9 things to know about Burning Man
Burning Man is a global ecosystem of artists, makers, and community organizers who co-create art, events, and local initiatives around the world.
Most recognizably, tens of thousands of Burners gather annually to build Black Rock City, a participative temporary metropolis in the Nevada desert.
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1. Burning Man is not a festival and is guided by the values expressed by the 10 Principles.
2. Burning Man started on Baker Beach in San Francisco in 1986.
Larry Harvey and his friend Jerry James knock built an improvised wooden figure and dragged it down to Baker Beach on the summer solstice. They lit it up, and a curious crowd gathered to watch it burn.
3. In 1990, the event moved to Black Rock City, outside of Reno, Nevada.
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By the time 1990 rolled around, the Golden Gate Park Police (GGNRA) had “discovered” this event and decided that because of the potential fire hazard to the surrounding hillside, “the Man” could not burn.
4. Burning Man is the largest “Leave No Trace” event in the world. Leaving No Trace is arguably Burning Man’s most important principle.
5. Burning man is a “Gifting Society.” No goods or services are sold at the event.
6. The nonprofit Burning Man Project produces the annual Burning Man event in Black Rock City, and provides year-round support, connection, education, and grants to an ever-growing network of Regional Burning Man communities in more than 40 U.S. states and 35 countries.
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7. After the event, many pieces of artwork get a second life.
While some of the art pieces, like the Man and Temple, are burned during the gathering, other works travel to various exhibitions and museums around the world.
8. The weather is a factor.
During the day, temperatures can reach triple digits with the possibility of massive sandstorms and white-outs, and at night, temperatures can drop down to freezing.
9. Veteran Burners call Black Rock City “Home.” Those who attend Burning Man for the first time start with a special ritual as they enter the front gate: they ring a bell and wallow in the dust before entering Black Rock City for the first time.
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This year’s Burning Man theme is called “Waking Dreams.”
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