What to expect at the Burning Man Festival

What started as a bonfire ritual during the summer solstice on a beach in San Francisco has turned into annual event. The Burning Man Festival this year will take place from August 27 to September 4, 2017 Nevada’s Black Rock Desert.

Thousands gather for a week of radical self-expression with art installations, performances, self expression and creativity within a temporary community. Among those who have attended are artists, CEOs and celebrities. To date there have been 70,000 “burners” that have attended in one year.

The festival has a theme every year and for 2017 it’s Radical Ritual. Past themes have included Fertility, Time, Hell, Outer Space, The Body, The Floating World, Beyond Belief, Vault of Heaven, Psyche, Hope and Fear, The Green Man, The American Dream, Evolution, Metropolis, Fertility 2.0, Caravansary, Carnival of Mirrors, and da Vinci’s Workshop.

The Saturday night before Labor Day is when the man burns, a much awaited part of the event.

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Photo credit: Cory Doctorow (Flickr)

Some tips:

  • There is no vending at the festival. Only coffee and ice are for sale.
  • There’s also no selling of any kind of items, instead guests can trade or give to one another in keeping in the spirit of community.
  • Bring enough supplies for your length of stay. You need to make sure to bring your own food, water, sleeping gear, etc.
  • Remember to hydrate because it is the desert.
  • Print out a map and plan ahead for meet up locations better yet rent an vacation rental the night before and gather everyone together ahead of time before heading to the event.

Lastly, enjoy this one of a kind unique experience!

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