The annual week-long event has been held in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert since 1986
Credit: MIKE NELSON/AFP via Getty; Rick Loomis/Los Angeles Times via Getty
It’s been four decades since Burning Man held its inaugural gathering on June 22, 1986.
Founded by Larry Harvey, John Law and Jerry James, the annual gathering brings together tens of thousands of attendees for a week’s worth of art, music, performance and community building in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert.
Burning Man famously prohibits cash transactions and instead encourages gifting amongst its participants, who, for the duration of the event, operate a temporary society known as Black Rock City.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the building of Black Rock City, and the performances that take place within it, have been heavily documented over the years by Burning Man attendees.
Burning Man 2026 begins on Aug. 30 and concludes on Sept. 7 with the ceremonial burning of a large wooden effigy known was the Man.
Ahead, relive previous renditions of the event with these eight photos captured at Burning Man.
01 of 08
Fire Stunt
Credit: MIKE NELSON/AFP via Getty
Stuntman Ted Batchelor set himself on fire and ignited the iconic Burning Man effigy on the final night of the 1998 gathering. The Ohio native had a “naked sun goddess” set him alight before he ran up a flight of stairs to light up the statue himself, according to his website.
Batchelor holds numerous records for fire-related stunts, including for most people on fire simultaneously, per Guinness World Records.
02 of 08
Fireball Eruption
Credit: Jim Rankin/Toronto Star via Getty
During the 2005 edition of Burning Man, a huge fireball erupted from a cannon loaded with gas and ignited by propane. It created a black smoke ring that floated above the desert.
A few days later, Anthony Beninati was burned during the ceremonial burning of the Man when he approached the effigy and tripped, falling into the fire. He sued Black Rock City LLC, the organization responsible for Burning Man, for damages and the lawsuit was dismissed, per SFGate.
03 of 08
Fire Performers
Credit: Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty
In 2006, Kelly Peach, Lebn Schuyler and Jules McEvoy were captured preparing for a fire performance following the burning of a wooden structure known as Uchronia.
Nicknamed the “Belgium Waffle,” the nearly 50-foot tall art installation was set alight in accordance with Burning Man’s “leave no trace” policy. It was created by Belgian conceptual artist Arne Quinze and philosopher Jan Kriekels, per SFGate.
04 of 08
Golden Gate Bridge Art Car
Credit: Frederic Larson/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty
In 2009, the Golden Gate Bridge Art Car was a well-documented vehicle in Black Rock City.
Designed to look like a portion of the Golden Gate Bridge, the car has become a frequent staple of the annual gathering. DJs like Jonny Wild, JayRock and Johnno Lazetich, a.k.a. the Rhino, have even played sets atop the vehicle.
“This was truly one of the most magical moments of the week and I’m so happy I captured the magic,” Wild wrote on Instagram after his set on top of the car at Burning Man 2025.
05 of 08
Matt Schulz’s “Embrace” Installation
Credit: Jordan England-Nelson/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty
Artist Matt Schulz created “Embrace” for the 2014 edition of Burning Man. The sculpture was “a temple to the people who have inspired our lives,” according to his website.
The installation was covered with thin sheets of wood and had a mechanical beating heart inside. Attendees were able to climb into the heads and peer out of the eyes. It was erected with the help of 104 volunteers and weighed 180,000 pounds. At the end of the week, it was lit on fire.
06 of 08
Feeling Blue
Credit: Rick Loomis/Los Angeles Times via Getty
Mark Day painted himself blue with food coloring to match his blue devil horns at the 2015 edition of Burning Man. The videographer is a veteran attendee and produces a video series titled “24 Hours at Burning Man.”
“I get to be my favorite version of myself, because I can be playful in a space where that kind of improvisational lightness of touch is understood, and is part of the experience,” Day said in 2026 of the annual event on the Burning Man Live podcast.
07 of 08
Double Rainbow
Credit: JULIE JAMMOT/AFP via Getty
After heavy rain flooded the event in 2023 and stranded some attendees, a double rainbow appeared over Black Rock City.
Attendee Alexi Helligar told PEOPLE at the time that it was the “most beautiful rainbow” he had ever seen.
“It appeared to say at the end of every storm, every difficulty is an opportunity for you to see beauty and for you to rejuvenate and to come alive again,” he said.
08 of 08
Oleksiy Sai’s “I’m Fine” Sculpture
Credit: Ukrainian Witness via Getty
Ukrainian artist Oleksiy Sai debuted his “I’m Fine” art installation at Burning Man 2024. The sculpture is a reference to Ukrainian resilience following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Sai made “I’m Fine” in collaboration with DJ Anatoly Tapolsky and former Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Vitaliy Deynega, per Artsy. It features damaged street signs, fences and gates, all of which were salvaged from Ukraine during the war.
Read the full article here
