This is it. The week-long event culminates with the symbolic burning of “The Man.” Standing at center stage, the epicenter of the Burning Man encampment, looking over the communal gathering all week, all congregate around the structure on the last night.
This isn’t just a big bonfire we’re talking about. It takes professionals to build it and it takes professionals to burn it to a crisp. The effigy is ignited by a pyrotechnic performance as Burners cheer on the flames. Generally, the Man stands 40 feet high, but in 2019, 80,000 Burners witnessed a 60-foot-high Man burn to the ground.
Lego Truck
What was the last thing you made out of Lego? We're going to go out on a limb here and guess it wasn't very elaborate. Even if you are a Lego aficionado and get the cool, intricate sets made for adults, we are quite sure you've never handled anything the scale of a full-blown truck.
Unless you are the Burner who built that thing in the picture, that is. But we're guessing that person has better things to do than reading about Burning Man. They're probably preparing their next installation as we speak. One look at this truck made of giant Lego blocks drives home the idea that Burning Man is an adult playground. How many Legos did it take to decorate this Burning Man float? Who knows. Clearly, it’s a fun way to get around the Playa.
Rainbowland
This illuminated rainbow-colored arch served as the entrance for Burning Man 2012. The third eye reminds Burners of the spiritual journey they are commencing upon and to meditate and look within. But it will cost you to walk through the lighted rainbow. Burning Man tickets start at $425. Driving a car in stacks $100 onto the fee — another reason it’s better to bike in. Kids under 12 are free.
To reserve a spot before the next Burning Man sells out, you can purchase pre-sale tickets in March for $1,400 each. After that, you may not have any money left to bring to the currency-free event!
The Eternal Carousel
This massive sculpture, the size of a country fair fun zone ride, presumably spins endlessly with human-shaped forms strapped on for dear life. Only the artist knows the meaning, but this one can seem a bit creepy. It’s hard to tell if it represents an amusement park ride or something else.
What if it symbolizes corpses hung by meat hooks, a spinning death carousel, like a gloating serial killer’s masterwork? Or, considering the poses and positions of the body sculptures, maybe it's meant to depict an adult person doing a backflip and enjoying feeling like a child again? Yeah, it's probably that last thing.
Not a Festival
Over the years, Burning Man has evolved from a bonfire among friends in San Francisco to an international phenomenon attended by modern-day hippies and tech moguls alike. It is many things, however, despite what people say (and by "people" we mean "we, in this very article"), the organizers insist that the event is NOT a festival.
Whatever it is, it is held together by a dedicated community and set of organizational rules and principles. Here we take a peek into the Burning Man take on a double-decker bus — a truck with an added tier and a couple of antennae chauffeuring people around the Playa.