I’ve been thinking a lot about Burning Man and Black Rock City lately, not just because of the recent news about financial challenges and debates about the event’s management and future, but mainly because this year marks 30 years since I first attended Burning Man in the Black Rock Desert.

When I made my first trip to the Black Rock Playa from my home in Oregon back in 1994, I had no idea how deeply the event would impact my life.  As I reached this milestone, I often found myself being asked questions about my long tenure as a participant.  The most common questions asked (more often than not by folks who haven’t attended) are:
“Why do you still go?”
“Is Burning Man still worth it?” 
“Isn’t it all just wealthy tech Bros nowadays?”
Or some assertion that Burning Man may have “Jumped the Shark” years back.

Having attended for three decades, with plans to continue indefinitely, and prompted by these questions from others, I’ve deeply considered why I participate. Though the specifics have shifted, the fundamental reason remains: Burning Man is uniquely fascinating and compelling to me.

At the beginning, way back in 1994, I went because curiosity drove me – “What could be so compelling that people camp in the middle of nowhere under such harsh conditions?” and “What are they actually DOING out there?!? “  While I may have found some of those answers at my first burn, when I got home I found it hard to explain my experience to others. If I had to sum it up, I’d say it was simply “really interesting stuff!”

Over time, my curiosity deepened into more active engagement with the event and its community. Inspired by what I had seen and experienced on the Playa,  I felt compelled to contribute. I started connecting with other Burners, primarily through the original Burning Man email list. Before long, members of that list had formed a village – The Blue Light District (or BLD), the first official village of Black Rock City. When a campmate had to step away from organizing the village kitchen, I volunteered to take over. That role grew, and for the next three years, I ran the BLD Communal Kitchen and Good Lovin’ Bistro. By 1999, working alongside fellow campmates, we were serving brunch to as many as 550 people each day for a week.

A few years later, a friend from our village, Jewelz “Gritz” Cody, recruited me to volunteer for the “Department of Mutant Vehicles,” helping facilitate the myriad of Art Cars that come to the event each year. Through that volunteerism, I became deeply connected to more communities…including the one hundred or so DMV Volunteers and the larger Art Car community that stretched well beyond the Black Rock Playa.

Beyond my involvement in Black Rock City, my connections to the event deepened over time. As my relationship with “that thing in the desert” grew stronger, so did my perspective on what it meant to me.

Like Salmon Returning Home

What is it that draws me—and so many others—back to Black Rock City year after year? Even after 30 years, despite the challenges, costs, and effort, something about this experience remains undeniably compelling. What makes the journey, with all its demands, not just worthwhile but essential to so many?

As I’ve reflected on my own experiences and spoken with countless others over the years, people drawn to vastly different aspects of the event, from the all-night music scene to spiritual exploration, I’ve found that the reasons are surprisingly universal:

Wonder, Inspiration, and Community.

These three elements lie at the heart of what keeps people personally engaged with Burning Man. While the  10 Principles are great for defining how we participate and interact within the culture, I believe the deeper, more personal reasons that compel people to return year after year often fall into these three categories.

Though not officially codified in Burning Man lore, these ideas capture the emotional and experiential essence of what makes the event so powerful and why so many people keep coming back.

So here is an exploration of those three pillars and how they create that ongoing siren call back to Black Rock City.

PILLAR I – Wonder: Rediscovering Childlike Awe

As children, we are deeply in tune with our sense of wonder. Imagine a kid running up to their parent, eyes wide with excitement, holding a rock in their tiny hands, exclaiming with every bit of joy and energy they can summon, “Mom! Look at this rock! Isn’t it cool? SEE??  It’s a ROCK!  ROCK!!” To that child, the world is a treasure trove of awe-inspiring discoveries, and they radiate pure delight in every moment.

As we grow older, the world gradually dampens our sense of wonder. Teenagers learn to hold back their excitement, as being “cool” often means hiding enthusiasm. We’re told to “Act your age,” “Be professional,” and “Never let them see you sweat,” reinforcing the idea that maturity requires restraint. Over time, wonder gets pushed aside, replaced by stoicism and the need to appear in control.

Burning Man helps us rediscover that lost sense of wonder. Every year, I see it happen. A first-time Burner might pass a massive piece of art, stumble upon an interactive theme camp, or look up to see a 30-foot mechanical octopus shooting fire from its tentacles—and suddenly, their jaw drops. Their eyes widen, and for a brief, magical moment, they are fully present, amazed, and alive with the pure wonder they thought they had left behind.

Interestingly, while writing this essay, I encountered Dacher Keltner’s book, “Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life.” Keltner’s exploration of awe, defined as the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends our current understanding, resonates deeply with my experience at Burning Man. His research highlights how awe fosters well-being, empathy, and a sense of connection, confirming what I’ve witnessed firsthand in the desert. The transformative power of the Burning Man experience, as described, aligns perfectly with Keltner’s findings, solidifying the idea that actively engaging with wonder can indeed have a profound impact on our lives.

Burning Man has a way of reigniting that dormant spark.  By its very nature, Black Rock City creates an environment where participants are invited to fully engage with the moment, recapturing that sense of astonishment and joy we used to be familiar with by showing us that the world is still full of marvels if we’re just willing to open our eyes to them.

PILLAR II –  Inspiration: Fuel for Creativity

The second pillar of Burning Man, following closely behind Wonder, is inspiration.

Once your sense of wonder is reignited and your jaw has dropped in awe, something transformative happens—you feel inspired. The sheer scale of creativity at Burning Man is staggering. Everywhere you look, people are making, building, and expressing—whether through mind-bending art installations, immersive spaces that draw you into their world, or wildly imaginative Mutant Vehicles gliding across the playa like something out of a dream. Burning Man is a vast, ever-evolving canvas, overflowing with thousands of expressions of raw, uninhibited creativity.

The beauty of this creativity is that it’s contagious—you can’t help but be affected by it. It sparks something inside you, shifting your perspective and making you realize that maybe you could create something just as incredible. Or maybe something even wilder.

Again and again, I hear the same story: after their first Burn, people are already dreaming up what they want to bring or build for the next one. With a spark in their eyes, they say, “Next year, I’m gonna…”—finishing the sentence with an idea inspired by what they’ve just experienced. Some know exactly what they want to create; others simply know they need to create something. “I want to figure out how to get more connected…” they say, eager to find their place in the creative energy of the event.

It’s as if the creative energy of the playa plants a seed – no, a spark – that quickly grows into a fire, driving people to make, build, and create. Burning Man doesn’t just inspire; it compels. You leave with a mind buzzing with ideas and an undeniable urge to bring something of your own next time.

Pillar III – Community

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, is community. Burning Man is a powerful reminder of how essential it is to connect with others and build something greater together. In a world increasingly focused on individual pursuits – where self-interest is often prioritized over collective effort – Burning Man flips the script. So much of what makes the event extraordinary comes from communities working together to create art, camps, and experiences that benefit everyone participating. It’s not just about individual contributions; it’s about what we can build together. This spirit of communal effort is woven into the very fabric of Burning Man, inspiring people to return year after year.

I’ve seen countless communities form through Burning Man. People who might otherwise feel disconnected or isolated suddenly find themselves part of a fellowship – working together, supporting one another, and creating experiences greater than the sum of their parts. In a world where true community can feel like a relic of the past – eroded by the ways we live, work, and interact – Burning Man offers something rare and invaluable: a space where people can reconnect in meaningful ways, where collaboration isn’t just encouraged but is fundamental to what makes the event so powerful.

And then there’s the larger community of Burners – an expansive, global network that extends far beyond the Black Rock Desert. There’s a reason that, whether it’s your first Burn or your fifteenth, you’re greeted with the words, “Welcome Home.” It’s more than just a warm sentiment; it’s an acknowledgment that you are now part of something much bigger – a vast, vibrant, and ever-growing community. Burning Man fosters connections that don’t fade when the event ends; they continue long after the dust has settled. And that enduring sense of belonging is one of the most profound gifts Burning Man has to offer.

Beyond the Dust and Into the World

These pillars – Wonder, Inspiration, and Community – are more than just individual experiences; they are the lifeblood of what makes Burning Man extraordinary. Together, they shape an event that goes beyond the Ten Principles, offering something deeper – an invitation to rediscover ourselves and the world around us. While the Principles provide a framework for (or, more accurately, a reflection of) how we engage and interact, the pillars ignite the heart of the experience, fostering profound personal and collective transformation.

• Wonder reminds us to see the world as we once did – with open eyes and open hearts. It peels back the layers of cynicism, allowing us to rediscover the magic that emerges when we embrace awe.
• Inspiration fuels creativity, compelling us not just to observe but to make, build, and express ourselves in ways that can ripple far beyond the playa.
• Community is the glue that binds it all together – a reminder that we thrive when we collaborate, share, and connect with others.

But the true beauty of these pillars lies in how they extend beyond Black Rock City. The awe-inspiring art, the creative spark, the sense of belonging – these don’t stay in the desert. They follow us back to the “default world,” influencing how we live, work, and engage with our communities. Burners leave Black Rock City not just as individuals but as ambassadors of possibility, carrying the ethos of wonder, creativity, and connection into their lives, neighborhoods, and the broader world. In this way, Burning Man becomes more than an event; it becomes a catalyst for change.

And yes, the cynical Crusty Old Burner™ part of me cringes a little at the lofty language I just used – but this is what I have seen and experienced.

At its core, Burning Man shows us what is possible when people come together with open minds, open hearts, and a willingness to dream big. It reminds us of our capacity to create beauty, to inspire and be inspired, and to forge meaningful connections in a world that often feels fragmented.

Over the last 30 years, Burning Man has been a space where I have seen people experience awe, share their creativity, and build extraordinary things together. And while the dust eventually settles, the impact endures. Burning Man is not just a place we go; it is something we carry with us – a reminder that together, we can shape a world filled with wonder, inspiration, and community – both on the playa and beyond.

Even amidst valid concerns about cost, Tech Bros, and exclusivity, Burning Man’s core pillars – wonder, inspiration, and community – continue to offer profoundly transformative experiences, fostering creativity and deep connections that highlight our collective capacity for imagination. For me, if the event finds a way to remain true to its foundational principles and continues to evoke these core pillars, I will continue to participate. By preserving these roots, Burning Man can remain a powerful catalyst for personal and societal change, both on the playa and beyond.