what kind of festival is burning man

Burning Man is an annual week-long festival held in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, USA. It is much more than a typical festival; it is a unique, temporary city and community experience that centers on self-expression, self- reliance, radical inclusion, and communal effort. Participants create the event collectively by building a temporary city called Black Rock City, contributing interactive and participatory art installations, theme camps, performances, and mutant vehicles (creatively-modified cars). The festival's focal event is the burning of a large wooden effigy known as "the Man" on the Saturday night before Labor Day. Another symbolic event is the burning of the Temple, which is a more solemn and contemplative ceremony at the festival's close. Burning Man operates under ten core principles, including gifting (non- commercial gift economy), decommodification (no commercial sponsorships or advertisements), radical self-reliance, and leaving no trace (environmental responsibility). The vibe of Burning Man is described as an artistic, collaborative, and spiritual community gathering where participants actively create the experience rather than just attend. It is rooted in alternative lifestyles, urban temporary architecture, extreme clothing, and a strong sense of community participation in an extreme desert environment. In summary, Burning Man is an artistic, community-driven, and transformative festival celebrating radical self-expression, creativity, and communal living in a temporary city in the desert.