Technically speaking, the Burning Man Festival is not a gay event. At its core, Burning Man is an arts festival. A really, really, really big one. That just so happens to be entirely out in the open in the middle of Nevada’s Black Rock Desert.
For those unfamiliar with the whole idea, Burning Man takes off the week before Labor Day, and began in San Francisco in 1986 as a New Age-y summer solstice celebration. It has since switched locales and grown into one of the most avant-garde art projects known, as well as one of the most celebrated venues in the world. It is so popular, bringing in well over 50,000 people, that the encampment, called “Black Rock City,” counts as the third largest community by population in Nevada.
As art festivals go, Burning Man is about as experimental as it gets. Not all of the exhibitors make sense, and not all are supposed to (art is to get people talking). Each year has a theme; last’s year’s was “Cargo Cult,” a reference to the quasi-religions that rose from WWII supply planes. This year is “Caravansary,” and is to celebrate the life of ancient caravan routes such as the Silk Road of Asia, the Amber Road of the Baltics, and the Incense Road of Arabia.
Artists are already lined up and ready to go. While the exhibits switch out every year, there are often repeat performers, and every year Burning Man allocates a percentage of its revenue from ticket sales to funding select art projects that are collaborative, community-oriented and interactive. “Interactive” is a key component to Burning Man. Do not think of the event as an temporary, outdoor equivalent to the Louvre; each installation is meant to draw you in as an integral part of the artistic experience and process. Nathan Kandus of Oakland, CA, brings in “Between Dimensions” that will allow visitors to interact with fractals. The BioTron, courtesy of Erick Dunn, facilitates a Zen-like state by inducing meditative brainwaves.
A few practicalities to keep in mind: This is a ticketed event; 2014’s iteration will run a hefty $380. Also, remember this is August in Nevada. A lot of people end up ditching clothes altogether and spend the week nude. At the very least, bring a pair of sunglasses…and a little SPF 30.
For more info, go to burningman.com. Contact Steele LuxuryTravel for assistance with your trip at 646-688-2274.