The Burning Man – Take 2
The anticipation finally ended in Black Rock City as the 40-foot wooden figure know as ‘The Man’ went up in flames late Saturday evening to mark the culmination of the 22nd annual Burning Man counter-culture arts festival in the Black Rock Desert.
Many of this years attendees were concerned they would not get to see the climax of this emotionally intense eight day festival. If you hadn’t heard by now, the festival this year was disrespectfully interrupted by a rather surprising arson attempt by San Francisco playwright Paul Addis [mugshot]. Fortunately since the arson took place four days ahead of the scheduled burn, festival attendees spent the next three days rebuilding the giant structure. The burning man was then officially set ablaze to the vast amount of excited onlookers, right on schedule.
The local SF Gate news has posted some pictures of Saturday’s event.
Burning Man is an eight-day-long annual festival that takes place in Black Rock City, a temporary city on the playa of the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, 90 miles (150 km) north-northeast of Reno, ending on the American Labor Day holiday in September. Though the event’s specific location changed from year to year in the past, recently the location has been quite constant. The event is described by organizers as an experiment in community, radical self-expression, and radical self-reliance and takes its name from the ritual of burning a large wooden sculpture of a man on the sixth day. The event is organized by Black Rock City, LLC, under the guidance of founder Larry Harvey. In 2006, nearly 40,000 people participated in The Burning Man Project.
Hundreds gather for the Shiva Vista Project a fire performance art show put on the Control Burn a group out of Reno. Chronicle photo by Michael Macor
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A graphic and web designer, and the founder of an eccentric northwest design studio. Now living in Seattle for the past three years, loving the art, music, and culture it has to offer. Fan of coffee, travel, and the occasional slow jam. Believes people should listen to more Bob Marley, and watch less TV.View Author Profile
Fascinating how we still emjoy see things burn.
Well this festival aims to be a lot more then that Vitaliy.
But yes, yes it is.
the most amazing event i ever attended http://yuxt.com/Katya/Burning_Man