Today at the Burning Man festival in the heart of the North Nevada desert, a 120ft tall effigy – which covers more than 45,000 square feet – will be torched as a crowd of more than 50,000 people watch at the annual counterculture event. Hit the jump to see a gallery of photos.
The structure, called the Temple of Transition, is the tallest installation art structure ever built at the site. It has a hexagonal central tower which is surrounded by five 58-foot tiered, hexagonal towers. Inside, participants meditate, chant or write notes to loved ones, often in honour of friends who have died.
The spectacular finale will come today after a 40ft signature effigy was burnt last night at the annual celebration of radical self expression. Crowds of more than 50,000 have flocked to the event which has been more popular this year than ever.
Among other attractions, the anything-goes festival also offers topless bike parades, yachts on wheels strolling the desert floor, geodesic domes that house dance clubs, the Party Naked bar, a 22-ton Trojan horse, Irish pubs, a giant teeter-totter, weddings and a French Quarter-themed camp.
Ticket sales soared this year – with 53,341 attending the event on Friday – which was up nine per cent on a year ago as the event sold out for the first time in its 25-year history.
Last year’s event attracted more than 51,000 people to the remote Black Rock Desert about 120 miles northeast of Reno.
No major problems have been reported at the week-long art, music and performance festival that ends Monday.
‘I would say it’s been a peaceful gathering,’ Ross said. ‘It’s amazing how few problems there have been considering it’s one of Nevada’s biggest cities while it takes place.’
BLM rangers reported three felony arrests and the issued 42 citations, mostly for drug-related offences on Friday.
One reveller died at the event on Wednesday – although police said the individual died of ‘natural causes.
