Burning Man is a week long yearly event wrapping up Labor Day weekend of each year. It takes place in the middle of the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, which is about as close to the middle of nowhere as you can get in the lower 48 states. It culminates at the end of the week with a ceremonial burning of a large, wooden efigy of a man. It is a gathering of 20,000 people or so with a few simple rules.

The place of gathering is referred to, for the duration of the event, as Black Rock City. Black Rock City is a self-organizing community in which there are no observers, only participants. That's one of the key rules at Burning Man: at an event where people come to express themselves artistically, you cannot simply observe; if you're there, you have to get involved. Another rule: there is no money. You cannot buy or sell anything in Black Rock City. The only forms of economy are either a gift economy or barter. And Black Rock City is so far from anywhere, that if you didn't bring it with you, you can't just go out and buy it. Whatever you need, you either bring in, or find in the community around you.

If you're interested, you can find out more about:

• my experience at Burning Man 2001,
• my experience at Burning Man 2003,
• my plans for my next Burning Man.

Here are a few useful links:

• The Burning Man Home Page
• The Burning Man BBS
• Subscribe to the Buring Man Newsletter