The occasion began on June 22, 1986, on Baker Beach in San Francisco as a small festival coordinated by Larry Harvey and Jerry James, the creators of the main Man. It has since been held yearly, crossing the nine days paving the way to and including Labor Day. Over the occasion’s set of history, participation has consistently increased. In 2019, 78,850 individuals person participation in the occasion.
As framed by Burning Man co-founder Larry Harvey in 2004, the occasion is directed by 10 standards: gifting, de-commodification, radical self-expression, radical self-reliance, communal effort, civic responsibility, radical inclusion, leaving no trace, immediacy, and participation.