Been feeling quite nostalgic for Burning Man, which The Bear attended for the first time last year. Unable to go this year :( However I was VERY happy to discover there’s a live Ustream webcam feed of Burning Man 2012, direct from the playa. I’ve been watching it when I can. It’s up high on a tower, close to the Esplanade, and is controlled by participants in the Ustream chat.
Audio accompanying this webcam is a live feed of Burning Man radio — BMIR. (Sometimes not-safe-for-work!)
The colors tend to be washed out during the day, but sunrise and sunset are gorgeous. Of course the best time to watch is after dark — the lights on the desert playa are just fantastic! Here are some upcoming events to watch (Pacific Time):
- Thursday at 9pm — “Circle of Regional Effigies” (CORE) 36 big fires ignited simultaneously. Don’t miss it!
- Friday night — “Burning of Wall Street” Four very large art structures reminiscent of iconic Manhattan’s financial district.
- Saturday night — “The Man Burns!” Central effigy sets fire after firedancers. Great fireworks!
- Sunday night — “Temple Burn” The Temple this year is more beautiful than ever. A solemn, spiritual event.
Tags: Burning Man, effigy, fire, temple
Here’s the thing about Burning Man. Watching a video just does not give the sense of scale of this event. That city is a mile and a half across. The playa is endless, and full of quirky surprises, giftings, and abrupt whiteouts. A leisurely bike ride around the city’s perimeter takes the better part of a morning, what with all the stops along the way to gawk at amazing goings on. The big burns are awe inspiring; fearsome heat, towering flames, and carrying a spiritual force that is accessible in few other contexts. This year’s burning of The Man will be no less so — that is an enormous structure, four stories of solid-built construction. It will be both magnificent and terrifying. And the camera will give no sense of the emotional rush that accompanies actually BEING at such a burn.