Once a year, tens of thousands of people gather in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert to create Black Rock City, a temporary metropolis dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance. In this crucible of creativity, all are welcome.
In the middle of the Nevada desert, the fictional city Black Rock City, is populated by its more than 70,000 inhabitants, "the Burners", only once a year, on the occasion of the most radical festival on the planet: the Burning Man.
Creativity, freedom of expression, inclusion, self-sufficiency, collaboration, respect for the environment and civic responsibility are some of the values on which Burning Man is based.
Larry Harvey , one of the founders of the festival called Burning Man "a community experiment, radical self-expression and radical self-confidence".
It was born in 1986, first in Baker Beach in San Francisco, and takes its name from the ritual performed since the first edition: setting fire to a wooden puppet at the end of the festival.
The idea was born by chance from two friends Larry Harvey and Jerry James, who, out of boredom, decided to build a wooden puppet and set it on fire on the beach in San Francisco. At the sight of the fiery puppet the crowd rushed and every year tripled . Thus was born the most extravagant event ever.
In 1991, Burning Man moved to the Nevada desert, where it reached the pinnacle of success, from the 20 participants of the first edition it reached 78,850 burners in 2019 and the symbolic wooden puppet went from 2 meters to 30 meters in height in the 'latest edition.
Today taking part in Burning Man means transporting yourself to another dimension , without prejudice, free to express yourself and experience yourself by relying on your personal resources, where art in all its most extravagant forms is the master of music and entertainment.
And that's how every year usually between late August and early September, around the Labor Day holiday (the first Monday of September), Black Rock City comes to life and comes alive with huge surreal sculptures from the craziest fantasies, extravagant characters that show off looks out of the ordinary and artistic installations of all kinds. A real open-air museum!
During the day it is possible to participate in various events such as games, workshops and live bands, but to avoid the scorching sun most of these are concentrated after sunset. Anyone is free to participate or organize their own show.
In Black Rock City the only things on sale are ice and coffee, for the exchange of any other good or food only barter or gift is allowed. When you enter the city gates you must be equipped with everything you need to survive , during the day temperatures exceed 40 ° and some sudden sandstorms, very strong winds and rains can occur, at night the temperature drops by several degrees . The only predictable aspect of the weather is the unpredictability! Water, food and shelter are essential. There is no internet coverage, cell phones don't work, and there is no electricity you will need to get yourself a generator.
With a festival that's all about art and self expression, it's only natural that costumes have become a huge part of the Burning Man
culture.
The wildest costumes at Burning Man over the years:
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