It s Black Rock City, home to the Burning Man festival, an eclectic mix of offbeat art, impromptu performance and cultural experimentation that draws 10,000 or so free spirits to the middle of nowhere each Labor Day weekend. Tall as a five-story building, trimmed with neon and stuffed with fireworks, the Man is an impressive piece of work, but the real story is in the culture that has sprung up around it. Burning Man has become a magnet for many strange and unexpected offerings. Surrealist sculptors and solar-powered multimedia auteurs share the stage with musicians, painters, dancers, poets and gearheads. People labor all year to construct elaborate theme camps ranging from potluck barter bars to full-tilt circus sideshows.
Costumes abound, including the ever-popular birthday suit.
There are two daily newspapers in operation along with a dozen or so pirate radio stations. There s even an opera. It s an intensely participatory event, with no proscenium to separate the players from the crowd. Be prepared to interact with people. There s no on-site vending and little for sale in nearby towns, so you ll need to bring all your own gear and supplies.