You're about to step into a city built from imagination, connection, and participation — created by its citizens, including YOU. Burning Man is not a festival. It is a global cultural movement where people come together to create, innovate, and share stories, supported by the Burning Man Project nonprofit. Our ephemeral city in the Black Rock Desert is an annual experiment in temporary community, embodying Radical Self-expression, Radical Self-reliance, and the rest of the core 10 Principles of our culture. Bring what you discover here back to your community — or find your people through a Regional Event. With 80+ official Regional Events in 30+ countries, Burning Man thrives around the world. In Black Rock City you are responsible for your own survival, safety, and well-being. You are invited to collaborate, be inclusive, creative, connective, and to Leave No Trace.

Burning Man isn’t about showing up with the biggest, flashiest thing you can haul to the Black Rock Desert — though we do love all of your wild creations. It’s about showing up as YOU.

Remember your first year? Maybe you brought something small, simple, manageable — and it was enough. It still is!

So let’s honor that. Let’s make space for the first-timers, the dreamers, the ones still finding their way. Let’s drop the pressure to outdo, and return to the beauty of simply doing.

For 2025, Black Rock City is about simplicity: less red tape, more ease. Fewer hoops, more hands reaching out to help. The teams that help produce Black Rock City are working to reduce bureaucracy and make it easier to get the support you need — you are encouraged to build more ease into your Burn, too. This is a call to move beyond “competitive camping” and into a shared commitment to thoughtful participation. Let’s normalize humble beginnings and open the door for new voices and fresh perspectives.

Ask yourself: Do I need to bring everything? What if I brought just one thing — and did it with love, intention, and care? What if showing up with less helped us all leave with more?

I can’t wait to see you out there.

– Charlie Dolman, Director of Event Operations