Burning Man Location

Once a year, tens of thousands of people gather in Nevada's Black Rock Desert (also known as "the playa") to create Black Rock City, a temporary metropolis dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance. They depart one week later, having left no trace whatsoever. Even considering going to Burning Man for the first time can be daunting. And while it's true that Burning Man is not for the faint of heart, with some research, preparation, and planning, an experience -- and opportunity -- beyond your wildest dreams awaits you. In Black Rock City, you're guaranteed not to be the weirdest kid in the classroom. And you'll become a part of the growing community of Burners who are active year-round, around the world ... ensuring that the fire of Burning Man culture never goes out. What started out as a small event on San Francisco's Baker Beach and then migrated to the Black Rock Desert has now morphed into a vibrant global year-round culture of like-minded individuals who seek to live their lives in a more meaningful, powerful and self-expressed way. Burning Man is much more than just a temporary community. It's a city in the desert, dedicated to radical self reliance, radical self-expression and art. Innovative sculpture, installations, performance, theme camps, art cars and costumes all flower from the playa and spread to our communities and back again. In this section you will learn what you need to know about creating art for the playa, find out all about this year's art installations, read essays about Burning Man and art from both staff and participants, and revisit some past off-playa art events and exhibitions. Burning Man is an annual event and a thriving year-round culture. The event takes place the week leading up to and including Labor Day, in Nevada's Black Rock Desert. The Burning Man organization (Black Rock City LLC) creates the infrastructure of Black Rock City, wherein attendees (or "participants") dedicate themselves to the spirit of community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance. They depart one week later, leaving no trace. As simple as this may seem, trying to explain what Burning Man is to someone who has never been to the event is a bit like trying to explain what a particular color looks like to someone who is blind.