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August24–September 1

Burning Man Festival – August 24-September 1, 2025

The Burning Man festival is a week-long celebration that takes place in the week preceding Labor Day, and this year it will take place between to . Burning Man began as a small gathering of friends on Baker Beach, outside San Francisco, in 1986. Larry Harvey and Jerry James arranged the event, which included the burning of an eight-foot-tall wooden effigy of a man on Baker Beach in San Francisco to commemorate the summer solstice. It has evolved into a late-summer arts event held in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert.

History of Burning Man Festival

The Burning Man Festival Project is run by a non-profit corporation that took over from Black Rock City L.L.C., a for-profit limited company that previously handled the week-long event. Black Rock City L.L.C., founded in 1999, represented the Burning Man’s organizers and is now considered a subsidiary of the non-profit. Burning Man began as a small gathering of friends on Baker Beach, outside San Francisco, in 1986. The group started a tradition of burning a tiny, nine-foot wooden figure during the festivity. By 1987, the man had increased to 15 feet and by 1988, he was 40 feet tall. Larry Harvey formally named the summer solstice ritual “Burning Man.” By 1990, a couple of these people had split up and decided to host their own party in the Black Rock Desert.

Michael Mikel, one of the event’s founders, discovered that individuals were in danger walking throughout the immensity of the desert’s parched landscape, so he adopted the moniker ‘Danger Ranger’ and later founded Black Rock Rangers to secure the safety of attendees. Giving birth to the city of Black Rock. The burning man event in Nevada spread rapidly in its first several years only by word of mouth. By 1996, Burning Man had adopted a yearly theme and began erecting more extravagant man structures. Ticket prices were roughly $65 at the time. What started off as a small group of 20 friends in 1986 has grown to 70,000 people and beyond.

Burning Man has become a popular destination for celebrities and social media influencers. Participants design and build all the artwork, such as experimental and interactive sculptures, activities, and events. It focuses on community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance.

Burning Man Festival timeline

1991
The Event is Formalized

The event obtains formal permission for the first time, thanks to the BLM (the Bureau of Land Management).

1991
The Man is a Beacon

John Law creates special neon tubes for the Man so that it can be viewed as a beacon to aid navigation at night, long before any planned roadways exist.

1998
It Marks the Solstice

Larry Harvey formally dubs the summer solstice ritual "Burning Man,” and he titles the event's fliers as such.

2013
It Becomes a Project

Though the decision is controversial among the founders, Black Rock City LLC becomes a subsidiary of a new non-profit company known as the Burning Man Project in December.

Burning Man Festival FAQs

Can you shower while at Burning Man?

There are no showers at Burning Man; instead, you must use the community restrooms.

Does burning man have a lineup?

No. There is no fixed lineup or schedule, it is a collection of multiple events and happenings.

Who is in charge of Burning Man?

Marian Goodell is the director in charge.

Burning Man Festival Activities

  1. Visit Nevada

    You have to be at Burning Man, the annual summer event hosted in the Nevada Desert to properly appreciate the experience. After obtaining your tickets, organize your vacation and enjoy the temporary metropolis.

  2. Purchase Tickets

    Due to a huge demand for tickets, Burning Man uses a lottery-style ticketing system. To be eligible for one of these golden tickets, attendees must register on Burning Man's official website and hope to be selected to purchase a festival ticket.

  3. Help create Black Rock City

    Many eye-catching art pieces are found at the Burning Man festival. Get involved by volunteering to create art for the festival or by joining one of the event's volunteer teams.

5 Interesting Facts About Burning Man Festival

  1. Google participates

    In 1998, the first-ever Google Doodle, designed by the founders, notified participants and honored the Burning Man event.

  2. It has a spiritual connection

    Every year at the festival, a temple, called the ‘soul of Burning Man’ is built to honor the spirits that have passed away.

  3. Illegal drugs are banned

    At Burning Man, illegal drugs are prohibited.

  4. Participants have a name

    The festival participants are known as burners.

  5. It has a meet-and-greet format

    If you come across a burner, you must greet them by hugging them.

Why We Love Burning Man Festival

  1. It centers around creativity

    Burning Man is a cultural movement that encourages people to express themselves. The festival centers on the creative arts. Burning Man invites artists to rethink art as a commodified item and instead see it as an interactive, shared creative experience.

  2. It promotes social interaction

    There is a strong culture of acknowledging our universal humanity. You can't help but be social during the festival, from making eye contact to saying hello and having genuine discussions.

  3. Burning Man represents many things

    Burning Man is a lot of things to a lot of people. For some, the festival serves as a haven for art, music, expression, and creativity, as well as an opportunity to widen their thoughts and perceptions.

Burning Man Festival dates

Year Date Day
2022 August 28 Sunday
2023 August 27 Sunday
2024 August 25 Sunday
2025 August 24 Sunday