It was in 1986 when Larry Harvey, struggling with a midlife crisis and a bitter breakup, decided to burn a wooden effigy of a man on Baker Beach. Of course, he wasn’t alone; his comrade Jerry James was there too, believing that burning the wooden figure might bring psychological healing to his friend. As atrocious as it may sound, it actually worked. The quirky ritual struck a chord and snowballed into an annual tradition, turning into a cultural juggernaut.
Over the years, Burning Man exploded in popularity and shifted to Black Rock Desert in Nevada, where it takes place every year. Tickets cost hundreds, buzz is global, and its reputation is as massive as the desert it now calls home. As per Larry himself, “Burning Man isn’t your average design or architecture festival, but a week-long celebration focused on community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance”. Basically, it’s radical camping under the punishing sun and starry skies. Something the likes of Hunter S Thompson or Colin Gibson would rejoice.
You bring everything, right from your food, booze, and water, to gear and glitter. Of course, you get ice and coffee, which are the only things you can buy. Commerce is banned at the event, but generosity? Well, that’s currency. Artists and dreamers pour tens of thousands into jaw-dropping installations just for the joy of seeing them turn to ashes. The rule of the land? No business, only barter.
Of course, not everyone is enthralled. The conservatives write it off as a hedonistic, drug-soaked pagan romp, while the liberals loathe it for the resulting environmental damage. Redditors hail it as “too big and too full of fratboy types now.” At the same time, the anti-tech lobby targets Silicon Valley elites, who come to chase clout, leaving behind mounds of trash. “My concern for the future of Burning Man is the proliferation of Plug & Play camps that are just rows of RVs and trailers powered by huge generators,” Harlan Emil Gruber, a veteran burner, told Homecrux.
These camps, often populated by wealthy individuals who pay for an all-inclusive Burning Man experience, which includes RVs, generators, and luxury amenities, have drawn criticism from longtime participants. However, not everyone shares this perspective. For some, the growing influence of wealthier participants may be a sign of Burning Man’s increasing cultural relevance.
“The event is no longer a niche gathering for counterculturalists but a global phenomenon that attracts a wider demographic,” state the organizers. Whether Burning Man has sold out or stayed true to its roots is a question that depends entirely on who you ask. Basically, it’s tribal, atavistic, but still a hell of a lot of fun!
Nature, however, has not been so kind to Burning Man. Every year, heavy rains lash the stretch of dusty flats that attendees insist on calling “the playa” into a muddy mess. This year was no different. As the event began, the playa was hit by a severe dust storm, leading to a whiteout. Gusts of wind, swirling dust, and limited visibility forced many participants into shelter, disrupting camps, food supplies, and even creating a logistical nightmare.
“I thought it was a miracle that non-serious injuries occurred after the whiteout sandstorm,” Gabriel Sobin, an artist who presented his work for the first time at Burning Man this year, told Homecrux. His installation, Ad Astra, a futuristic Stonehenge of polished stainless steel, faced its own set of challenges amidst the storm. Yet, Sobin’s thoughts on the intense atmosphere capture the essence of Burning Man. “It feels like this powerful moment in the desert, with so many people, that brings out spectacular events, for better or worse.”
Alice, another long-time burner and artist, noted that Burning Man has always faced the travesties of nature, but what stands out is the resilience and unity of its community. “It wasn’t the first time extreme weather has played a role, and it likely won’t be the last. Still, the fact that injuries were minimal and that participants responded with creativity and calm underscores the community’s resilience,” he states.
But this year, there was more than just a storm that grabbed the headlines. Burning Man 2025 will go down in history as a complex mix of joy and tragedy, with the most notable being a homicide that’s still under investigation. As reported by the New York Times, A man was found dead “lying in a pool of blood,” prompting a homicide investigation by local and federal officials in Nevada. Fox News later reported that police had found the suspected murder weapon, with inquiries underway.
The homicide has prompted questions about the future of the event that is already under scrutiny. Is it a one-off incident that can be considered a fluke or a tragic anomaly? Or does it point to deeper societal issues that even Burning Man can’t escape? Paul Chaklos, a burner and creator of the Boogie Bug mutant vehicle, has come in the event’s support, stating, “Would this be worldwide news if it happened in a town of 70,000 people somewhere else in the world?” For others, the incident seemed a stark reminder of the real world participants temporarily escape from, a harsh reality that cannot be ignored.
Such is the irony of life that even in the midst of tragedy, another significant event occurred – the birth of a baby girl. “It’s very symbolic how a life was taken, while thousands of people let go of their grief while the temple burned, and a new life was brought to this world,” remarked Elnara Nasirli, an artist who witnessed the tragedy. “What happened that night is a direct reflection of the world today, with the hate and love all in one,” he adds.
The baby, born on-site, symbolized hope and renewal, a stark contrast to the tragedy that had unfolded just hours earlier. Livia from RedShadow, an artist who exhibited a 15-foot-tall Jellyfish installation this year, believes that while Burning Man is a microcosm of society, the festival continues to serve as a symbol of hope. “The fact that very few negative incidents occur while countless positive, inspiring stories emerge shows that this community is stronger and more hopeful than most places,” she said.
Jenny Tang, a registered artist who showcased her body-positive wooden shrine this year, seconds Livia’s opinion, stating, “We were a living society for a week. Things happen in every society. The fact that the community continues to produce incredible art, inspire people, and take care of one another is a testament to its future.”
While the tragedy and chaos of 2025 may cast a shadow over the event’s immediate future, the overwhelming response from the Burning Man community, marked by solidarity, creativity, and hope, points to a festival that is far from over. In the end, as participants of Burning Man know well, the desert is unforgiving, but it is also a place where life, in all its beauty and complexity, can bloom. And for that reason alone, the spirit of Burning Man will persist for years to come.
Special thanks to Vaishali Sharma, Outreach Manager, Homecrux, for gathering insights for this story!
Follow Homecrux on Google News!
