Burning Man is a week-long event located in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada. This event has no performers or headliners; therefore, people create their own events. Though artwork, sculptures, buildings, performances, and other media contributions are a big part of this gruesomely hot event. There are 10 specific principles that people attending Burning Man follow, including gifting, decommodification, communal effort, civic responsibility, leaving no trace, participation, immediacy, self-reliance, radical self-expression, and radical inclusion. The only items sold at Burning Man are tea, coffee, and ice, but all other necessities, such as clothes, flashlights, sunscreen, and hygiene products, are not sold there; they must be brought by the attendees themselves.
This festival originated on June 22, 1986, in San Francisco. Founded by Cacophony Society, Larry Harvey, and John Law. It is now held annually as a 9-day spanned festival ending around Labor Day. But it was once a ritual that was in the form of a bonfire, which was done on the summer solstice. This event is organized by the Burning Man Project, which is a nonprofit that endorses numerous small states. This is guided by the numerous principles of Burning Man. And a wooden, symbolic man was set on fire at Black Rock Desert, Nevada, and this occurred at an event “Zone Trip Number 4” in 1990. That being said, the reason that the Burning Man is called the Burning Man is because of the wooden man being lit during the event called “Zone Trip Number 4”.
On August 24th, 2025, coming at about 50 mph, a mighty dust storm succumbed to the Black Rock Desert. Creating severe destruction, including tents being destroyed, intoxicated air, and the proudly constructed projects of people who wanted to celebrate this special event, were all gone. As people entered the grounds of Burning Man, they had to sit in long, grueling hours of boredom and frustration, and these waits for some people were up to 19 hours. Ultimately, the dust storm created harsh conditions, and people could not see very well, causing safety hazards. Overall, this is a fun event, but if planning to go, proceed with caution and always hope for the best and expect the worst.
