Burning Man is a week-long event held annually in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, centered on community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance. It is not a typical festival with scheduled performers; instead, participants—known as "Burners"—create all the art, performances, and activities themselves, inspired by a different theme each year

. The event culminates in the symbolic burning of a large wooden effigy called "the Man," which gives the event its name. Burning Man is guided by ten core principles established by co-founder Larry Harvey in 2004, including radical inclusion, gifting (no money is used, and goods and services are given without expectation of return), decommodification, radical self-reliance, radical self-expression, communal effort, civic responsibility, leaving no trace (environmental respect), participation, and immediacy

. Burning Man creates a temporary city, Black Rock City, where tens of thousands of people come together to build a self-sustaining community that emphasizes creativity, cooperation, and personal responsibility. The event rejects commercialism and capitalism in favor of a gift economy and communal living. While it is celebrated as a space for free expression and artistic experimentation, it also faces challenges such as environmental impact and social issues

. In essence, Burning Man is about fostering a unique, participatory cultural experience that encourages individuals to explore their creativity and connect deeply with others in a temporary, self-made society in the desert