August 28 – Sept 7 2015
Once a year, tens of thousands of people gather in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert to create Black Rock City, a temporary metropolis dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance. In this crucible of creativity, all are welcome.
Art and Performance
The people who make up Black Rock City are not simply “attendees,” but rather active participants in every sense of the word: they create the city, the interaction, the art, the performance and ultimately the experience that is Burning Man. Your participation is a gift given to the larger community for everyone’s benefit.
Participation is at the very core of Burning Man — it’s one of our Ten Principles — and the only limits (other than basic public safety) are the bounds of your imagination.
Black Rock City is a kind of Petri dish. Theme camps cling in fertile clusters to its latticework of streets, artworks tumble out of it, like pollen on the air. These nodes of interaction mutate, grow and reproduce their kind, only to effloresce and spread across five continents. This year’s art theme contemplates the tendency of any being or living system to create abundant life.
What is Burning Man?
Once a year, tens of thousands of participants gather in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert to create Black Rock City, dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance. They depart one week later, having left no trace whatsoever. Burning Man is also an ever-expanding year-round culture based on the Ten Principles.
What Isn’t Burning Man?
Burning Man isn’t your usual festival, with big acts booked to play on massive stages. In fact, it’s more of a city than a festival, wherein almost everything that happens is created entirely by its citizens, who are active participants in the event.
First Time at Burning Man?
If you’re making your first foray to Burning Man, and you’re wondering where to start, head over to our First Timer’s Guide.
Want to Volunteer?
Give the gift of your time to the Burning Man community — on playa or year-round. Volunteer! Please note that first-time volunteers do not receive a ticket to the event.