Height of Man: 40 feet, standing upon a 40 foot geodesic dome
Location: Black Rock Desert
Participants: Participants: 35,664
- Theme: The Vault of Heaven
- Black Rock City contained 503 theme camps, about the same number as the previous year, and over 220 artworks dotted the open playa. Many of these works explored things celestial and scientific, in participation with the theme.
- Around 40 art projects registered but did not show up on the open playa. Many of these artists reported difficulties with the weather early in the week, which brought periodic dust storms and high winds.
- The Man stood atop a geodesic dome which housed 11 scientific and celestial artworks, and which was ringed by ten interactive stages, imagined as “alternate universes” where individuals and troupes staged various performances.
- The hard-working DPW built the perimeter fence surrounding Black Rock City in a record two days.
- Due to a still-pending permit status, setup crews were not able to camp at Black Rock Station, Burning Man’s work ranch. Early work crews instead were housed in rented trailers at the Gerlach Estates Trailer Park.
- 271 spires lined the major streets and promenades, supporting 700 lanterns arduously lit each night by the Lamplighters.
- At Center Camp, participants were encouraged to bring their own cups for coffee, thanks to a new development in Health Department cooperation at the Caf. Trash cans were eliminated and any paper cups used were instead spiked onto the new “Shish-Cup-Bob” for burning.
- Approximately 95,000 cans were crushed at Recycle Camp, once again raising nearly $800 for the students of Gerlach High School.
- Biodegradable products were used to serve meals at the staff commissary, and the Project tested the first biodiesel generator to be used in its infrastructure.
- A new preregistration requirement may have taken some art car enthusiasts by surprise: 420 licensed mutant vehicles roamed the playa, down from 560 in 2003.
- The Regional Contacts program continued to thrive year-round, boasting 85 local contacts at the end of 2004. Early in the year, the program was further established with the launch of the Regional Network, a formalized relationship between Burning Man and the Regional Contacts.
- The Regional Network has a Center Camp presence for the first time, with the Regional Information Center, constructed and staffed by Burning Man’s Regional Contacts.
- Los Angeles held the second-largest Decompression event post-Burning Man, held once again on several city blocks near downtown.
- In the 2004 census, approximately 30% of participants polled responded that they had attended a local regional event.
- Burning Man once again registers over 300 members of the press, including many international outlets.