It's been described with such superlatives as "Mad Max meets Disneyland". Many have tried, and failed, to liken Burning Man to other festivals around the world; parallels have been drawn to Woodstock, the legendary rock festival that famously got out of hand when thousands crashed the gate and the heavens opened to douse the whole event with heavy rain.
England's much celebrated three day festival of music and arts - Glastonbury, has also been compared to Burning Man, and though it is probably the closest contender that exists, the concept is very different to that of Burning Man. The truth of the matter is that Burning Man is a completely unique event, the likes of which the world has never seen before.
Every year, for five days, some 50,000 people make their way to the flat, parched playa of the Black Rock Desert, 120 miles north of Reno in Nevada. They come to form a temporary community, named "Black Rock City" that is dedicated to self expression and radical self reliance. Unlike other festivals - Burning Man is a commerce-free event; there are no burger vans, no bars, and no shops, in fact there are only two things for sale in Black Rock City: coffee, and ice.
Black Rock Desert can be an unforgiving place and is subject to extremes; by day temperatures can exceed 37C, yet by night they can drop down to around freezing. Thunderstorms and dust storms can arise with little notice, transforming the playa into one massive mud puddle in a few minutes. With no trees or natural shelter, winds average 25mph under normal conditions and can rise to 70mph during a storm both of which are found in the Centre Camp. Everything else (food, water, and shelter) has to be brought in, or traded for.
Unlike other festivals where the entertainment is laid on by the organiser - at Burning Man it's the festivals' own punters that are the entertainment. There is no main stage, no comedy tent, no dance arena. Visitors are encouraged to participate in the creative culture of Burning Man by providing entertainment for others, whether it is in the form of amplified music, theatre, performance art, sculpture - at Burning Man - pretty much anything goes.
Travellers from all over the States, and the rest of the world, descend on Nevada every year to be part of this bizarre festival. En route - many spend a night in hotels in Carson City, Reno or other nearby settlements, grabbing their chance for a night in normal civilisation before heading deep into the desert the following day.
What the future holds for Burning Man is unsure, but the steady growth of this unique event is likely to continue to attract tens of thousands each year, as long as the motto of the festival remains true: "We will always burn the man".
Carson City residents enjoy many activities throughout the year including concerts downtown, Rendezvous Days, Nevada Day Parade, Carson City Real Estate and Farmers Markets to name a few. There are a variety of neighborhoods from Historic/ Victorian homes, Custom Homes, Tract Developments, Manufactured Homes and also Commercial, Industrial, Office & Retail locations. Carson City has a population of approximately 56,000, but still has a small town feel.
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