Burning Man?

It's almost impossible to accurately describe the Burning Man festival in words. Burning Man is about living in the moment, and it assaults all the senses. It's truly an experience that you'll never quite understand unless you attend. However, if you attend and participate in the week long event, you'll probably come away with a life-changing experience and a year's worth of memories.

The festival isn't for everyone; it takes place in the harsh climate of the Nevada desert, which is known for high temperatures, strong winds, and sudden dust and rainstorms. The climate is part of what contributes to the close-knit community that exists in Black Rock city. The other factor is the people who come to the festival. There are no spectators, only participants. No back stage doors or VIP press passes. Burning Man is not commercially run or sponsored. There are no beer vendors, no advertisements, no structures other than those you create. There is no remote control to change your environment, you must take action yourself. It's beautiful, and it's frightening. You may see people who radically challenge your beliefs, and in turn, you will be forced to challenge your own self-perceptions. As long as there are free-spirited people who are willing to create, there will be a Burning Man.

Burning Man is a spiritual experience, it is a vacation, it is about creating, enjoying, and living art, it is a celebration of life and all its changes, it is a mockery of our consumer culture, and it is what you make of it. Don't let anyone make up your mind for you. Come to Burning Man and see for yourself.

As I stated above, there is no way to encompass Burning Man with just a few words. There are thousands of other web pages devoted solely to documenting other people's experiences in Black Rock City and beyond.

Following are some links to other members of the Burning Man community, which is developing year round over the internet, and in Temporary Autonomous Zones created by participants all over the world.