Everything You Need to Know About Burning Man

Imagine you have a bucket list. Now, imagine you can only do one item on that bucket list for the span of your entire life. What would you do and where would you go in the world? You’d love to stare at the ceilings of the Sistine Chapel. You’ve been dreaming about the pink sandstone cliffs of Petra, Jordan. But maybe the ultimate escape is closer than you think — have you ever considered attending Burning Man?

If you’re not in the know about Burning Man, ENTITY will break it down for you. Every year, thousands of “burners” pack up a week’s worth of supplies and head to Black Rock Desert in Nevada to escape the “default world” and embrace the mystical wonderland that is Burning Man.

It’s hard to simply describe the entertaining Burning Man experience. What headline do you assign an event with sequin-tuxedoed stilt walkers, flaming metal octopi vehicles, huge glowing iridescent art installments, splatter-painted nude bodies, white-out dust storms and non-stop dancing until dawn? Need we say more?

We know your interest is piqued. Want to know what the whole “Burning Man” thing is about? (It’s a lot more literal than you might expect.) Maybe you just need an excuse to wear that shiny hot pink bodysuit that’s been sitting in your closet. We’ve got you. Here’s the low down and dirty on the Burning Man experience.

History:

The first “Burning Man” occurred in 1986 when Larry Harvey, Jerry James and their friends went to Baker Beach, San Francisco, on the summer solstice to burn a 9-foot-tall wooden man they had constructed. In the book “This Is Burning Man” by Brian Doherty, he states that the burning was a form of “radical self-expression” for the men.

Others were inspired by the burning effigy and held their own “burning man” events. Around 1990, two men named Kevin Evans and John Law moved the event to Black Rock Desert. In the beginning, the event gained members just through word of mouth until the year 1996 marked its first public debut. Since then, it has snowballed into the 70,000-person event that it is today.

Tenets:

Though Burning Man is a full-on escape from the consumeristic “default world” in which we live, that’s not to say there are no rules in the desert. Burning Man has set up 10 tenets to be followed within the premises; these tenets epitomize the way of life and mindset that Burning Man promotes.

• Racial Inclusion

There are no requirements to be a part of the Burning Man community. Strangers and newcomers are welcomed.

• Gifting

One of the most well-known aspects of Burning Man is the existence of the gifting economy. Legal tender is only used to buy ice or coffee from the Center Camp. Other than that, participants are encouraged to take full advantage of the gifting economy. “Gifts” are not necessary physical objects. A gift can come in the form of a smile, a helping hand or a compliment! (The gifting economy is not a bartering economy.)

• Decommodification

Advertisements and the presence of corporate influence are not allowed within Burning Man culture. This also supports the idea that no transactions are allowed within the premises.

• Radical Self-Reliance

The Burning Man website describes this as encouragement for “the individual to discover, exercise and rely on his or her inner resources.” Interpret that how you will.

• Radical Self-Expression

Leave your inhibitions at home. Burning Man is based on 100 percent acceptance, so take advantage of it. (This means crying if you want to cry, dancing if you want to dance, leaking your secrets to strangers and wearing 60 feather boas at once if you feel so inclined.)

• Communal Effort

Burning Man is merely a large community gathering. They support collaboration, sharing public space, creating works of art and true human connection between attendees.

• Civic Responsibility

Despite all the debauchery that goes on, Burning Man strictly follows local, state and federal laws. They urge their visitors to do the same.

• Leave No Trace

One thing to keep in mind when packing for Burning Man is their “leave no trace” policy, which means everything that comes in comes out. Take responsibility for your own trash, no matter how insignificant it may seem. People traverse every inch of the venue after the event to make sure no trash is left behind. This is to ensure that the landowners continue to allow the event to be hosted there. Someone else’s trash is not treasure in this instance.

• Participation

Don’t be a bystander. There are endless events and activities in which you can participate, so get involved! Whether it be an obscure yoga class, watching a live TED talk or a dance party, get involved with all that the Burning Man community has to offer. Go to Burning Man to experience, not observe.

• Immediacy

Experience and savor each moment at Burning Man. Don’t allow outside forces to hinder your experience. Face your interior and exterior existence head-on. That’s what Burning Man is all about.

The Burning Man:

At the end of the week, a 60 foot (or bigger) effigy of the wooden man is burnt to smithereens. The symbolism of the burn is up to the viewer. Many believe that the towering monument is meant to represent “the man,” crooked politics or an overly consumeristic society. You’re burning anything about contemporary culture that puts a bad taste in your mouth. Marvel in the flames and dance on the ashes!

What to Pack:

• Water: Write it on a list. Write it on your wall. Write it on your forehead. In Black Rock Desert, your environment is literally trying to kill you. It will slam you with dust, wind, frigid temperatures and powerful heat. Bring enough water to fill up a pool. Bring more water than you ever thought you’d drink in your life.
• Clothing: Pretend you’re spending half the week in Fiji and the other half in Breckenridge. The weather is not predictable. Some years it’s comfortable all night, and others it becomes a huge dusty icebox. Feel free to overestimate (and underestimate) the weather, and pack for both!
• Money: Leave it at home. The only things you can purchase with legal tender at Burning Man are ice and coffee. Everything else is based on the gifting system.
• Dust Protection: This means goggles, a handkerchief or bandana and anything else you may need to protect your body from the elements. You think you know dust? You don’t know dust. You know dust’s meek cousin. In Black Rock, you’re dealing with the big dogs, so come prepared. Business Insider said that, due to a “cold-air mass and low-pressure system,” 2015 was one of the worst years for dust storms at Burning Man.
• Body Lights: Despite all the sounds and colors of night at Burning Man, you’re going to need to light yourself up. Everything is constantly moving at Burning Man, whether it be women and men, bikes or vehicles shaped like huge metal koi fish. Deck yourself out in portable string lights, glow sticks or even glow in the dark paint.
• Bike: Unless you’ve invented some sort of teleportation device, you’re going to want to bring a bike. Black Rock Desert is a big place, and traveling by foot for seven days across miles of dry, cracked and dust-ridden landscapes is not a smart choice. When your bring your bike, make sure to deck it out! Not only to distinguish it from the thousands of other bikes, but also to maximize your full Burning Man experience. Your bike is not only a part of your ensemble, it is one of your best friends during this week-long adventure. Grab some holographic duct tape. Maybe throw on a mini disco ball. Heck, you bought all those bolts of lime green fur for a reason, right?
• Wet Wipes: Hey, going “au naturale” is totally cool. Feel free to get back to nature, but maybe save it for a forest retreat? The dry and hyper-heated landscape of the playa is not meant for human life, period. To keep yourself from looking (and smelling) like a gremlin, wipe your sweaty dust-filmed body with wet wipes periodically.
• Moisturizer: With the dust, nonstop sun and other forces of desert nature, you’re going to want to rehydrate your skin. You know that dust we were talking about? It will be everywhere. It will be places you yourself haven’t been. Paired with your sand-filled sinuses, burning eyes and hobbit feet, a tub of Vasaline will be a godsend.
• Everything Else: Think of anything you’d bring to survive in a desert for an entire week. Bring it. Plenty of burners put their personal packing lists online, so check them out to see if anything new dawns on you!

If you haven’t been dusting off that ’80s prom dress of yours and ordering a trendy tinsel wig online whilst reading this article, feel free to get your creative juices flowing. Burning Man is an experience unlike any other. It’s an event based on genuine human experience, zero judgement and creative communal effort. To check out more information on Burning Man, feel free to peruse their website.