Burning Man

Burning Man is an annual arts festival held in Black Rock Desert, Nevada, where participants build a temporary city from scratch each year. The event features performance venues, art installations, and structures created by attendees, arranged in a planned layout across the desert floor.

The first Burning Man took place in 1986 at a San Francisco beach as a small gathering of artists and friends. The event grew rapidly and eventually relocated to the Black Rock Desert, where it has been held annually ever since.

The event is described as an experiment in community and art, emphasizing radical self-reliance and self-expression.

Visitors should prepare for extreme desert conditions with intense heat and wind during the event. Bring adequate water, protective gear, and all necessary supplies, as services and shops are not available on site.

At the festival's conclusion, many temporary structures are burned, including a large wooden figure called 'the Man,' which gives the event its name. This ritual marks the end of the gathering and returns the desert to its original state.

Location: Pershing County

Inception: 1986

Founders: Larry Harvey, John Law

Official opening: June 22, 1986

Website: https://burningman.org

GPS coordinates: 40.78500,-119.20500

Latest update: December 20, 2025 19:40