Burning Man is an annual week long event that takes place in Nevada’s 400 square mile expanse known as the Black Rock Desert. The event begins on the last Monday of this month and ends on the first Monday of September, Labor Day. The Burning Man namesake comes from the ritual burning of a large wooden effigy on the final day of the festival. The event is one in which participants dedicate themselves to the spirit of community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance. Leaving one week later without a trace of their existence. This wouldn’t seem too impossible until you begin to understand what the art installations actually entail (scroll down for a few examples).

A few of the more intrepid members of our Charlotte marketing agency are planning on attending this year, and in case you’re feeling the urge, on August 6, tickets go on sale for first come-first serve buyers. Keep in mind, Burning Man is based on a society that thrives on community contributions, so you must bring something that adds value. There are no rules on what this value must be, as long as it invigorates the society. It can be one of the expansive art installations, a conversation for the heart, or extra goggles for the desperate.

Before you head out along with the others (over 68,000 last year), be sure to reference the packing checklist and don’t forget plenty of water. Oh yeah, and a fresh new name, because you’ll most likely leave a fresh new person. That needs a shower.