Have you been coming across the headline of “Burning Man” without the faintest idea of what it is and why it is such a big event, well fear not, we have put together everything you need to know in this article?
Photograph by Aaron Huey
What is the purpose of the Burning Man festival?
The Burning Man is an annual summer event that takes place in Nevada, USA, it usually lasts for nine days in the desert and is held a week before, and includes the labor day celebration. The Burning Man hosts a variety of music, artistic performances, and installations, each year has a new theme and for 2019 it was Metamorphoses—an idea intended as a “celebration of change and an exploration of uncertainty” and an “embrace of the elusive now” Burning Man is not a festival. Burning Man is a community. A temporary city. A global cultural movement based on 10 practical principles,” the official website reads.
A few of these principles include radical inclusion (“Anyone may be a part of Burning Man”), gifting, decommodification (no money passes hands at the festival).
Photograph by Aaron Huey
What happens at Burning Man?
Burning Man is organized by a non-profit organization called the Burning Man Project. The name “Burning Man” comes from the symbolic ritual burning of a large wooden sculpture (“the Man”) that usually takes place on the Saturday evening of the event.
Burning Man, this year began on the 25th of August and ended on the 2nd of September, in the Black, Desert of Nevada, and volunteers took part in co-creating Black Rock City, a temporary metropolis dedicated to art and community. No money is exchanged at Burning Man, so participants are expected to bring food, supplies, shelter, and anything else they might need. The average cost of tickets in 2019 ranged from $425 to $1,400.Burning Man does not book any entertainment for the event, but instead encourages participants to perform for the community free of charge.
Photo by Watchara Phomicinda
People wander around the camps on foot, bicycles, and scooters, cook together, dance, drink, make art, and generally just party because no money changes hands, you can participate in activities such as wine tastings, zip-lining, and massages — all given out by various attendees for free. Cellphone reception is limited during Burning Man, and Burners are encouraged to curb their social media usage. Because of this, the best scenes from the festival arrive after everyone has packed to go home.
