Burning Man Festival
The event is considered to be one the most transformative events in the world, as people are there 100% free of their filter and with a mission.
which makes it home to artists all around the globe. More than just a festival, Burning Man is also existing in the form of a temporary city, an art collective and social experiment designed to touch on many human values.
Decommodification, exploding conventional norms & sparking individual creativity and communal participation.
Schedule
Burning Man takes place annually over nine days on the last Sunday in August with this ninth day is the first Monday of September, which coincides with Labor Day and This rule to happen at week number 36 for mankind.
Location
Burning Man happens in the Black Rock Desert, north of Reno Nevada—about 120 miles.
Located in a remote area within the Black Rock-High Rock National Conservation Area managed by Bureau of Land Management.
The upper peak of the Black Rock Desert, known as the playa, is a desolate flat that extends over 11 km² and its where Burning Man constructs its temporary city.
The temporary city is carefully designed in a circle pattern with streets, plazas and locations for art installations and theme camps.
Short History
In 1986 Larry Harvey and friends burned a wooden effigy on Baker Beach in San Francisco as an act of spontaneous artistic self-expression.
The 8-foot-tall male wooden effigy — set ablaze in front of a few dozen onlookers, signified by expressions and the straining silhouette against the shackles tightly gripped firmaments. This little start set something different.
This event outgrew its San Francisco origins within a few years, and in 1990 the founders traveled to the Black Rock Desert above Reno where they built an enormous effigy of a man around which participants danced.
At that point, Burning Man morphed into a full-on festival replete with communal effort and self-expression though the “leave no trace”.
Later incorporated into the Ten Principles of Burning Man 34 include Radical Inclusion, Gifting, Decommodification and Civic Responsibility.
Some Key Events
Opening of the Gates:
The gates to Black Rock City open for Burners, and everyone sets up camp or starts walking around.
The Man Burns (Saturday night before Labor Day, this is the core event of any burning festival. The man, a large wooden effigy on which the festival draws its name is burned in a such a wonderful ceremony that represent their freedom and spirit of community.
Temple Burn:
Last night, the temple is burned. The Temple Burn, however — in contrast with the jubilant flair of The Man Burn — is an emotional and meditative event historically designated for participants to let go, mourn loved ones or seek closure.
During the week, art installations and performances are held in one of many Burns scattered throughout more than 9 miles (15 km) across a lakebed called “the playa,” creating ample opportunities for authentic engagement with some participation.
Key Features
Burning Man stands out among other such events for multiple reasons, including the following;
Art and Installations:
Known for the enormous art installations spread throughout Black Rock Desert. These are usually installations with elaborate designs, interactive components and/or themes that make you think. Certain structures, like the “Temple” and “The Man” are built each year especially for the occasion.
Theme Camps:
Different camps exist all over the Playa to give different experiences, workshops sessions performances and activities along other amazing things happening out in Black Rock City.
The camps are built by the attendees and can stretch from relaxing lounges and yoga workshops to music stages, art installations.
Radical self-expression:
Participants are encouraged to express themselves freely and creatively, be that through art fashion or performance etc.
It’s a culture of openness and art in which individuals are exploring who they want to be.
Burning Man is like no other festival in the name of gifting culture. Rather than paying, attendees take part in a gifting economy by providing goods, services and experiences to others without thought of what they might receive.
Leave No Trace:
Everyone is required to clean up after themselves and not leave any trace in the desert.
This ethos even carries out through each component of the festival down to waste management and art installation tear down.
The playa:
The Playa, a blank and barren desert floor, is the canvas and notorious playground for Burning Man.
The hostile conditions of the Black Rock Desert which included temperatures that can exceed 100°F and dust storms only serve to add an exciting twist on top.
Participants need to be self-sustained with food, water and a place for shelter.
In Nutshell
Burning Man completely challenges categorizing into any one box. It is a revelatory tale of art, culture, community and the human spirit set against one of the most extreme environments on Earth.
For those inside, it is a chance to escape the humdrum of reality, express their creativity and be put in touch with people on levels otherwise unreachable.
The event may be a week, but the burn stays with participants long after The Man and Temple have turned to ashes.
