In 1986, the first Man burned on a San Francisco Beach. Larry Harvey and Jerry James put together an improvised wooden figure, and took it to Baker Beach on the Summer Solstice. They light it up, and a crowd gathers. The rest is history. Since then, each year, Burning Man has evolved and grown into a worldwide phenomenon that attracts artists, curious minds, wondering souls, hippies, families, and everyone in between. They say no edition is the same as the previous, and that’s the beauty of it. Since 1990, the event has taken place at Black Rock City, Nevada.
What is Burning Man?
The first thing you’ll read when you enter Burning Man’s website is a clear statement: “Burning Man is not a festival.” It’s a cultural movement, though some describe it as a living art piece. The aim is to build a creative, connected and thriving society, where people create and share every experience. No one is a guest at Burning Man – everyone is part of it.
The space is put together by its attendees, it’s taken apart by them, and everything that happens here is created – and shared – by the people. Black Rock City is an annual experiment. It lives for one week only, and then it completely disappears… until the next year.
While we mostly think of Nevada when we hear of Burning Man, events and groups exist in 34 countries. Each year, the event attracts over 70,000 people to Black Rock City, and over 100,000 worldwide.
How does it work?
Essentially, Black Rock City is based on 10 principles, written by Larry Harvey in 2004 as a reflection of the community’s ethos and culture. According to the creator, however, there are not commandments, but guidelines:
- Radical Inclusion – Anyone may be a part of Burning Man. No prerequisites exist for participation.
- Gifting – The value of a gift is unconditional, with no expectation of return or exchange.
- Decommodification – Burning Man avoids commercial sponsorships, transactions, or advertising, seeking to preserve a space unmediated by consumption.
- Radical Self-reliance – Encourages individuals to discover, rely on, and express their inner resources.
- Radical Self-expression – Arises from the unique gifts of the individual and is offered to others freely, without conditions.
- Communal Effort – Creative cooperation and collaboration are highly valued; participants work together to support one another.
- Civic Responsibility – Participants assume responsibility for public welfare and follow local laws.
- Leaving No Trace – The community respects the environment, cleaning up after themselves and leaving the desert better than they found it.
- Participation – Transformative change occurs through deeply personal participation; everyone is invited to contribute.
- Immediacy – Immediate experience is the most important touchstone, seeking to overcome barriers that stand between people, nature, and their inner selves.
To sum it up, participants cannot exchange goods for money, are encouraged to be their authentic self, and highly self-reliant. The event aims to bring or awaken values that may not always be part of today’s every day society. Its creators also ask people to ‘bring what you discover here back to your community’.
What is radical self-expression?
Though it sounds odd, truth is that nowadays we’re not always ourselves. That’s because society is built on a set of rules that most of us follow to fit in. The version of you that shows up at the office in the morning is probably different than the one that goes on a night out with friends. And that version is probably different than the one that meets your partner’s parents for the first time.
Burning Man encourages people to seek their authentic self – which, as the name suggest, is who you truly are or would be if these unwritten society rules wouldn’t exist.
Is this event free, if money aren’t allowed?
Well, no. Tickets prices vary and there are a couple of tiers, which basically enable one of the core values: gifting. You could buy an over-priced ticket for $1,5000- $3,000, which would allow other participants to buy the cheapest ones available. You’d be sponsoring the ones with lesser possibilities. The actual price is $750, and a couple of cheaper options are available for those in need.
Burning Man 2025 – should you go?
This year’s edition started on August 24, and it goes on until September 1st. You can still get tickets and join the event – however, here’s what you should know before you go.
The weather conditions so far have not been promising. Right when the gates opened, Burning Man was hit by dust storms and high winds. The doors closed for a while, and the nearby airports were shut down. Many structures of the newly built city have been affected or even destroyed, and many first-timers felt unprepared for the situation.
As the weather slightly improved, gates reopened on Monday, but the delay caused quite a traffic gem. While waiting for hours to enter is quite common at Black Rock City, attendees claim it’s worse this year – and some even warn people: ‘Don’t come.’
The GPS coordinates for Black Rock City are: 40°45’13.83N, 119°16’37.20W. Keep up with the latest traffic and weather conditions here.
Eventually, it’s up to you if you’d like to attend this year’s edition. If you do, make sure you do your research and are as prepared as possible – life in the desert isn’t easy!