Burning Man

Burning Man Project is the nonprofit that brings more joy, awe, and connection to the world.

A chronological documentary of 4,105 moments spanning 1986–2025 on Loreline.

last updated 2026-07-22

1. 1986-06-22 — IMG_3960
2. 1986-06-22 — BM+86
3. 1986-06-22 — Burning Man 1986 at Baker Beach. Videos from the first Burning Man gathering on the day of the summer solstice. At Baker Beach in San Francisco.
4. 1987-06-01 — 1987 Beach Burn Flier with image of 1986 Burn
5. 1987-06-20 — 87_man
6. 1988-06-01 — 88_manposter. Possibly the first documented item where event is named Burning Man. This poster was used to announce event on Baker Beach. Similar to 1987 Flyer, this poster uses a quote from the poem "The Forces That Through the Green Fuse Drives the Flower" by Dylan Thomas. Photo Edward Ingraham
7. 1988-06-18 — Burning Man 1988 :: Baker Beach, San Francisco. From the Burning Man Archives. 1988. The 3rd Burning Man ever had 200 people on Baker Beach celebrating the Summer Solstice. It was the first year the figure was named the "Burning Man". By 1988 organizers were committing to it fully — building a Man nearly forty feet, and striving to attract an audience beyond their immediate friends. For a deeper look at the history of Burning Man check out the Burning Man Timeline: http://burningman.org/timeline Check out our full video archive: http://youtube.com/burningman Visit the Burning Man website: http://burningman.org Read the Voice of Burning Man blog: http://burningman.org/voices Burning Man on Twitter: http://twitter.com/burningman LIKE Burning Man on Facebook: http://fb.com/burningman Follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/burningman Subscribe to the Jackrabbit Speaks newsletter: http://burningman.org/jrs
8. 1988-06-18 — 88_man2. "The Man was presoaked with kerosene, his legs and body stuffed with newspaper and wrapper with burlap skin, also all soaked with kerosene. It was another blustery cold evening, and he was on fire and the burlap and newspapers blew away in ashes, but the Man, through charred, was still standing. That's when the Man had his first encounter with the Man, Jerry recalls ... Larry and I decided to talk to the cops, and after a short negotiation, they agreed to allow us to knock down the Man and finish burning it. We sawed him in half in a few places, threw him in a pile, and finished burning it. "It was obviously an extraordinary thing for the cops. They sure didn't come across that every day. They probably feared we'd start slaughtering goats there on Baker Beach."
9. 1989-06-01 — 89_roughdraft. The June 1989 Cacophony canon, Rough Draft invites you to call for information on the burning of a four story tall wooden man.
10. 1989-06-24 — 89_burn
11. 1989-06-24 — 3834159_orig. Part of the Man arrives on Baker Beach. Photo: Stewart Harvey
12. 1989-06-24 — Burning Man 1989 at Baker Beach
13. 1989-06-24 — 889752
14. 1989-10-17 — 504_bricks. On October 17, 1989 at 5:04 PM, the Loma Prieta earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay Area and a brick wall collapsed on the rear half of an Olds Cutlass parked by Clayton and Page streets. Michael Mikel saw it there and the creative wheels began to turn. “I bet that will still run”, he mused, and he placed a note on the car offering to buy it.
15. 1990-06-30 — BurningMan1990 Shut Down By the Man. This was the 5th or 6th Burning Man, and possibly the last one attempted at Baker Beach in San Francisco. Law enforcement insisted on seeing a permit for the event, and organizers agreed to postpone the burn. He was lowered down, disassembled and hauled out. The small gathering continued the evening around a smaller bonfire. I think the Man was soon invited by the Cacophony Society to a separate event at Black Rock Desert, NV. I shot this way back then and hadn't bothered to digitize the vintage SD footage until now. Not the most exciting Burning Man event, but maybe you'll see your good looking 1990 selves in here somewhere.
16. 1990-07-09 — The 1st Burning Man. The Burning Man of today evolved originally from an annual art party hosted by Mary Grauberger. Taking place on or around the summer solstice on San Francisco's Baker Beach prior to 1986, the art parties had sculpture burning as a central theme. Then in 1986 Larry Harvey, inspired in part by Mary Grauberger's events, asked his friend Jerry James to help him build an 8' effigy to be burned on Baker beach. This event, unnamed at this point, continued annually until 1990 when, the effigy having grown to 40', the police pulled the plug on the parties climactic burn. Meanwhile, Kevin Evans and John Law, of the Cacophony Society, were planning a similar event called Zone Trip #4 - A Bad Day at Black Rock in Nevada's Black Rock Dessert. Harvey and friends, having nowhere to burn the 40' effigy, joined forces with the Zone Trip #4 group and this was the birth of what we now know as Burning Man. The following clip contains footage of an earlier burn at Baker Beach and also the first burn to take place on the Playa.
17. 1990-09-01 — 1990_flyer. Flyer for Burning Man 1990.
18. 1990-09-02 — 90_roughdraftoffici1171vari_0097. The move to the Black Rock Desert represented an epochal change. Survival camping was a challenge. In a very real sense, everyone perforce was a participant. A pilgrimage was now required to reach the home of Burning Man, and he resided in a consecrated space, a place apart and separate from the ordinary world. The desert had enlarged the scope of human struggle and intensified involvement. It had restored the spirit of Burning Man and the community that had grown around it. Most importantly, beneath its sentinel presence, a city had begun to form.
19. 1990-09-29 — Rough+Draft+-BM+Planning+Party
20. 1990-09-29 — Instructions+for+first+BRC+Burn
21. 1990-09-29 — MV5BYmYzNDcyNmEtNGJhMS00M2Y2LTgxYTEtMzM3NjljNDEyOGFjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjc1NTYyMjg@._V1_
22. 1990-09-29 — Original+Zone+Trip+#4+t-shirt+ad+(Seb+Hyde)
23. 1990-09-29 — bad_day_at_black_rock-Tshirt. The first Burning Man shirt
24. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495905018_o.webp
25. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495903926_o.webp
26. 1990-09-30 — kevins-burning-man-photos_3482187912_o
27. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495904904_o.webp
28. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495903778_o.webp
29. 1990-09-30 — zone trip 1990, Burning Man in the desert.. The San Francisco Cacophony Society zone trip #4, 1990
30. 1990-09-30 — kevins-burning-man-photos_3482187912_o
31. 1990-09-30 — 1990+The+Line
32. 1990-09-30 — Burningman 1990. My friend Bob G. did this from Super 8 film he shot at the first desert burn. I don't think he's ever put it online in any form, so here it is with his edit and soundtrack. He's in another desert on nearly the exact opposite side of the planet (though still in the northern hemisphere) these days. So here it is, Burningman with one portapotty. Hi Mr. G!
33. 1990-09-30 — kevins-burning-man-photos_3482187912_o
34. 1990-09-30 — kevins-burning-man-photos_3482187912_o
35. 1990-09-30 — Screen+Shot+2019-02-25+at+2.13.29+PM
36. 1990-09-30 — kevins-burning-man-photos_3482187912_o
37. 1990-09-30 — kevins-burning-man-photos_3482187912_o
38. 1990-09-30 — kevins-burning-man-photos_3482187912_o
39. 1990-09-30 — kevins-burning-man-photos_3482187912_o
40. 1990-09-30 — kevins-burning-man-photos_3482187912_o
41. 1990-09-30 — 1990_kevin. Kevin Evans on the way to Burning Man 1990.
42. 1990-09-30 — kevins-burning-man-photos_3482187912_o
43. 1990-09-30 — kevins-burning-man-photos_3482187912_o
44. 1990-09-30 — kevins-burning-man-photos_3482187912_o
45. 1990-09-30 — kevins-burning-man-photos_3482187912_o
46. 1990-09-30 — kevins-burning-man-photos_3482187912_o
47. 1990-09-30 — kevins-burning-man-photos_3482187912_o
48. 1990-09-30 — 1990_centercamp. Center Camp, Burning Man 1990.
49. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495087375_o.webp
50. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495902548_o.webp
51. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495900460_o.webp
52. 1990-09-30 — kevins-burning-man-photos_3482187912_o
53. 1990-09-30 — 1990_centercamp2
54. 1990-09-30 — 1990_mobia. Steve Mobia later founded the Lamplighters at Burning Man.
55. 1990-09-30 — 7867431_orig
56. 1990-09-30 — ya-gotta-regatta-1989-windsurfer
57. 1990-09-30 — kevins-burning-man-photos_3482187912_o
58. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495905952_o (1).webp
59. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495904784_o.webp
60. 1990-09-30 — working-at-burning-man-1990_3404975262_o.webp
61. 1990-09-30 — kevins-burning-man-photos_3482187912_o
62. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495089079_o.webp
63. 1990-09-30 — 1990_miller. David Warren lit the Burning Man in 1990
64. 1990-09-30 — Bizen+00-blue-man-chew. Blue Man Chew by William Binzen. Dan Miller, builder of the Man, sits on his shoulder. Tristan Harvey is seen next, just above his Dan, Larry. John Law is toward the right, in dark ripped jean. To John’s left is Larry’s nephew Jared, and then kneeling is Stewart Harvey. The natural colored wood of the man replaced by Binzen to an iconic blue, and the white playa transformed as well.
65. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495905952_o
66. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495905408_o.webp
67. 1990-09-30 — 1990_johnlaw. John Law
68. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495904670_o.webp
69. 1990-09-30 — 1990_cocktail. Burn night cocktail party, 1990.
70. 1990-09-30 — kevins-burning-man-photos_3482187912_o
71. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495086651_o (1).webp
72. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495899998_o.webp
73. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495904290_o.webp
74. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495899740_o.webp
75. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495902210_o.webp
76. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495905252_o.webp
77. 1990-09-30 — 90_manstandsup. Kevin Evans - Bringing Burning Man to Black Rock Desert - Tales of the San Francisco Cacophony Society
78. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495088119_o.webp
79. 1990-09-30 — working-at-burning-man-1990_3404163773_o.webp
80. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495900562_o.webp
81. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495903030_o.webp
82. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495083787_o.webp
83. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495899860_o.webp
84. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495900982_o.webp
85. 1990-09-30 — 90_drums
86. 1990-09-30 — 1990+Drummer+BB&W
87. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495085701_o.webp
88. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495900236_o.webp
89. 1990-09-30 — 90_brokeassstuart_psegal-e1416159022639
90. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495087503_o.webp
91. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495086251_o.webp
92. 1990-09-30 — Burning+Man+1990+_+Stewart+Harvey
93. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495085925_o.webp
94. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1991_3495906462_o.webp
95. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495899654_o.webp
96. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495904190_o.webp
97. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495904050_o.webp
98. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495083343_o.webp
99. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495084507_o (1).webp
100. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495086397_o.webp
101. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495903584_o.webp
102. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495903152_o.webp
103. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495084283_o.webp
104. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495902780_o.webp
105. 1990-09-30 — A Burning Man (1990) by Peter Hassan. Peter Hassan's film "A Burning Man", one of the earliest short films on Burning Man. This is the original video transfer, made in 1990. The film was partially remastered in 2002 available here: https://youtu.be/3IpGAvbYSJ0
106. 1990-09-30 — Burning Man (1990). Home video of the 1990 Burning Man Gathering. Film of the 1990 Burning Man gathering. 1990 was the last year at Baker Beach, as well as the first year at Black Rock Desert.
107. 1990-09-30 — 1990 Burn at Black Rock desert - Burning Man 1990. The 1990 Burning Man Burn. The first burn in Black Rock City. The music at the start of the track is a song that was playing on someone's boombox right before the progression to the burn started. Flammo LeGrande (David T. Warren) does his fire breathing routine to start the blaze. He also started the 1989 Man and was on hand at Baker Beach to do the honors before the police shut down the burn.
108. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495901820_o.webp
109. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495902394_o.webp
110. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495902328_o.webp
111. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495084907_o.webp
112. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495083109_o.webp
113. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495083909_o.webp
114. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495084713_o.webp
115. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495900650_o.webp
116. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495901600_o.webp
117. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495085015_o.webp
118. 1990-09-30 — burning-man-1990_3495084179_o.webp
119. 1990-11-30 — The San Francisco Cacophony Society makes the news. From a VHS tape my brother Brian made from the news in late 1990 or early 1991.
120. 1991-07-01 — 1991_roughdraft. Rough Draft July 1991 Burning Man in the Black Rock Desert
121. 1991-08-01 — 1991_bm. Once again, we will accompany the Burning Man into the vast Black Rock Desert of Nevada for an event-filled weekend. In the middle of this barren flat, we will create a temporary community around a 4-story tall wooden man, sheathed in blue neon.
122. 1991-08-24 — 91_barge. Burning Man is built and installed on a barge which floats between two docks at Fort Mason. John Law creates a neon outline of Burning Man that is installed on the exterior front of the figure's wooden frame.
123. 1991-08-24 — Burningman At Ft Mason On Barge. Burning Man is built and installed on a barge which floats between two docks at Fort Mason. John Law creates a neon outline of Burning Man that is installed on the exterior front of the figure's wooden frame.
124. 1991-08-25 — burning-man-1991_3495090009_o.webp
125. 1991-08-25 — 9946905_orig. 1991 marked the first art car on the playa as well! Danger Ranger, founder of the legendary Black Rock Rangers, took a 1978 Olds Cutlass Supreme that had a crushed back end from a brick wall falling on it during the Loma Prieta earthquake, thought, "I bet it that will still run" and bought it. It became a conceptual art piece with a license plate reading 5:04 pm - the exact time the earthquake struck. A testament to the uncontrollable forces of nature.
126. 1991-08-26 — 90_quote
127. 1991-08-26 — burning-man-1991_3495090199_o.webp
128. 1991-08-26 — burning-man-1991_3495905510_o.webp
129. 1991-08-26 — 91_crimson. Crimson rehearses in 95-degree heat for her much-anticipated pre-burn dance performance.
130. 1991-08-26 — burning-man-1991_3495905622_o.webp
131. 1991-08-26 — 504. The 5:04 PM Earthquake Car.
132. 1991-08-26 — Burning-Man-first-theme-camp-Kevin-Evans-and-Sebastian-Hyde. Kevin Evans and Sebastian Hyde started the first-ever Burning Man theme camp, where they acted like natives from somewhere, made up a language, and bartered with clay money.
133. 1991-08-26 — Burning Man 1991. 1991 Burn at Black Rock Desert. Includes Cacophony march to the man (following the formal), a brief clip of Crimson Rose and the burn.
134. 1991-08-27 — Burning Man 1991 :: 2nd Year in the Desert. From the Burning Man Archives. 1991. 2nd year in the desert, population of 250. The Man was lit by literally the first fire-twirlers at Burning Man... For a deeper look at the history of Burning Man check out the Burning Man Timeline: http://burningman.org/timeline Check out our full video archive: http://youtube.com/burningman Visit the Burning Man website: http://burningman.org Read the Voice of Burning Man blog: http://burningman.org/voices Burning Man on Twitter: http://twitter.com/burningman LIKE Burning Man on Facebook: http://fb.com/burningman Follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/burningman Subscribe to the Jackrabbit Speaks newsletter: http://burningman.org/jrs
135. 1991-08-27 — burning-man-1991_3495089657_o.webp
136. 1991-08-27 — 2941084. John Law in 1991. Photo: Kevin Evans.
137. 1991-08-28 — burning-man-1991_3495089807_o.webp
138. 1991-08-28 — 5670373_orig. Photo: Danger Ranger
139. 1991-08-29 — 423445_orig. Photo: C. Nick Lynch
140. 1991-08-31 — 1991+-+Ann+Coulter+-+Fashion+Show. Annie Coulter. The first Burning Man Fashion show was held for the first time at 6 pm on Saturday, 1991, with the sun begging to set
141. 1991-09-01 — 5352185. Photo: George Post
142. 1991-09-03 — Whole+Earth+_+Spring+1991+(back+Cover). Back Cover, Whole Earth Review | Spring 1999
143. 1991-09-03 — Spring+1991+_+Whole+Earth+(Inside+back+Cover). Inside Back Cover, Whole Earth Review | Spring 1999
144. 1991-09-30 — burning-man-1991_3495089349_o.webp
145. 1991-09-30 — burning-man-1991_3495907124_o.webp
146. 1991-09-30 — burning-man-1991_3495905786_o.webp
147. 1991-09-30 — burning-man-1991_3495906568_o.webp
148. 1991-12-03 — Larry Harvey (1991). Produced in 1991 by Larry Harvey, this video captures one of the earliest burns in the desert and some of the very earliest interview footage with him. Post production assistance provided by Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC) in San Francisco. Check out our full video archive: http://youtube.com/burningman Visit the Burning Man website: http://burningman.org Read the Burning Man Journal: http://journal.burningman.org Subscribe to the Jackrabbit Speaks newsletter: http://burningman.org/jrs
149. 1992-08-01 — 1992-burning-man-ticket-2_orig
150. 1992-08-26 — OldSkool Burning Man 1992. Part I. Things have changed a lot. I attended in 1991 and 1992. 600 people attended in 1992. Over 35,000 attended last year. Music: Destination by The Church. Originally uploaded by criticallanding Check out our full video archive: http://youtube.com/burningman Visit the Burning Man website: http://burningman.org Read the Burning Man Journal: http://journal.burningman.org Subscribe to the Jackrabbit Speaks newsletter: http://burningman.org/jrs
151. 1992-08-26 — 1992 Burning Man with Goa Gil, Ariane, B.R.A.D., Friends and Family
152. 1992-08-27 — burning man 1992
153. 1992-08-29 — OldSkool Burning Man 1992. Part I. Things have changed a lot. I attended in 1991 and 1992. 600 people attended in 1992. Over 35,000 attended last year. Music: Destination by The Church.
154. 1992-08-30 — 92_blackrock_gazette2
155. 1992-08-30 — 6960251_orig. What was defacto Center Camp that year. Photo: dapete
156. 1992-08-30 — 447_34
157. 1992-08-30 — 5480159162_8e7d381884_o. The 1992 Site Plan shows 100 yards to the Man from a Camp that is 630 ft wide
158. 1992-08-31 — first-sound-camp_orig
159. 1992-08-31 — 1994+Boggman+works+the+gate
160. 1992-08-31 — Serena+de+la+Hay+Wicker
161. 1992-08-31 — Desert-House-with-Man-Burning-sunset-night_3000-ppi-copy-958x559
162. 1992-09-01 — 1973995_orig. Photo: Danger Ranger
163. 1992-09-02 — Burning Man 1992 "Rave Camp". The first "rave camp" at Burning Man. Featuring Goa Gill, and others. See Trippingly.net for more: https://www.trippingly.net/burning-man-musings/2019/2/26/burning-man-1992
164. 1992-09-03 — 8274255_orig. One of 92's ambitious (for the time) art projects - a large compass constructed out of small, white wooden tiles. The artist is on the right, wearing an original Rand McNally (map). Photo: dapete
165. 1992-09-04 — 7333041_orig. Someone tried to land on the playa and it did not go well. The front wheel assembly ripped off - playa was too soft for it. It sounds like everyone was ok, however, and the photographer reports partying with a passenger from the plane at the Burn later that night. She (passenger) was quick to point what a strange day she'd had. No doubt. Photo: dapete
166. 1992-09-04 — 92_manraise
167. 1992-09-04 — 1992+Kimrick+and+Dan+(rigging+explosives). Kimric Smythe rigs explosives to the Man and Dan Miller looks on
168. 1992-09-04 — Kimric sends firecrackers to the heavens (with Rev. Al and Little Joe).. By 1992, guns were more common, and fires were being complemented with explosions via home made gas bombs, and more sophisticated pyrotechnics. Kimric Smythe build a wall of fire with a long line of sawdust and kerosene, a flat plane of flames bursting abruptly from the ground. In later years he (and then he and his wife) would cover himself in fireworks, light them and dance around the base of the man in his persona as “The Exploding Man”.
169. 1992-09-04 — 3015569_orig. Photo: David Thompson
170. 1992-09-04 — brad-djing-1992_orig (1). B.R.A.D.
171. 1992-09-04 — craig-in-1992_orig. Craig on the playa in 1992.
172. 1992-09-05 — 92_blackrockgazette
173. 1992-09-05 — 8930336_orig. A performance piece of happy spirits trying to awaken a couch potato. Photo: dapete
174. 1992-09-05 — 1992+Aliens+with+Wickers+Performance+Art+1992
175. 1992-09-06 — schlangerg_5033_w+(1). Desert Shower Gregg Schlanger also had an installation of sorts: a two stall, hand pumped shower. He also installed a working flume in the Desert House by William Binzen.
176. 1992-10-12 — IMG_4394
177. 1993-06-10 — 1993+DSW+Lingam+Pepe+Ozan. Lingram - 1993 DSW The original Lingram, at Desert Siteworks, June 1993
178. 1993-06-12 — 1993+Lingram. Lingam (1993) The first Burning Man Lingram (photo by Stewart Harvey)
179. 1993-07-01 — 93-dsw-desert-house-black-rock-springs. Desert House, 1993 at DSW (later reconstructed at Burning Man)
180. 1993-08-01 — Building Burning Man
181. 1993-08-25 — 1993+Three+Day+Stubble+Postcard+front
182. 1993-08-26 — 1993+Three+Day+Stubble+Postcard+back
183. 1993-08-30 — NoseTators_FIN. No Spectators BLF treatment. Courtesy of Kevin Evans from Tales of the San Francisco Cacophony Society
184. 1993-08-30 — threedaystubble
185. 1993-08-30 — BM45734_The-first-theme-camp. "A fellow from the Cacophony Society, Peter Doty, created this interactive scenario... He called it Christmas Camp. The man dressed up in a Santa Claus outfit for about five days in hundred degree temperatures. They hung colored lights and played Christmas carols 24 hours a day, and everybody moved away from them. It was the most irritating thing you could imagine. But it was meant to be cathartic, of course, because Christmas is the most irritating holiday you can imagine. And so, he turned the great consumer holiday on end. If you walked past, they would practically drag you over and offer you eggnog, which had alcohol in it. But to get to the eggnog, you had to eat the fruitcake. They had created this whole interactive scenario that was very socially coercive, and it was the greatest, most cathartic, Christmas I've ever experienced."
186. 1993-08-30 — BM-1993. No Spectators! Seb Hyde, John Law, Dan Miller, Mike Khan, Larry Harvey, Andy Pector, Danger Ranger, Harry Haller, Chris DeMonterrey and friends. Photo Kevin Evans
187. 1993-08-30 — kevin_93_BRD. Early Days, Kevin Evans in the Black Rock Desert at the Drive By Shooting Range
188. 1993-08-30 — 4074497116_b463df4746_b-e1413843381899. "…the Java Cow is a Community legend which appears with hot coffee at sunrise on the morning of the Burn and asks the question: "Do you want cream or sugar with your coffee?" I spoke with the Java Cow, and he stated that he stopped this tradition after about 1999, when the structure of the Man got so big that a one-man performance was lost in the noise surrounding it."
189. 1993-08-30 — BM41291_Mudwimmin-2. Mud Wimmin2 at the Doggie Heads
190. 1993-08-31 — 6480091_orig. Photo: Danger Ranger
191. 1993-09-01 — 1993+DoggieDinerHead. A Burning Man icon arrived for the first time on the playa: the Doggie Head. In the first year the Doggie Head (falsely rumored to be stolen) was part of a stage, designed to host live music. The Doggie head became a fixture at Burning Man for many years, and now three doggie heads are beloved icons in San Francisco.
192. 1993-09-02 — 1993+authorities+are+baffled+4
193. 1993-09-02 — 1993+authortiies+are+bafled+3
194. 1993-09-02 — 1993+Authorities+are+Baffled+1
195. 1993-09-02 — 1993+Authorities+are+baffled+2
196. 1993-09-03 — Black+Rock+Gazette
197. 1993-09-03 — No+Spectators+Bus. A banner demanding “No Specators” was hung on the side of a bus (which was quickly vandalized by the Billboard Liberation Front to read “NO S E TATORS”, but the slogan was restored and the banner above the center camp stage.
198. 1993-09-03 — JD+BBoggman. Drive by shooting range x 504 PM
199. 1993-09-03 — 1993+Harrod+Blank+and+OhMyGawd. Harrod Blank and Oh My Gawd! Art Car, Burning Man 1993
200. 1993-09-03 — 1993+Ryder+truck+stage. The Ryder truck had a structure affixed to it, consisting of “two sides, one ‘sacred’ the other ‘profane’.” The side of the structure facing the Man “formed a theatrical facade designed as a feminine counterpart to the admittedly phallic figure of the Man.” The “No Spectators” sign was hung above it. The other side of the central structure that faced away from the Man functioned as “a combination diner, cabaret and coffeehouse.”
201. 1993-09-04 — 1993-timeline-hdr (1)
202. 1993-09-04 — Black Rock Gazette 04/09/1993
203. 1993-09-04 — 9520274_orig. Photo: Carvermom
204. 1993-09-04 — 1. Exploding Man
205. 1993-09-04 — Incredible+Exploding+Couple
206. 1993-09-05 — Java+Cow+Kimric. Sunday morning featured the Java Cow ritual, where Kimric Smythe would arrive at the Man before dawn, and pour hot coffee. Right before dawn, people would head to the hot springs to watch the sunrise.
207. 1993-09-05 — Black Rock Gazette 05/09/1993
208. 1993-09-05 — 4059560_orig. Photo: Carvermom
209. 1993-09-05 — 7402341 (1). Photo: Danger Ranger
210. 1994-06-17 — 1994+lingram
211. 1994-08-01 — Building+Burning+Man+1994
212. 1994-08-03 — 1994+SOMAR+postcard (1). By 1994, the cost associated with hosting the event was increasing. Paid attendance was also increasing, and tickets was becoming slightly more formal. However, cash flow was still an issue, with various founder’s credit cards being used to bridge the funding gap. To help have some source of funds prior to the events opening (gate collections were still the primary source of revenue in 1994), and to help offset some of the cost of the Desert Siteworks gathering, DSW and and Burning Man co-hosted a fundraising event at the Somar Gallery on August 4th and 5th. For the show the man (designed and built under the lead of Larry Harvey’s roommate, Dan Miller and with neon by John Law. Not only did this expose the Burning Man event to more of the general public, but critically, it introduced it to a wide cross section of the Bay Area artist community, as well as the Bay Area media. While the $3 admission did help the organizations, the event was covered in the Bay Area alternative papers, as well as in several art focused newsletters.
213. 1994-08-04 — 1994+Somar+benefit
214. 1994-08-28 — 1994_ticket. Ticket price: $30
215. 1994-08-28 — 1994_schedule_events
216. 1994-08-29 — BM30450_postg.2576. Originally in 1993, lanterns were placed on the ground to form the processional to the Man. At the burn we all noticed horizontal lightning bolts 360 degrees around us. About 20 minutes after the Man fell we were hit by a wall of dust and wind followed later by a rain shower. It was the first time we had experienced weather so extreme out there. When the dust cleared, most of the lanterns had vanished. Larry Harvey designed the first spires in 1994 which both raised the lamps out of reach and made them more visible and useful as navigation markers.
217. 1994-08-29 — 4336130692_a53d978997_o
218. 1994-08-29 — shadows
219. 1994-08-30 — Weird TV - Burning Man - 1994 ~ 1995. Here is some rare footage from Burning Man... early on...when is was WILD! There are over 15 fast-paced hours of Weird TV available on DVD. Go here to see all the episodes: http://weirdamerica.com
220. 1994-08-30 — BM34037_Ripper-checks-out-the-Man
221. 1994-08-30 — Weird TV - The Driveby Shooting Gallery - Weird America. At Burning Man 1994 people drove by stuffed animals and shot at them. So did we, the camera crew. There are over 15 fast-paced hours of Weird TV available on DVD. Go here to see all the episodes: http://weirdamerica.com
222. 1994-08-30 — postal-workers. Circa 1994. Image Danger Ranger
223. 1994-09-02 — Black Rock Gazette 1994
224. 1994-09-03 — Weird TV - Burning Man 1994 - Rocket Boy. A rocket car piloted by a rock musician streaks through the Black Rock Desert. There are over 15 fast-paced hours of Weird TV available on DVD. Go here to see all the episodes: http://weirdamerica.com
225. 1994-09-03 — 7386030_orig. Photo: Malderor
226. 1994-09-03 — 7996911_orig. Photo: Malderor
227. 1994-09-03 — sharkbait+car
228. 1994-09-03 — 8987161_orig. Photo: Malderor
229. 1994-09-03 — 1994+internet+3
230. 1994-09-03 — DayGloasis. by Graham Cruickshank, David Davenport and Gabriel Plumlee
231. 1994-09-03 — 1994+art3. This temple takes the form of that mysteriously powerful pyramid which stares back at us from dollar bills. Within its darkened sanctum is a camera obscura. A rotating lens mounted on the pyramid focuses a revolving panorama of the world outside upon a concave screen. Rituals include a ceremonial Camera Burning.
232. 1994-09-03 — 1248165. Photo: Bradford deCaussin
233. 1994-09-03 — 1994+tree. The Daygloasis Daygloasis, by Graham Cruickshank, David Davenport and Gabriel Plumlee For some reason, Daygloasis is absent from virtually all accounts of Burning Man history. But it was there! Described as “painted blacklit mosaic glowing on the desert floor.” Artists: Graham Cruickshank, David Davenport and Gabriel Plumlee. It was located near the rave camp, which was nearly a mile away from the center camp. The photo to the right not only shows the art, but shows that
234. 1994-09-03 — 1994+internet+9
235. 1994-09-03 — 1994+internet+8
236. 1994-09-03 — 1994+Monk+van+internet+hookup
237. 1994-09-03 — 5504880_orig. Photo: Malderor
238. 1994-09-03 — 1994+Monk+van+internet+hookup. The Monk RV
239. 1994-09-03 — 1995+toyland+on+fire
240. 1994-09-03 — Precious by David Lundquist | Burning Man 1994. Precious by David Lundquist at Burning Man 1994
241. 1994-09-04 — Burning Man Festival 1994. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-6zmhptXfo0aLoQRusDiNw? #MiDulceVida #AyDiosMio #VivetuMejorVida #VeganBeast #MiDulceVida #TheVonVegans #EverydayisSaturday #DreamitBelieveitAchieveit https://www.youtube.com/@midulcevida4558 Burning Man Festival in 1994 was a pivotal year for the event, marking a significant step in its evolution from a small gathering on a San Francisco beach to a burgeoning countercultural phenomenon in the Nevada desert. Here's an overview of the festival during that year: Origin and Early Years (1986-1993): Burning Man was initially established in 1986 when Larry Harvey and Jerry James burned an effigy on Baker Beach in San Francisco, symbolizing a radical act of self-expression and communal participation. Over the years, the event grew in size and creativity, leading to the need for a larger venue. Transition to Black Rock Desert (1990s): In 1990, the event was moved to the Black Rock Desert in Nevada to accommodate the growing number of participants and the artistic installations that were central to the experience. By 1994, the festival was firmly established in this new location. Theme and Art Installations (1994): The theme for Burning Man in 1994 was "Caravansary," embracing the idea of a nomadic gathering place for artists, performers, and wanderers. The event featured various art installations, performances, and theme camps that embodied this concept. Principles and Culture (Early Formative Years): The core principles of Burning Man were beginning to take shape during this period, emphasizing radical self-expression, radical self-reliance, communal effort, civic responsibility, and leaving no trace. These principles laid the foundation for the culture of the event. Community and Participation (1994): Participation and communal involvement were integral aspects of Burning Man by 1994. Attendees were encouraged to actively contribute to the event through art installations, performances, workshops, and various interactive experiences. Fire Ritual and Effigy Burning: The iconic ritual of burning a large wooden effigy took place at the culmination of the event, signifying the temporary nature of the community and embracing the impermanence of art and human experiences. Attendance and Growth (1994): The attendance in 1994 was around 2,800 participants, which was a significant increase from the earlier years. The festival was still relatively small compared to its later years, but it was growing steadily and gaining recognition for its unique cultural identity. Burning Man in 1994 set the stage for the event's continued growth and development, laying the groundwork for the vibrant and diverse community that characterizes the festival in contemporary times.
242. 1994-09-04 — Camera Obscura - Chris DeMonterrey. The Church of the Pyramid Camera Obscura appeared on the playa at Burning Man in the mid-nineties. David T. Warren talks about it here. He restored and operated the camera obscura in San Francisco, now a landmark.
243. 1994-09-04 — 1994+internet+4
244. 1994-09-04 — 1994+internet+5
245. 1994-09-04 — 1994+internet+6
246. 1994-09-04 — fireworks-m
247. 1994-09-04 — Bonfire, Fire Breathers, Burning Man Festival, Black Rock Desert, Nevada, USA, 1994. Clip ID: 12814-89 Archive clip showing fire breathers, drummers, and the titular Burning Man at the infamous Burning Man festival. Held in Black Rock desert, Nevada, the festival has attracted thousands of devotees every year since 1986. For more rare and exclusive footage, and licensing enquiries, visit https://journeymanfootage.tv​ or contact us at footage@journeyman.tv _________ The Journeyman Footage library is a dynamic encyclopedia of the world that has continuously documented history as it unfolds. Across our YouTube channel, you can find a curated selection of archive footage from across the globe, from the 1890s up to the present moment. Our collection is equally dedicated to capturing the weird and wonderful stories of people throughout history. Website: https://journeymanfootage.tv/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JmanFootage Further viewing: https://www.journeyman.tv/film/89/burning-man
248. 1994-09-04 — Sharkbait at Burning Man 1994. Sharkbait burning the shark at Burning Man 1994. Classic Sharkbait feeding frenzy! Features Allan from Mermen, Kimba, CT, Leather Corndog, Greg XXX, Clean, Whitey Ho, ??? and everyone at Burning Man who banged, beat, crushed, screamed, chanted or in some way participated. We were there 94,95 and 96.
249. 1994-09-04 — MAN_DOWN. THE MAN FALLS ON SUNDAY NIGHT. WE'D NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE , BUT VOWED TO RETURN ; THE ENTIRE EXPERIENCE HAD BEEN AN ENLIGHTENING ONE AND WAS JUST TOO MUCH FUN NOT TO COME BACK TO . I REMEMBER ARRIVING IN GERLACH ON THE WAY IN , WITH ONLY A SKETCHY IDEA OF WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN ; WE FOLLOWED THE DIRECTIONS OUT OF TOWN AND MADE OUR WAY TO THE EDGE OF THE PLAYA, WHERE WE CAME ACROSS A SMALL TRAILER WITH A SINGLE OCCUPANT. THE DIRECTIONS WERE SIMPLE ---" JUST GO STRAIGHT FOR 10 MILES , THEN MAKE A RIGHT AND DRIVE ANOTHER 7 OR 8 MILES UNTILL YOU SEE THE LIGHTS." AND AS HE SAID THIS, HE POINTED VAUGELY TOWARDS THE FEATURELESS TERRAIN OF THE ALKALINE SALT FLATS ; THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF ANY LIGHTS --- OFF WE WENT INTO THE DARKNESS. SOON ,OF COURSE, NONE OF THE TRACKS WE HAD CONFIDENTLY BEEN FOLLOWING MADE ANY SENCE AND AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES OF DRIVING WE REALISED THAT WE HAD PROBABLY VEERED WAY OFF COURSE AND WERE LOST , THERE WERE NO LIGHTS TO BE SEEN IN ANY DIRECTION. WE KEPT GOING ANYWAY, DRIVING ON THE PLAYA WAS LOTS OF FUN EVEN IF YOU HAD NO IDEA WHERE YOU WERE . BEING LOST IN A SEEMINGLY FEATURELESS , ENDLESS , FLAT CRACKED TERRAIN , FAR FROM BEING FRIGHTENING ,IN SOME WAY, STARTED TO BECOME MORE APPEALING THE DEEPER WE WENT INTO IT. THIS WE REALISED WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE INITIATION INTO BURNINGMAN CULTURE , THE LETTING GO OF THE REAL WORLD AND THE MYTHICAL JOURNEY WHICH TRICKS AND TESTS THE SENCES --- IT WAS ALL BEGINNING TO FEEL RATHER EPIC WHEN THE MILEOMETER TOLD US IT WAS TIME TO MAKE THE 90 DEGREE TURN TO THE RIGHT. THIS DID NOT FEEL GOOD , ALL THE CONFIDENCE WE HAD JUST BUILT UP OVER THE PREVIOUS 10 MILES SUDDENLY ABANDONED US , WE WERE HEADING FURTHER AND DEEPER INTO SOMETHING ,THOUGH WE KNEW NOT WHAT --- LAUGHING FEAR RETURNED. PRESENTLY WE SAW A FEW SPARKLING LIGHTS IN THE DISTANCE , WE HAD INDEED VEERED CONCIDERABLY OFF COURSE BUT CORRECTED AND WERE SOON CRUISING THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN --- MUCH RELIEF . WE HAD PASSED THE TEST ; THE OUTSIDE WORLD FADED AWAY .
250. 1994-09-04 — Sharkbait - Mr Fernando. One of San Francisco's best Industrial/audience interactive bands of all time. “SHARKBAIT”: Described as a “retro-proto-apocoloytic band will bring their distinctive brand of cacophonous percussion to the Burn on Sunday night. Bring something to beat on.” Sharkbait was a San Francisco-based industrial noise band that was playing festivals in the early 90s. John Law noted “Sharkbait was one of the truly astonishing San Francisco ensembles. Kimba [Anderson] and bandmates Chris Taylor, Mr. Clean, Greg Slugocki and others created a unique, audience participation element for their one of a kind performances. Kind of a metal/noise/glam/industrial hybrid, Sharkbait would drag audience members up onto their stage set and, after outfitting them in welding chaps, gauntlets and full helmets, would hand them a sledge hammer and put them into chain link cages where the virtually frothing at the mouth fans turned performers would frantically smash the crap out of a seemingly endless pile of televisions…Priceless.”
251. 1994-09-05 — precious-Animated+Image+(Small). Pepe returned to Burning Man again in 1994 with another iteration of his Lingram. The 30′ chimney is made of playa mud over a rebar and metal mesh structure. The final day, a fire was ignited in the Lingram, slowly reducing the work to the dust from which it originated. As it burned, the haunting cracks reminded some of the desert floor and others of their own mortality. Man recall the burning of this Lingram as an important point of inflection in the early Burning Man years. Pepe was assisted by Steve Morgenstern, Wayne Scott and Robert Burne in this project.
252. 1994-09-05 — 1994+internet+7
253. 1994-09-05 — 1994+internet+2
254. 1994-09-06 — 1994 ABC Australia Coverage of Burning Man. Coverage of Burning Man, 1994 by ABC Australia. Includes interviews with Larry Harvey, coverage of the Drive By Shooting Range (Bill Smythe, Kymric Smythe, Joe Fenton, and others), and other footage of the 1994 Burning Man gathering at Black Rock City.
255. 1994-10-02 — Screen+Shot+2019-03-06+at+9.50.38+AM. Despite being a relatively small scale event, 1994 was the year where Burning Man began to gain national and international media attention. The New York Times Sunday Magazine carried a two page spread of the event. Various news agencies brought camera crews, including ABC Australia. Chuck Cirino brought a camera and made segments for his show Weird TV, and later used this footage to create the first feature length film on the event.
256. 1994-10-02 — Screen+Shot+2019-03-06+at+9.50.49+AM
257. 1995-05-08 — IMG_4385. In 1995, Larry Harvey penned an article for Gnosis magazine using his nom de plume, Darryl Van Rhey. (An anagram for “ND Larry Harvey” or “Name of Larry Harvey”) Gnosis was an American magazine published from 1985 to 1999 devoted to the Western esoteric tradition.
258. 1995-05-08 — IMG_4388
259. 1995-05-08 — IMG_4387
260. 1995-06-01 — Building Burning Man 1995
261. 1995-06-10 — Building Burning Man 1995 10th anniversary
262. 1995-06-17 — 1995+lingram
263. 1995-07-10 — Fireball at Burning Man 1995. FIREBALL: Burning Man's version of Rugby - with a flaming twist. Join us in a Shirts vs. Skins match to see who can move the ball across the goal line and into oblivion.
264. 1995-08-05 — 1995+Somarts+with+reflecting+pool. We installed the Burning Man in an upright position beneath the soaring vault of the former foundry’s 4-story high space. We equipped the inside of the figure’s head with a microphone, a speaker and a video camera. These were connected to a microphone, a monitor and headphones discreetly located in a curtained booth near the base of the statue. A rope and pulley fastened to a ceiling beam allowed participants to clamber into a boson’s chair and be raised high overhead by their friends. This, of course, required that they trust these friends. Suspended immediately adjacent to Burning Man’s large triangular face, participants were urged to talk to this authoritative presence and put questions to it. Those who lurked inside the curtained booth below would then supply the answers. Our sound system automatically transformed their voices into a deep basso profundo.
265. 1995-08-07 — bm1995_ticket
266. 1995-08-27 — Piss Clear 1995
267. 1995-08-27 — Piss Clear 1995 page 2
268. 1995-08-27 — Piss Clear 1995 page 3
269. 1995-08-27 — Piss Clear 1995 page 4
270. 1995-08-27 — Piss Clear 1995 page 5
271. 1995-08-28 — 7200 Frames (Burning Man 1995). This is a quick look at Burning Man 1995. A Film by Chuck Cirino. Music by Atom Smith and Brad Cooper. Originally shot on HI8 and edited in Mini DV.
272. 1995-08-28 — Img+2
273. 1995-08-28 — Img4. In 1995, Chuck Cirino’s segments of “Weird America”’s coverage of Burning Man was being sold on VHS for $15 (see below).
274. 1995-08-29 — Burning Man 95 96. Clips from my First Year 1995 My Camp with Mike Horton, KFUK Mud Dance Drum Circle Giant Battery Jumper Cables in 1996
275. 1995-08-30 — BM33869_sampix.1309. Trash fence was started in ’95 by a guy named Ember, or Larry Breed, a quiet guy who blossomed within Cacophony. (That’s what happens to all of us in Cacophony.) They were all going crazy over trash blowing downwind, and Ember suggested it to the ops department. "They should make a bronze plaque for that guy for starting the trash fence," John Law says. "He did it for years after I left, too. It was all Ember’s idea, and I regard him as a hero."
276. 1995-08-30 — BM46641_Shark-Car. “Friday morning, a heavy art car contingent motored in. Tom Kennedy had two shark cars: an '82 Sentra transformed by foam and silver paint, and a van with ten-foot shark fins . Kathleen Pearson's Love 23 car was a monument to plastic artifacts: plastic pretzels, bagels, pizzas, crustaceans, grapes, carrots, Disney figures, Mr. Peanut, starfish, and thousands of tiny debutantes. Harrod Blank, whose documentary Wild Wheels was about art cars, was there with his Ohmygawd VW bug (festooned with mail box, rubber chicken and fish, plastic bones, and a sound system that crowed). Art cars were constantly circling the camp, barking, snoring, or making announcements.”
277. 1995-08-30 — wildopener
278. 1995-08-31 — 1995+It+came+from+within
279. 1995-08-31 — 1995+it+came+from+within+2
280. 1995-08-31 — 1995+Little+Men
281. 1995-08-31 — 1995+Little+Men+2
282. 1995-09-01 — 95_gazette_ice. Friday, September 1, 1995 Black Rock Gazette
283. 1995-09-01 — Burning Man Gazette 1995 01
284. 1995-09-01 — 1995+art+cars
285. 1995-09-01 — Black+Rock+Desert,+1995+++Photo_++perez. This was once a lake. Really. It's true.
286. 1995-09-01 — photos.medleyphoto.2352790_upscaled_image_x16
287. 1995-09-01 — 1995+toyland+2+by+rusty
288. 1995-09-01 — Drum_tin_perez_upscaled_image_x8. Imagine drifting off to sleep to the lilting sounds of a Rave...ahhhh....Photo: Max Pere
289. 1995-09-02 — Black Rock Gazette 1995 02
290. 1995-09-02 — 1995+Toyland+by+Rusty
291. 1995-09-02 — 1995+Rainbow+over+playa+
292. 1995-09-02 — Storm at Burning Man 1995. The infamous storm at Burning Man 1995. Mud orgy followed....  Video by Gabe Eberhardt
293. 1995-09-02 — WBL-Camp-JD_upscaled_image_x4. The Weird Blinking Lights camp lured people in with its billowing orange parachute.
294. 1995-09-02 — 95_bathers. This was the year it rained on Saturday afternoon and the entire playa turned into a giant mud slick. If you've ever seen Burning Man photos of a bunch of naked people writhing around in what looks like a mud-soaked orgy, this was probably the year they were taken."
295. 1995-09-02 — Burning+Man+1995
296. 1995-09-02 — Dezno-Animated+Image+(Small). JET CAR: Dezso Molnar will attempt to cross the 8th dimension with his jet-powered rocket car. "Rocket Camp" will also feature Dezso's band "Rocket Science"
297. 1995-09-02 — 1995+Flaming+Rugby-Animated+Image+(Small). FIREBALL: Burning Man's version of Rugby - with a flaming twist. Join us in a Shirts vs. Skins match to see who can move the ball across the goal line and into oblivion. LEATHER GLOVES HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
298. 1995-09-03 — Burning Man 1995. In 1995 some friends invited me to Burning Man. I thought it was an overnight rave, so I grabbed a backpack with a change of clothing and my Super8 camera. It wasn't until we entered Nevada that I realized I was going to a week-long festival in the desert. With no food or shelter, and minimal supplies, I lived off the kindness of friends and strangers. We were a part of the Wicked Sound System dance community, bringing the first DJ sound system to the event. At that time, the music selection at Burning Man was very diverse with live bands (many acoustic) and performance artists dominating the entertainment. Following the first all-night Wicked party, we were asked to move our camp far away so people could sleep—a notion that seem ridiculous today. In 1995, less than 4000 people attended Burning Man, and the event was situated in the very center of center of Black Rock Desert, unlike today where it sits in the corner of the playa (desert). The general lack of rules and boundaries made it an interesting experiment in anarchy and unbounded freedom. This film is unedited—straight from the camera. I only brought two 3.5 minute rolls of film with me (one color and the other black and white), so I rationed film by capturing scenes with short recording—I thought of it as capturing moving photos. I cut out some under-exposed night footage, but the rest is how I shot it. The music is from a favorite 1995 chillout album by Subsurfing called Frozen Ants.
299. 1995-09-03 — Burning Man 1995 part 1- when there were only a few of us...
300. 1995-09-03 — Burning+Man+1995 (1)

…and 3,805 more moments. Full text archive: /loreline-text/burning-man.md