Round-trip only: we don't want to contribute to abandoned bikes on-playa!
At drop-off in Chicago, every bike must have a bike lock on it's REAR wheel (we highly recommend a simple, cable lock [NOT a U-lock])
Bikes must be dropped off earlier than bins: before Temple Burn (Sunday 9/1 at 8pm).
Why? Packing and loading bikes is slower and more labor-intensive than bins.
Bike deposit system:
$100 deposit is charged at initial sign up, deposit returns are submitted shortly after Chicago pick up and take 5-10 business days to process
One way to understand our deposit system: consideration and respect
Respect the playa: no lost or abandoned bikes (and no stolen bikes, which are more likely to be abandoned)
Respect ChiCargo's equipment: bike tools, bike racks, bike boxes, etc.
Respect our volunteers' time & energy: follow directions, be courteous, don't be late
If you show lack of consideration or disrespect in the ways outlined above, or otherwise, you forfeit your deposit!
6. Irregular items
Irregular item capacity is limited at our discretion
Gross weight limit for irregular items is 80 lbs per item. An irregular item more than 80 lbs will need to be split into multiple items. This will be strictly enforced in 2025.
Orders with irregular items may be declined with full refund within 24 hours of order submission
We cannot accept fragile or delicate items, may not be able to accept items with any one dimension longer than 8'
Dimensions & pricing is "highest point rectilinear" and uses the following procedure:
Measure length, width, and height at longest, widest, and tallest point
Then, round up to the nearest whole inch. Ex: 14.4" x 30.2" x 43.8" becomes 15" x 31" x 44"
Multiply the result and then divide by 1728 for the precise cubic feet. Ex: 15*31*44 = 20,460 then 20,460 / 1728 = 11.84
Round up to the nearest cubic foot then multiply by $16 for final cost Ex. 11.84 becomes 12 then 12*$16 = $192
7. Chicago drop off
Chicago drop off will be Sunday, August 10th from 2pm-6pm in Chicago (exact location provided in August to those who sign up)
At Chicago drop off, bin owners must bring one lock per bin (unlocked) (see section 5 above)
At Chicago drop off, we will have a systems for quickly locating boxes and locks on-play
If you cannot attend Chicago drop off or pick up, please practice Radical Self Reliance and Communal Effort by using the ChiCargo Message board to coordinate with other ChiCargo participants rather than contacting ChiCargo organizers.
8. Playa pick up
Playa pick up starts Thursday 8/21 at noon (Early Access)
All Bins will be in dedicated ChiCargo area of MAD Recreational Movers: on D, near 5:15, Man-side
9. Playa drop off
Bikes must be dropped off BEFORE the Temple Burn (Sunday 8/31 at 8pm)
Playa drop off ends Monday 9/1 at 9am
Bins must be returned to the ChiCargo area
10. Chicago pick up
Chicago pick up will be Saturday 9/13 from 2pm-6pm at same location as drop off
To claim bins, participants must open the bin's lock
If you cannot attend Chicago drop off or pick up, please practice Radical Self Reliance and Communal Effort by using the ChiCargo Message board to coordinate with other ChiCargo participants rather than contacting ChiCargo organizers.
11. Payment & Refunds
Successful payment via credit or debit card is required to sign up
Accepted cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB, Discover, and Diners Club
If possible, please submit payment in one lump sum covering all items shipped
Full refunds are available before 8/8 at 11:59pm Chicago time
Refund requests must be submitted via email: reply to the confirmation email (subject line: "Thanks for your sign up of X items") and double-check it's being sent to chicargo@burningmelon.org
Refund requests will receive a reply within 48 hours; actual timing of repayment may vary based on your credit/debit card
12. Link to sign up form
If you would like to use this program and have no further questions, you can sign up and pay here: https://form.jotform.com/251594303242148
13. Stay connected
Email is our primary and preferred method of communication: chicargo@burningmelon.org
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