Burning Man at 25 years

The 25th Burning Man festival, with a theme of "Rites of Passage," took place Aug. 29 to Sept. 5, 2011, 120 miles outside Reno, Nev., in the Black Rock Desert, its home since 1600. Some 50,000 people attended the week-long celebration, which is billed as "an annual experiment in temporary community dedicated to radical self-expression and radical self-reliance." The event, which is more a temporary city than a traditional festival, arose from a bonfire held on the Summer Solstice at Baker Beach in San Francisco in which a wooden man a dog were burned in a spontaneous act of self-expression by local artists and their friends. -- Lloyd Young (29 photos total)

Cooper Brawn dances as the Temple of Transition burns during the Burning Man 2011 "Rites of Passage" arts and music festival in the Black Rock desert of Nev., Sept. 4. More than 50,000 people from all over the world have gathered at the sold out festival which is celebrating its 25th year. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)

Burning Man participants bicycle through a dust storm during the Burning Man 2011 "Rites of Passage" arts and music festival in the Black Rock desert of Nev., Aug. 31. (Jim Bourg/Reuters)

Susie Babich collects ash at the base where the effigy of The Man was burned during the Burning Man "Rites of Passage" arts and music festival in the Black Rock desert Sept. 4. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)

The Burning Man 2011 "Rites of Passage" arts and music festival is seen in this aerial view taken in the Black Rock desert. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)

Katrina Van Marter poses in her costume during the Burning Man 2011 "Rites of Passage" arts and music festival. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)

Festival attendees dance around of the remains of a 50 foot (15 meters) tall Trojan Horse that burned during the Burning Man 2011. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)

Casey Pattenaude (left) and Styx, his playa name, watch a 50 foot tall Trojan Horse burn during the Burning Man. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)

Scott Zimmerman wears wings during the Burning Man 2011 "Rites of Passage" arts and music festival. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)

Shaza Anderson (left), takes part in a tea ceremony with Ken Hamazaki during the Burning Man. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)

"Art Protector", her playa name, reacts after the moving of a 50-feet tall Trojan Horse. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)

Burning Man participants look at an art installation in the Black Rock Desert in the early hours of the morning during the Burning Man 2011 "Rites of Passage" arts and music festival in Nev., Sept. 2. (Jim Bourg/Reuters)

Burning Man participants gather in the Black Rock Desert in the early hours of the morning during the Burning Man 2011 "Rites of Passage" arts and music festival in Nev., Sep. 2. (Jim Bourg/Reuters)

A Burning Man participant (right) talks to artist Demian Durance as the sun comes up behind his art installation "Quemaduras del Sol" during the Burning Man 2011. (Jim Bourg/Reuters)

A Burning Man participant who goes by the name "Lucky Chance" from Oakland, Calif. spins poi as the sun comes up over the desert during the Burning Man. (Jim Bourg/Reuters)

The Burning Man 2011 "Rites of Passage" arts and music festival, seen from the platform for the Burning Man effigy to be burned, in the Black Rock desert of Nev., Aug. 31. More than 50,000 people from all over the world have gathered at the 25th edition of the sold-out festival. (Jim Bourg/Reuters)

Burning Man participant Karen Wennberg of Sante Fe, New Mexico, pauses after writing a personal message on the Temple of Transition. (Jim Bourg/Reuters)

Participants chant together inside the Temple of Transition during the Burning Man "Rites of Passage" arts and music festival in the Black Rock desert Aug. 31. (Jim Bourg/Reuters)

A participant dressed as a bear rides a bicycle across the Black Rock desert during the Burning Man "Rites of Passage" arts and music festival in Nev. (Jim Bourg/Reuters)

LaTisha Strickland (left) of Portland, Ore., shows her octopus hat to a friend as they visit the effigy of The Man. (Jim Bourg/Reuters)

Participants ride in an art car during the Burning Man 2011 "Rites of Passage" arts and music festival. (Jim Bourg/Reuters)

Christy Lynn cries after spreading her grandmother's ashes at the Temple of Transition before it was burned during the Burning Man festival. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)

Kevin Wagter, dressed as the "Dust Demon", walks across the playa during the Burning Man "Rites of Passage" arts and music festival in the Black Rock desert Sept. 4. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)

Fire dancers with the LA Fire Brigade perform during the Burning Man festival. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)

A participant dressed in a checkered mylar bodysuit lit by laser lights sits on on his bicycle while talking to a friend in the Black Rock Desert in the early hours of the morning Sept. 3. (Jim Bourg/Reuters)

Participants run towards the fire after The Man was set ablaze. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)

The Man is burned during the Burning Man 2011 "Rites of Passage" arts and music festival in the Black Rock desert of Nev., Sept. 3. More than 50,000 people from all over the world have gathered at the sold out festival which is celebrating its 25th year. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)

Firefighters watch as the Temple of Transition burns during the Burning Man 2011 "Rites of Passage" arts and music festival in the Black Rock desert Sept. 4. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)

Kristine Green meditates as the Temple of Transition burns during the Burning Man 2011 "Rites of Passage" arts and music festival in the Black Rock desert Sept. 4. More than 50,000 people from all over the world have gathered at the sold out festival which is celebrating its 25th year. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)