The event begins near the lake, every year around late May or early June. Thousands of participants gather early in the morning for breakfast. Others Don't arrive until mid morning or right before lunch. The orgy never begins at a set time. Some start earlier than others. The one thing that all participants have in common is that they always have a meal right before they begin. A day like this takes a lot of energy! This orgy is so intense that many participants die during the act. The Mayflies that survive will die of old age within twenty-four hours.