Community Chat

[feline groovy]

SO awesome!   

Take your seats for "Burning Man" arts festival:

The airport that is built every year and used for a single WEEK before disappearing back into the desert

* Every August, approximately 65,000 "Burners" from all over the world descend on Nevada to enjoy the week-long Burning Man Festival at the end of August 

* Black Rock Municipal Airport is constructed annually to include two mile-long runways outlined in the desert

* Several themed 'temples' feature at the event, and on the last day, they are burned down in a ritualistic ceremony

MAILONLINE  8/26/15

While the largest airports can take years to construct, there is one which is built every single year and used for just a single week.

Every August, tens of thousands descend on Nevada to enjoy the Burning Man festival, but arriving at the desert location can prove a little tricky. 

While many battle through the desert by car, the festival's Black Rock Municipal Airport is constructed to include two mile-long runways roughly outlined in the desert especially for the event. 

The airport is non-towered and pilots communicate via a Common Traffic Advisory Frequency to relay safety information and critical landing pattern details.

The hub officially holds the airport number 88NV, although all traces of it disappear into the sandy landscape mere days after being opened to the public.

The airport was first registered with the FAA in 1997 with only a few brave pilots attempting the tricky dusty landings. 

Now, there are a few hundred pilots that will touch down.

For the first time, a new airline called Burner Air is set to fly festival goers out to the famous desert playground, on its three planes, a Cessna, a Pilatus and a Beechking. 

The arts festival begins every year on the last Monday of August and ends on the first day of September, luring around 65,000 so-called 'Burners' from around the country to gather on the playa for a week of revelling. 

Every year, several 'temples' are built according to a theme, and on the last day, they are burned down in a ritualistic ceremony. 

This year's theme is titled Carnival of Mirrors, and will likely involve mirrors and masks, according to the event's website. 

Despite the festival’s claims to be anti-materialistic — money is practically outlawed on the site so you theoretically have to barter for commodities — it is now patronised by some of the world’s biggest capitalists.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon boss Jeff Bezos and Google mastermind Sergey Brin have all attended the desert shenanigans in the past.

Some, like Zuckerberg, can even retreat to their own company’s dedicated camp within the site. 

The Burning Man experience is officially running this year from August 30 - September 7.

An art installation featuring a series of archways on the playa at the annual Burning Man festival in the desert

Pimp my ride: An incredible dragon art car on display during the annual Burning Man festival from last year 

[1924 mooncar]

We have friends that go there every year.  Looks very interesting.

[chickenbutt]

I never even knew that they built a temporary airport out there.  But each year there are zillions of people coming through here, by car, on their way.  

They usually fill up my grocery store, which is weird because it's expensive and nowhere near the freeway.  I have learned to try and stay away on the days when everybody is on their way there.   Not, of course, because I have anything against them.  I just don't like crowds.  (I just realized how that might sound-yikes!)    I tend to go places as much as possible at the 'off' times so as to avoid crowds.  

[Puzzle Piece]

It's a Wiccan /Druid/ Pagan Cermemony/Event .  How primative.  And I thought we Native Americans were considered primative and savage.

[debic]

My sister and her friends go every year.  She has a blast.  She's neither wiccan, pagen, or druid.  Nor are her friends.   LOL, it does look like a wild party but not everyone even drinks.  People of every lifestyle go to them.   And they have to pack out whatever gets packed in.   I bought her a huge 500lb magnet and they drag the sand for treasures.

I'd love to go and watch them build everything and then leave before the crowd shows up.  Some of those structures are truely amazing.

Sometimes I'll check out the live cam they have there.

[onewhiteSparrow]

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@Puzzle Piece wrote:

It's a Wiccan /Druid/ Pagan Cermemony/Event .  How primative.  And I thought we Native Americans were considered primative and savage.

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Love Roses,  You are Native American...let's pretend I'm a Wiccan High Priestess.  OK?  (smile)   Such fun.  

Both of us could create the Magic Circle and Native American Medicine Wheel in the same spot.   Both will look the same... only difference would be the items within the circle.  Both of us would call forth the North, West, South and East quarters.   Both of us would use the elements of Earth, Water, Fire and Air.   

Boy...oh boy... Talk about power of earth and humans.  

May the Force Be With Us.  (smile)   Fun right?   

That would be fun we should go to the festival.

[onewhiteSparrow]

Every year I love to watch the Burning Man on youtube.   

I love all the art objects people build.  Major WOW!   

Goes to show all the talent of ideas we have in this country.

Sometimes the so called "outcast" are the ones that hold the most talent of art within.  I guess they just let it loose and go with it.

[feline groovy]

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@chickenbutt wrote:

I never even knew that they built a temporary airport out there.  But each year there are zillions of people coming through here, by car, on their way.  

They usually fill up my grocery store, which is weird because it's expensive and nowhere near the freeway.  I have learned to try and stay away on the days when everybody is on their way there.   Not, of course, because I have anything against them.  I just don't like crowds.  (I just realized how that might sound-yikes!)    I tend to go places as much as possible at the 'off' times so as to avoid crowds.  

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Same here, babe.  :smileyhappy

But I'd make an exception for this.

I would 'just' need to have an A/C pack strapped to my bod.

And arrive there in an air-conditioned motorhome.

;-)