“The Man” ritual burning at the end of the event
Photo: businessinsider
Every summer in the middle of the hot and dry Nevada desert, over 65,000 people gather to spend a week covered in filth, and they all have one thing in common, they probably have a big smile on their face. It’s called the Burning Man Festival, and the only way to describe it, with words, is to say it’s a mini city full of a very broad range of personalities and artistic expression where you have the potential of seeing absolutely anything your mind can conjure up.
Photo: outsideonline
Flaming Tuba Player at Burning Man 2012
Photo: baltimoresun
It originally started back in 1986 in San Fransisco as a beach party celebrating the summer solstice. It usually would take place starting the last Sunday in August and would go until the first Monday in September wich is Labor Day. The culmination of the event is a symbolic ritual burning of a large wooden effigy, often referred to as “the Man”, that usually takes place on the Saturday evening of the event.
Photo: fastcompany
The first effigy only stood about 9 feet tall and also had a small wooden dog beside it. But over the years the Man grew significantly, the following year it jumped up to 20 feet tall and by 1989 it had reached 40 feet!
The Effigy at the 2014 Burning Man
Photo: nbc
It would stay at 40 feet until 1996 when it started to increase again and eventually reached over 50 feet in 2000. It jumped to 80 feet in 2004 and would continue to bounce around before the tallest was built in 2014 at 105 feet tall. I’m not sure if you’ve ever been to a big old bonfire or not, but 100 feet tall is a serious blaze, luckily it was in the middle of the desert.
Drones eye view of burning man 2013
Photo: theatlantic
Even though they were in the middle of the desert it still must have been somewhat of an issue because the following year it dropped back down to 60 feet.
Drones eye view of Burning Man at night.
Photo: pinterest
What I personally think is the best part about the Buring Man annual gathering, are the visuals of what you see there. Some of the things may not be safe for work because as I’ve mentioned it’s a gathering of artistic expression by any means necessary, and some people like to push those boundaries.
Photo: fest300
David Best
Photo: burningman
One of the most popular art displays each year are done by David Best, who’s responsible for the massive 360ft long wooden sculpture of London that was burned. Best usually will do a temple of some sort, but whatever he does it turns out quite impressive.
The Temple of Grace built by David Best for the 2014 Burning Man
Photo: flickr
The Temple of Whollyness,
Photo: huffingtonpost
The Temple of Forgiveness at Burning Man 2007.
Photo: fest300
The Temple from the 2016 Burning Man
Photo: dezeen
Temple of Whollyness at night
Photo: deviantart
But also the many different art exhibits will absently blow your mind, and the people too. It seems like every year they attempt to outdo the previous, and in now way is that a bad thing.
“Embrace” at Burning Man 2014
Photo: smugmug
The Bliss Dance at Burning Man 2013
Photo: travelhyms
Oversize VW Van Art Car
Photo: Huffingtonpost
Art Car from Burning Man 2014
Photo: fest300
Photo: smugmug
Art Display at Burning Man 2015
Photo: youtube