Black Rock City - A city That is Newly Created Each Year and Exists Only for a Short While

Black Rock City, a temporary city in the Nevada desert, is constructed annually to support the Burning Man festival. This unique project began in 1986 at Baker Beach in San Francisco, initiated by Larry Harvey and Jerry James. In 1990, the festival moved to the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, and a complete city with numerous streets and services for its residents was developed, designed and operated by volunteers.

Black Rock City is known for its unique semi-circular layout, which evolves and changes each year based on the theme and the community’s needs. The city is divided into streets named after hours and letters, which facilitates orientation in this vast space. Here you can also find medical centers and fire services.

Art is a cornerstone of the Burning Man festival, and this is reflected in the number of installations and sculptures that are presented annually in Black Rock City. The creation of artworks, such as temporary temples and monumental sculptures, is a key part of the festival, with new and returning artists contributing each year.

Although Black Rock City exists for only a few weeks each year, its impact on the environment and community is profound. Organizers and participants strive to minimize impacts on the desert environment through Leave No Trace strategies, which include detailed cleaning and recycling after the festival ends. The festival also faces challenges such as extreme weather, which in 2023 caused significant difficulties.