The week before Labor Day is an unusually quiet time in San Francisco. Street parking is easily available, there are fewer people walking, and clubs and bars are half-empty. Why? Because a big chunk of people under the age of 60 are off to the Black Rock Desert in Nevada for Burning Man.
For the people “in the know”, Burning Man is the ultimate festival. One week of radical self-expression, freedom from the material world, immersion in creative and emotional elation so strong that some attendees claim they receive a jolt of positive energy that lasts the whole year – until the next festival.
I remember back in 2004, when I went there for the first time, it was just that kind of an experience. I had little expectations, other than it would be hot, dusty and have “lots of nude girls”. And yes, it was all those things, but so much more. Each has his or her own first impression of the festival, but for me, it was as if I got inside some kind of a fairytale. Non-stop music and party atmosphere; magnificent art, most of which is burnt at the end of the week; spirit of giving and barter; people out there to help you expecting nothing in return. And yes, dust and heat, and of course, lots of nude girls (and guys).
Of course, there is A LOT of people “in the know” nowadays. Gone is the time when Burning Man was known mostly through the word of mouth and almost devoid of “tourists” or accidental visitors. Now, it is very well publicized, and the for-profit corporation that runs the festival charges exorbitant ticket fees to both make money and somehow limit the huge influx of attendees.
I went twice since my first time, each bringing slightly more diminished returns. Perhaps it was nothing to do with the festival itself but my own issues. Burning Man is a bit like a drug: you should “take” it if you are willing to enjoy it, not to create joy and happiness out of nothing. And drugs, by the way, have always been a huge part of the festival, make no mistake about that.
At some point, I decided it was enough. I still had the lukewarm desire to go once again, but every year, even when I had time, I decided in favour of going elsewhere. As I kept learning about the world of international backpacking, it became harder to justify the effort and the expense of going to a fairytale for a week when I could see something real yet completely new and different in so many destinations around the world.
And so I never went again since 2009. But I absolutely recommend you go, especially (and primarily) if you have never been. The experience is unique indeed, and who knows, it could be a life-changer. Maybe you’d get hooked like so many of my friends, for whom the rest of the year is just the prelude to the Burn.
As for me, I’d be off discovering places a little farther out.
