Burning Man Festival: When The Desert Comes Alive In Nevada
At this festival, which sees almost 70,000 people in attendance, you don’t need money to have fun
Every year, thousands of artists, makers and community organisers gather in the Nevada desert to build a temporary city that vanishes almost as suddenly as it comes alive. Called Black Rock City, this metropolis is the site of the Burning Man Festival, an annual collaborative event which sees thousands descend to the desert to spend nine days away from regular society, and live by unique tenets that are the cornerstone of the Burning Man Project.
Picture: BurningMan.org
History Of The Festival
The first ever Burning Man event took place in 1986 when Larry Harvey and Jerry James built a human effigy and burned it on a San Francisco beach, and drew a crowd of about 30 people. Since then, thousands have been gathering at Black Rock City to celebrate art, self-expression and life in general.
Picture: BurningMan.org
Agenda Behind The Burning Man Project
The main mission behind the burning man project is to guide, protect and nurture the community which is created by culture. The idea is to create a society where every individual realises their creative power and also participates in the community. The mission has also established ‘Ten Principles’ that provide guidance towards the Burning Man mission. These principles reflect the culture of the community by catering to topics like participation, self-reliance and communal effort. Every year, there is a new theme which is followed in the festival. The theme for this year is ‘Animalia’.
Picture: BurningMan.org
About The Festival
The festival does not involve forms of entertainment but instead, it encourages the participants to come forward and perform for the community. The idea is to celebrate life by indulging into music, art, dance and drinks. Activities like zip lining, massages and tattooing are also scattered around different corners of the festival and that too, free of cost. Any sort of commercial activity is prohibited in the region except for the sale of ice; only gifting and bartering are allowed in the festival.
Picture: BurningMan.org
The event has gained a lot of popularity through the years making it one of the most popular festivals in the world. VIP guests also attend the festival and live in luxurious camps. In order to cater the needs of these VIP guests, high-end neighbourhoods have been created which are exclusively devoted to wealthy campers.
Another key aspect is that the event ends with people leaving the desert exactly as they found it – without any trash.
Some Important Things To Remember
Use of money is strictly prohibited in the festival. People have to make arrangements for their own food, water and electricity. Only barter system, and gifting are allowed. The participants also have a handbook which contains the principles that are supposed to be followed in order to maintain a proper decorum.
Picture: BurningMan.org
Important Details
Date: August 27- September 04, 2023
Location: Black Rock Desert, Nevada
Theme: Animalia
Tickets: The tickets are available for purchase throughout the year. The cost of each ticket is 575 dollars.
The Burning Man Festival is held annually in Nevada. Picture: Unsplash 
