QUICK REFERENCE
2025 THEME: "Tomorrow Today" - An invitation to imagine the future in new ways and make it real through collective actions EVENT DATES: Sunday August 24 - Monday September 1, 2025 (Labor Day) SUNRISE: Generally 6:15am - 6:23am (varies daily) SUNSET: Generally 7:27pm - 7:40pm (varies daily) TEN PRINCIPLES: Radical Inclusion, Gifting, Decommodification, Radical Self-Reliance, Radical Self-Expression, Communal Effort, Civic Responsibility, Leaving No Trace, Participation, Immediacy
MOST COMMON QUESTIONS:
What's this year's theme about? → Coming together to co-create the future we want to see
When does sunrise/sunset happen? → Changes daily, roughly 6:15am sunrise, 7:30pm
What are the Ten Principles? → Core values guiding Burning Man community and culture
How long has Burning Man been happening? → Started 1986 on Baker Beach, moved to Nevada in 1990
What makes this different from other festivals? → Participant-created temporary city based on gift economy and radical self-expression
REMEMBER: Theme guides but doesn't limit expression - interpret "Tomorrow Today" however it speaks to you
See detailed theme exploration, daily sun schedules, and cultural principles below
Also see:
D2: Special Programs (for theme implementation, programming)
C2: Communication & Information (for event schedules, information sources)
B1: City Navigation (for layout context, cultural landmarks)
All sections: Ten Principles application throughout manual
Event information integration:
Theme questions → F2 (background) + D2 (theme programming)
Cultural context → F2 (principles, history) + specific applications
Schedule information → F2 (general timing) + C2 (detailed schedules)
Participation guidance → F2 (philosophy) + practical sections for implementation
2025 Art Theme: "Tomorrow Today"
Theme Origins and Inspiration
Core Message: An invitation to imagine the future in new ways and make it real through collective actions Key Philosophy: "The future is not something that happens to us, but something we create" Focus: Bridging the gap between vision and reality, imagination and implementation Urgency: Addressing current challenges by prototyping solutions today
Core Theme Concepts
Future Imagination:
Envisioning possibilities beyond current constraints
Dreaming big while thinking practically
Exploring multiple potential futures
Moving beyond limitation-based thinking
Present Action:
Taking concrete steps today toward desired futures
Making abstract concepts tangible and testable
Prototyping solutions in real-time
Creating proof of concepts for tomorrow's possibilities
Collective Creation:
Recognizing that meaningful futures require community effort
Building tomorrow through shared vision and collaborative action
Creating inclusive futures that work for everyone
Harnessing collective intelligence and creativity
Time Convergence:
Collapsing the artificial separation between "now" and "later"
Living as if the future is already here
Making tomorrow's values operational today
Creating temporal bridges through art and action
Visual and Artistic Expression
Retrofuturism and Time Aesthetics:
Yesterday's visions of tomorrow (1950s-80s futurism)
Steampunk and anachronistic technology mixing
Time machine and temporal portal designs
Timeline visualizations and future archaeology
Technology and Innovation:
Tomorrow's technology made accessible today
Sustainable and regenerative system demonstrations
Human-centered technology design
Speculative design and future artifacts
Society and Community:
Utopian community experiments and prototypes
New forms of governance and decision-making
Economic alternatives and gift economy evolution
Social justice and equity embodied in practice
Temporal Play:
Past, present, and future timeline experiences
Time travel narratives and chronological puzzles
Future history archives and speculative museums
Messages to and from different time periods
Practical Theme Participation
Personal Expression Ideas:
Costumes from imagined futures or alternative timelines
Embodying tomorrow's values in today's interactions
Creating wearable technology or speculative accessories
Dressing as your future self or ideal community member
Camp and Art Integration:
Future society simulations and experimental communities
Tomorrow's solutions tested in miniature or prototype form
Time-based art installations that evolve throughout the week
Interactive experiences that demonstrate future possibilities
Daily Practice:
Making decisions based on future impact rather than immediate convenience
Practicing tomorrow's values in current relationships
Experimenting with new ways of being and interacting
Creating small prototypes of desired changes
Community Building:
Organizing as if the future community already exists
Making decisions that benefit tomorrow's participants
Creating inclusive spaces that model future possibilities
Sharing resources as if abundance is already here
Sunrise and Sunset Schedule 2025
Daily Sun Schedule (Event Period)
Light Conditions and Planning
First Light: Approximately 30 minutes before sunrise Golden Hour (Morning): First hour after sunrise Golden Hour (Evening): Last hour before sunset Last Light: Approximately 30 minutes after sunset
Temperature and Activity Patterns
Coldest Times: Just before sunrise (40-50°F possible) Warmest Times: 2:00-4:00 PM (can exceed 100°F) Pleasant Times: Early morning (7-9 AM) and evening (6-8 PM) Rapid Changes: Temperature drops quickly after sunset
Planning Activities Around Sun Schedule
Morning (Sunrise to 10 AM):
Yoga and meditation gatherings
Quiet art installation visits
Photography in golden light
Coffee and calm community time
Midday (10 AM to 4 PM):
Seek shaded activities
Center Camp and covered spaces
Siesta and rest periods
Late Afternoon (4 PM to Sunset):
Art tours and exploration
Interactive camp events
Photography and documentation
Preparation for the long, long night ahead!
Evening (Sunset to Midnight):
Major sound camps activate
Art car and Mutant Vehicle activity
Large community gatherings
Fire performances and art burns
Night (Midnight to Dawn):
Deep playa exploration
Intimate gatherings and conversations
Art installations with lighting
Quiet contemplation and connection
The Ten Principles
1. Radical Inclusion
Definition: Anyone may be a part of Burning Man. We welcome and respect the stranger. No prerequisites exist for participation in our community.
Practical Application:
Welcome newcomers and experienced participants equally
Include people regardless of background, identity, or experience level
Create spaces and experiences accessible to diverse participants
Challenge exclusionary attitudes and behaviors
Daily Practice:
Introduce yourself to neighbors and strangers
Invite others to join activities and experiences
Share resources and knowledge generously
Look for ways to include rather than exclude
2. Gifting
Definition: Burning Man is devoted to acts of gift giving. The value of a gift is unconditional. Gifting does not contemplate a return or an exchange for something of equal value.
Practical Application:
Give without expectation of receiving anything in return
Offer skills, time, resources, or experiences as gifts
Accept gifts graciously without feeling obligated to reciprocate
Create gift experiences rather than just giving objects
Examples of Gifts:
Teaching skills or sharing knowledge
Providing services (bike repair, haircuts, massage)
Creating art or performances for community enjoyment
Offering food, drinks, or comfort items
Simply being present and engaged with others
3. Decommodification
Definition: In order to preserve the spirit of gifting, our community seeks to create social environments that are unmediated by commercial sponsorships, transactions, or advertising. We stand ready to protect our culture from such exploitation. We resist the substitution of consumption for participatory experience.
Practical Application:
Participate in gift economy rather than commercial transactions
Create rather than consume experiences
Avoid commercial branding and advertising
Focus on relationships and experiences over material acquisition
Exceptions: Ice sales and some essential services exist for practical reasons but don't define the community's culture.
4. Radical Self-Reliance
Definition: Burning Man encourages the individual to discover, exercise and rely on his or her inner resources.
Practical Application:
Bring everything you need to survive and thrive
Develop skills and capabilities for independence
Solve problems creatively with available resources
Take responsibility for your own experience and wellbeing
Balance: Self-reliance complements rather than contradicts communal effort and mutual aid.
5. Radical Self-Expression
Definition: Radical self-expression arises from the unique gifts of the individual. No one other than the individual or a collaborating group can determine its content. It is offered as a gift to others. In this spirit, the giver should respect the rights and liberties of the recipient.
Practical Application:
Express yourself authentically without conforming to expectations
Create art, costumes, camps, or experiences that reflect your vision
Support others' self-expression even if different from your own
Respect consent and boundaries in all expressions
Limitations: Expression should not harm others or violate safety and legal requirements.
6. Communal Effort
Definition: Our community values creative cooperation and collaboration. We strive to produce, promote, and protect social networks, public spaces, works of art, and methods of communication that support such interaction.
Practical Application:
Collaborate on projects and experiences
Contribute to community infrastructure and maintenance
Share resources and coordinate efforts with others
Build networks and relationships that extend beyond the event
Examples: Theme camps, art collaborations, volunteer efforts, resource sharing, community problem-solving.
7. Civic Responsibility
Definition: We value civil society. Community members who organize events should assume responsibility for public welfare and endeavor to communicate civic responsibilities to participants. They must also assume responsibility for conducting events in accordance with local, state and federal laws.
Practical Application:
Follow all laws and regulations
Consider impact of actions on community and environment
Take responsibility for safety and welfare of others
Participate in community governance and decision-making
Examples: Following Leave No Trace, respecting sound policies, participating in safety protocols, contributing to community cleanup.
8. Leaving No Trace
Definition: Our community respects the environment. We are committed to leaving no physical trace of our activities wherever we gather. We clean up after ourselves and endeavor, whenever possible, to leave such places in a better state than when we found them.
Practical Application:
Pack out everything you bring in
Clean up after yourself and others
Minimize environmental impact of all activities
Participate in community restoration efforts
Broader Meaning: Applies to social and emotional "traces" as well - leave people and communities better than you found them.
9. Participation
Definition: Our community is committed to a radically participatory ethic. We believe that transformative change, whether in the individual or in society, can occur only through the medium of deeply personal participation. We achieve being through doing. Everyone is invited to work. Everyone is invited to play. We make the world real through actions that open the heart.
Practical Application:
Actively engage rather than passively consume
Contribute your skills, energy, and creativity
Volunteer for community efforts and camp activities
Create experiences for others to enjoy
Spectrum of Participation: From simple presence and engagement to major art projects and volunteer leadership.
10. Immediacy
Definition: Immediate experience is, in many ways, the most important touchstone of value in our culture. We seek to overcome barriers that stand between us and a recognition of our inner selves, the reality of those around us, participation in society, and contact with a natural world exceeding human powers. No idea can substitute for this experience.
Practical Application:
Be present in the moment rather than constantly documenting
Engage directly with experiences rather than mediating through technology
Connect authentically with others and environment
Value experience over planning or analysis
Balance: Preparation and documentation have their place, but shouldn't substitute for direct engagement.
Burning Man History and Culture
Historical Timeline
1986: First Burning Man on Baker Beach, San Francisco (20 people) 1990: Moved to Black Rock Desert, Nevada (80 people) 1999: Incorporated as Black Rock City LLC (Previously ‘Burning Man 97 LLC’, ‘Burning Man 98 LLC’) 2000: Population reached 25,000 2010: Population reached 50,000 2011: Burning Man Project created as nonprofit 2019: Peak attendance at 78,850 2020-2021: Virtual events due to COVID-19 2022: Return to in-person event
Cultural Evolution
Early Years: Small community focused on art and self-expression Growth Period: Development of infrastructure, principles, and organization Maturation: Complex temporary city with sophisticated systems and global influence Current Era: Balancing growth with original values, addressing accessibility and inclusion
Community Values and Expectations
Gift Economy: Sharing resources without commercial transaction Radical Self-Expression: Authentic individual and group expression Communal Responsibility: Collective care for community and environment Temporary Community: Intensive community building in limited time Cultural Experimentation: Testing new ways of living and organizing
Burning Man Worldwide
Global Community: Burners worldwide maintain connections year-round Regional Events: Burning Man-inspired gatherings on every continent Cultural Influence: Art, music, technology, and social movements in various parts of the world Principles Application: Ten Principles applied in diverse contexts globally
Pro Tips for Volunteers
Theme Education and Interpretation
"Tomorrow Today" Guidance:
"Theme celebrates making future visions real through present action"
"Not just imagining tomorrow, but prototyping it today"
"Perfect opportunity to experiment with the changes you want to see"
"Ask 'How can we make this future possibility real right now?'"
Encouraging Participation:
"Theme gives permission to live as if your ideal future already exists"
"Look for ways to prototype tomorrow's solutions today"
"Experiment with new ways of being, organizing, and connecting"
"Many camps incorporate future-building elements into programming"
Sunrise/Sunset Information
Planning Guidance:
"Sunrise around 6:20am, sunset around 7:30pm mid-week"
"Temperature changes rapidly - be prepared for both hot and cold"
"Golden hours perfect for photography and quiet activities"
"Plan challenging activities for morning or evening"
Activity Suggestions:
"Early morning: yoga, quiet art, photography"
"Midday: seek shade, Center Camp, indoor activities"
"Evening: art tours, camp events, preparation for night"
"Night: sound camps, art cars, fire performances"
Ten Principles Education
Teaching the Principles:
"These aren't rules but guiding values for community culture"
"All principles work together - no single principle stands alone"
"Practical application more important than theoretical understanding"
"Everyone interprets and applies principles differently"
Common Questions:
"What's the most important principle?" → All ten work together, but Participation and Immediacy encourage engagement
"How do I practice these?" → Start with being present, helping others, and contributing what you can
"Do I have to follow all of them?" → They're community values that create the culture we all enjoy
Cultural Context and History
For New Participants:
"Started as small art gathering, grew into temporary city"
"Principles developed organically from community experience"
"Gift economy creates different social dynamics than default world"
"Temporary community allows experimentation with new ways of living"
Managing Expectations:
"This is participant-created culture, not entertainment provided for you"
"Community works because everyone contributes something"
"Challenges and discomfort are part of the transformative experience"
"What you put in determines what you get out"