The festival of burning man

Do not take this in wrong sense – a human being burnt traditionally as some offering. This bizarre festival does not include anything like this. In fact, the festival is a complete different experience all together. It is named so due to the festival custom of burning a big wooden figurine at the evening on Saturday. Celebrated annually in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, the festival lasts long for some eight days, which usually ends on the Labor Day of America. As per the participants, the event is surprisingly an experiment in the fields of radical self-reliance as well as self-expression.

Setting a wooden man of 40 to 80 foot on fire right in the center of the desert is just a part of the Burning Man Festival. Actually, the festival makes the participants to live in a temporarily made small city along with the organizers forming the most vital part of this festive season. By living in such unknown community and with unfamiliar people, a participant can tests his or her self reliance and self expression. This is done by participating in the art programs or being a bit mad at the drum beat of your own. As such, no rules are made as to how a participant must express or behave. In fact, it is left up to the participants regarding how they should contribute to the community. The town is set up on the playa lakebed, which is known as the Black Rock City established in a semicircle pattern.

The event mainly features a temporary community, stunning artwork, irrationality, partying, and decommodification. Further, the festival is celebrated on the basis of 10 principles as listed below.

• Radical Inclusion:
  Means the event is for anyone who has the ticket and there are no pre-requirements. Participants must arrange of their basic needs.
• Gifting:
  This eradicates the need of cash and requires the burners (participants) to exchange gifts unconditionally.
• Decommodification:
  This indicates the absence of cash transactions. Cash is only utilized in case of café beverages at Center Camp Café, ice, shuttle bus tickets, a wristband for re-entry, dump service, and portable toilets.
• Radical Self-reliance:
  Due to the remote area and harsh environment, participants must arrange for their survival. Participants must bring their supplies except for those mentioned in the Decommodification.
• Radical Self-expression:
  Participants are free to express in multiple ways via art forms. This event allows optional clothing and so public nudity exists, but it not taken up by a majority.
• Communal Effort:
  This means that the participants should work and help others too.
• Civic Responsibility:
  All the rights and duties of a citizen must be adhered to.
• Leave No Trace:
  Participants should ensure that they leave the area in a better condition.
• Participation:
  Without this, the festival can be explored.
• Immediacy:
  Participants are motivated to explore their surroundings.

Until now, around 50,000 folks have participated in this event that has extended far beyond from just a beach party commemorating summer solstice up to the manifestation of personal freedom, decommodification, and radical self reliance. With this, I hope that you are convinced the Burning Man Festival has totally changed the meaning of a festival as it is rather a test of your own self.

Bicycles and mountain bikes are welcomed here. And yes, you will come across many forms of entertainment – musical performances, theatrical shows, and visual arts – and these occur impulsively along with orthodox programs such as mud wrestling and raves.

The ticket costs ranges from $210 to $350. There is also a Black Rock City’s Airport made nearby the city, usually in the south direction. This airport offers many forms of aviation traffic – helicopters, private airplanes, gliders, hot air balloons, skydivers, and ultralights. The nearest international airport is in Reno as Reno-Tahoe International located at a distance of 3 hours. Even the San Francisco airport is accessible, but the journey is of seven hours.

For services and entertainment, theme and village camps are organized on the inner streets of the so-called Black Rock city. The theme camps hold the people of single identity. On the other hand, the villages are the abode of small theme camps that share resources.