Burning Man; The Early Years

     How did it come to be, that once a year, the desolate playa, outside of Gerlach, Nevada, turns into a community that thousands of people call home? The nine-day event, most Nevadan’s know as Burning Man, is an event described as a celebration of “artistic self-expression” held in a self-sufficient, temporary community. Money is of no value; the whole community operates on a barter and trade dynamic. The items for trade are usually handmade and ornate. But would you believe it all started on the sandy Baker Beach in San Francisco?

     In 1986 two friends built an eight-foot-tall wooden man. Then took the man to Baker Beach, doused the man in gasoline and diesel, then lit him on fire. People came from all over the beach to see the spectacle and watch in awe.  The two friends had no idea that 36 years later, their burning of a wooden man, on a beach, would continue to be one of the biggest festivals in the world.

     The two men, Larry Harvey and Jerry James, decided to burn a wooden man again the following year. But this time he was 15 feet tall and an estimated 80 viewers came to the beach. In 1988 the wooden man officially received his name “Burning Man”, his height doubled as well as Larry and Jerry’s following. This was the first year that fliers, posters and t-shirts were made and distributed.

     In 1989 Larry attended a wind sculpture event in the Black Rock Desert before his annual event in San Francisco and he fell in love with the desert. The following year, in 1990, the Golden Gate Park Police shut the annual Burning Man event down due to “potential fire hazard”. Larry and Jerry knew where they wanted to move the event to!

In 1990 the first Burning Man was held in the Black Rock desert out side of Gerlach, Nevada. Approximately 350 people attended and the “Burning Man” had grown to an impressive 40 feet tall. In 1991 the Bureau of Land Management set requirements that a Recreation Permit must be obtained and an Environmental Impact Report would have to filled regarding condition of the camp site post celebration. As worried as people were that the desert would be left a mess, the report came back to state “After the event was over, within a week of inspections, no trace of the burning ceremonies or cap site can be found”. From then on, the event continued to double in attendance almost every year.

     As attendance grew every year, Larry and Jerry saw a need for “peace officers”, experienced attendees who could support other attendees. In 1992 the Black Rock Rangers were established. Their mission is to patrol borders and help lost or stranded attendees. In 1993 Center Camp was established.

      In 1994 Burning Man was documented for the first time with “live connection” and by 1997 it was a topic featured on ABC Night Time Investigation. This year also brought in approximately 10,000 attendees. Over the next twenty years Burning Man has continued to grow into a worldwide phenomenon and has put the Black Rock Desert on the map in many countries. People from all over the world attend this event. The event is held prior to and during the Labor Day Weekend.