Every year, participants in the Burning Man Festival descend on the playa of Nevada's Black Rock Desert to form a temporary city -- a self-reliant community populated by performers, artists, free spirits, and more. Last week, an estimated 68,000 people came to Burning Man 2013 from all over the world to dance, express themselves, and take in the spectacle. Gathered below are some of the sights from the festival, which lasted a week and came to its conclusion yesterday.
The Man burns during the Burning Man 2013 arts and music festival in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, on August 31, 2013. The federal government issued a permit for 68,000 people from all over the world to gather at the sold out festival, which is celebrating its 27th year, to spend a week in the remote desert cut off from much of the outside world to experience art, music and the unique community that develops.#
Rochelle Schieck of Los Angeles dances by the "Truth is Beauty" sculpture created by Marco Cochrane at the 2013 Burning Man festival, on August 30, 2013.#
Burning Man participant Virginia Biney from Philadelphia poses next to an art installation on the Playa, during the Burning Man Festival, on August 30, 2013.#
Rasika Mathur (left) and Grant Ball read messages left by participants at sunrise at the Temple of Whollyness, during Burning Man, on August 31, 2013.#
Surgery at a teddy-bear hospital in Germany, a performance at the Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden, coyote pups at an animal park in France, and much more
The ruins of a mountain monastery in Turkey, tornado damage in Oklahoma, camel rides in a Chinese desert, fireflies on a forest trail in Taiwan, and much more
