The Man Burns Saturday, September 5; the Temple Burns Sunday, September 6

Burning Man 2026 runs August 30 through September 7, following the event's usual pattern of always ending on Labor Day (September 7 this year). The two central burn nights fall on the last full weekend: the Man burns Saturday, September 5, and the Temple burns the following night, Sunday, September 6, at 8pm.

The two burns have different characters by tradition — the Man burn is the event's biggest, most celebratory night, while the Temple burn the next evening is generally quieter and more reflective, often described by participants as an emotional counterweight to the Man burn rather than a repeat of it.

For anyone planning arrival and departure around these dates, the practical implication is straightforward: exodus traffic builds sharply after the Temple burn on Sunday night and through Labor Day Monday, so an early Monday departure is typically the busiest and slowest way to leave.