Photo by Lucia Stewart
As my fellow burner Merv Swankerton always says, trying to explain Burning Man to someone who has never been, is like trying to explain color to a blind person.
Burning Man is a gathering of the spicy, creative people who “come home” to Black Rock City, Nevada for one week a year to share wildly artistic creations and to play, dance and live in the moment dressed, or undressed, in whatever style suits them.
Burning Man was originally created on the beaches of San Francisco before moving to the Black Rock Desert, a dried up lake bed known as the playa. This is where some 48,000 people gather to create a bustling city that breaths art and interaction 24 hours a day for seven days each year.
photo by Lucia Stewart
Hardcore burners spend months, if not all year, planning, scheming, building and sewing for the Black Rock City’s art cars, art installations, and elaborate camps.
Daytime Activity
Whatever you desire, the city has to offer. It’s afternoon… Want to go Disco Roller Skating? Or how about learning to pole dance? There’s a 2,000-person meditation session over yonder? Or look, there’s someone serving popsicles out of a cooler on his lizard bike.
I heard there’s a phone booth where you can talk to God, or you might want to enjoy the Sweat Lodge Camp before playing the life-size Operator game that gives you quite a VOLT.
And of course, a stop at the Deep End for a few House DJ grooves with the 1,200 other afternoon revelers is definitely in order.
Nocturnal
Fire-dancing circuses and 3,000-person Light Saber wars last for hours.
Evenings and late nights are spent exploring the city that has transformed into a glowing, fiery, seemingly-endless landscape. DJ’s sound systems pulsate in every direction. Fire-dancing circuses and 3,000-person Light Saber wars last for hours.
A fireball-blowing elephant hosting 45 dancers rolls past with a groove that makes you jump on-board, where you find a full bar on the carpeted second-story. The elephant dance bar is one of hundreds of art cars rolling around the playa.
Morning
Mornings find you watching the sunrise in the deep playa, and slowly wandering home on your bike, exploring art installations of large hands reaching towards the sky or a series of smoke rings that greet the sun, shooting hundreds of feet in the air, high and wide.
Or how about one last dance at the giant golden dragon that is welcoming the day with smooth electronic grooves next to the intricately carved Temple.
Anytime of day or night, set-off into the city to discover whatever you desire — it will be found, plus more.
Essential things to bring
photo by Lucia Stewart
Bring what you would take to be a self-sufficient camping unit, complete with plenty of water and sunscreen.
In addition, your checklist should include: plenty of lively costumes, warm clothes, goggles, a dust mask, a method to light yourself up or your bike at night (very important!) and of course, a way to contribute to the community (OK, even more important!).
Burning Man is based on a society that thrives because of community contributions. Without this, the city would not function. There are over 2,000 volunteers for the event, along with tens of thousands of others who bring their contributions to the city.
Observers and Participants
See, there are the observers and there are participants at Burning Man. Those who are observers do not invigorate the society, and therefore really don’t experience Burning Man for what it truly is.
As a participant, you bring something to offer others — be it an art installation, an open conversation, or a hundred Bloody Marys. The most crucial and basic contribution is to respect and honor all that is around you.
Everything is free; everyone is welcome; just be a contributor to the community.
Myself, I am a member of Camp Hook-up – making sure you have what you need. As Hookers, we all carry portable brief cases and beauty kits filled with: toothpicks, glowing toys, chap-stick, finger lights, goggles, sunscreen, zip-ties, permission slips, bike repair kits, dinosaur flashcards, and so much more.
You name it, we will have something you need. Even if it’s just a drink. We carry portable bars, too.
photo by Lucia Stewart
We roam the city, meeting new people, exploring the depths of the sexy and spicy artistic energy in Black Rock City, and in every true burner you meet on the street.
Can you see a bit of color now?
Oh yeah, don’t forget to bring a fresh name. I’m Luscious.
Burning Man happens (August 25 – September 1st, 2008) the last week of August every year at Black Rock City, the third largest city in Nevada for one week a year. There is also a yearly theme, so be sure to visit the website before you go. Tickets are not sold at the door, so purchase them in advance. www.burningman.com.
Community Connection
Check out the Top 10 Lessons learned from Burning Man from fellow burner Erin Granat.
About the Author
Related Posts
32 Comments... join the discussion!
-
-
See you on the playa this year
↵ -
The "http://www.burningman.com"link is broken. Add "http://" to it.
↵ -
Thanks for the heads up. Fixed.
↵ -
A very good guide for beginners !
↵ -
Sounds like a great time; I've talked to people who went to Burning Man and they said it was an experience unlike any other.
↵ -
I went for my first time last year and it was one of those life experiences that won't be forgotten. I highly recommend everyone go at least once in their life to experience it for themselves. Photos and blog posts can't do it justice.
↵ -
And here I see another one "categorizing" experience at the burn. Why not just be an observer? I have participated as both an "observer" as well as "participant" and felt that I "experienced" Burning Man. The event is what you make, or choose, not to make of it. For each and every person it is their experience, or yours, or mine, either way, another thing that makes it such a wonderful event.
↵ -
It is a truly amazing experience, I was a first timer last year and it was no where near what I expected or could even imagine. The clothes thing is quite a big deal, most people wear crazy costumes or dress like someone from the Mad Max movies, I definately advise a bandana for when the sandstorms kick in (there were plenty last year).
↵ -
For some great pictures of past Burning Man gatherings, check out http://www.burningcam.com
↵ -
LOL, once again the Pink Mammoth ROCKS JT http://www.FireMe.To/udi
↵ -
oh my..
↵ -
2009. 2009. a girl has to hope.
↵ -
Number 1 rule about Burning Man: DO NOT be to open about drug use and DO NOT be open about selling dr*gs at Burning Man!!! I can not stress this enough! People are watching you and the WILL raid your camp site! Ours got raided my one silly comment meant in the best intentions. You never know when a fedi is watching you. Be incognito but still have fun. F the police and the fedis but F getting your friends in trouble! This message brought to you by the letters D and L. Peace!
↵ -
looks like a blast……..
↵ -
lol is there really a lot of fbi/atf agents at burning man?
↵ -
Aaahhh…stumbled on your article and saw the name Merv Swankerton. Met him in the middle of the playa a a few years ago & had a three hour drunken marathon of connect four he 'hooked up.' Then last year, I do believe I recognized him reincarnated as a geriatric old lady who beat me with her purse & threw the contents of her bedpan at us as we drove by on our navy ship. Gotta love Burning Man!
↵ -
Well, you've touched on the fabulous surface aspects of BM, but what many don't expect are the deep connections they make, both with others and themselves. The fact that the only thing sold there is ice and Center Camp Cafe drinks- no t-shirts, no food, no $8 bottles of water- shouldn't be underestimated, either. Instead, almost everyone is radically self-reliant, which paves the way for some radical sharing and gifting of anything you need and nothing you expect. My point is that what is there to be experienced underneath all of the _oh_ my_GOD_ artwork and craziness is what really makes this event unlike anything else. In short, there is a community there that you probably won't experience anywhere else, and when you let yourself become a part of it, you have a chance to see a higher form of humanity. If that doesn't get you, well, then, go for the sound and fury of a thousand fire cannons!
↵ -
So want to go….
↵ -
Keep in mind there are hundreds of plain clothes undercover cops who snoop around listening to your conversations, looking for people doing drugs. Even thouh youve gone out of your wy to be in the middle of nowhere they are still monitoring everything you do from a distance and on the ground.
↵ -
I woud love to attend this event this year 2009. I was wondering if we could get a group from maryland yto attens?
↵ -
I camped right by the Pink Mammoth last year :0)
↵ -
Burning Man is awesome – I there 00,01,and 02. I was a part of the Infernal Noise Brigade’s camp. Amazing times all.
As for the Participant vs. Observer argument goes, Burning Man was founded with the philosphy, “Participants only.” It’s meant that everyone should come and do or make something. Most every other festival in the world is based on passivity, on watching other people do stuff. Burning man takes away the barrier between artist and audience and makes us all artists.
↵ -
sounds great but i have heard certain bad things regarding the safety of women? anyone able to shed any light on this?
↵ -
Women are no less safe than anyone else out there, just be smart (like you would anywhere). Is your friend totally plastered and can barely walk or keep her eyes open? Make sure she’s not alone. Is there some creepy guy chatting you up and you can’t figure out why but you’re getting a nasty vibe? Find a way to end the convo and hang with other people. And of course, if anything *does* happen (or seems about to), SCREAM! Make some noise! Tell someone, yell for help, be visible! This is an amazing community that will jump to your rescue, and even if you’re walking around naked with a “bite me” sign on your butt you absolutely do not deserve to be taken advantage of so if anyone tries it, raise bloody hell!
Like I said, this is stuff I would say to women anywhere in the world. You’re definitely safer in black rock city by a long shot, but using some sense to keep yourself and your gal pals safe is definitely a good idea.
↵ -
I got inspired and made the long trip from New Zealand to Burning Man in 2006. I am not sure when i will get to return, but I will. It is definitely on the list. I consider myself very well travelled and seek out international festivals (I got engaged to my wife at the Full Moon Party at Koh Phangan, Thailand) but there is nothing else in the world like Burning Man. It is the closest I will ever get to experiencing life on another planet. (Planet Party?). if anything you have read here has stirred your interest, then you will love it. Just be prepared to be very dusty, sleeping in the morning and playing all night, and pack a tutu. (If you haven’t got one, get one – you’ll understand when you get there!). If you are a first timer, and travelling alone, the key to your enjoyment and safety is to go onto the BM website and check out all of the camp/communities. There are hundreds catering for every interest group imaginable (and more than a few you might never have thought of). Find a group that sounds like you, or sounds like fun, contact them, and learn what is involved in joining their camp. It will be a liberating and life changing experience like no other.
↵ -
I started going in 2007, after I read this:
http://www.arischindler.com/burning_man/
I think it really gets to the heart of what Burning Man is about, and why its so special. Some of my fondest memories are of the magical things you discover out in the desert before sunrise – its like a living dream.
Slick
↵ -
Films such as mid-90s fare Reality Bites and Before Sunrise made him the poster boy for scruffy drifters (and got him best kiss nominations at the MTV Movie Awards)
↵ -
This year will be my first ………….excited and a little bit of fear of the unknown…..something new………….any advice???
↵
