Playa TImeline
Here is a quick history of the Burning Man event, along with the peak population. More detailed information can be found on the official site.
- 1986 -- summer solstice, baker beach, population 20
- 1987 -- summer solstice, baker beach, population 80
- 1988 -- summer solstice, baker beach - this was the first year it was actually named "burning man", population 150
- 1989 -- summer solstice, baker beach, population 300+
- 1990 -- summer solstice, baker beach - no burning allowed -- stopped by park police, population 800
- 1990 -- labor day weekend, black rock desert - second gathering of that year, first burn in the desert, population 90
- 1991 -- labor day weekend, black rock desert, population 250
- 1992 -- labor day weekend, black rock desert, population 600
- 1993 -- labor day weekend, black rock desert, population 1,000
- 1994 -- labor day weekend, black rock desert, population 2,000
- 1995 -- labor day weekend, black rock desert, population 4,000
- 1996 -- labor day weekend, black rock desert - this was the last burning man situated in the middle of the desert, in the middle of nowhere, population 8,000
- 1997 -- labor day weekend, hualapai playa - different location, on private land, population 10,000
- 1998 -- labor day weekend, black rock desert - back to black rock, population 15,000
- 1999 -- labor day weekend, black rock desert, population 23,000
- 2000 -- labor day weekend, black rock desert, population 25,400
- 2001 -- labor day weekend, black rock desert, population 25,659
- 2002 -- labor day weekend, black rock desert, population 28,979
- 2003 -- labor day weekend, black rock desert, population 30,586
- 2004 -- labor day weekend, black rock desert, population 35,664
- 2005 -- labor day weekend, black rock desert, population 35,567
- 2006 -- labor day weekend, black rock desert, population 39,100
- 2007 -- labor day weekend, black rock desert, population 47,366 - arsonist burns man early (monday night), dpw works their asses off and replaces the figure in time for saturday night
- 2008 -- labor day weekend, black rock desert, population 49,599 - no tickets sold at the gate, city expands and perimeter extended to 9 miles
- 2009 -- labor day weekend, black rock desert, population 43,435 - tickets sold at the gate again, population peaks on friday instead of saturday for the first time