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Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

Tuesday 10 June 2014 16:53 BST

A man looks at a wooden sculpture that was set on fire during Israel's first Midburn Festival, modeled after the popular Burning Man Festival held annually in Nevada's Black Rock Desert, near the Israeli kibbutz of Sde Boker

In pictures: Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

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1/20In pictures: Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

In pictures: Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

Burning Man in Israel

A man looks at a wooden sculpture that was set on fire during Israel's first Midburn Festival, modeled after the popular Burning Man Festival held annually in Nevada's Black Rock Desert, near the Israeli kibbutz of Sde Boker

In pictures: Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

Burning Man in Israel

People, mostly Israelis, walk in the playa during the first Midburn festival in the Israeli kibbutz of Sde Boker. Some 3,000 people set up a colorful encampment in the dusty moonscape, swinging from hoops by day and burning giant wooden sculptures by night. At the end, participants were told to remove their own trash and leave the desert without a trace

In pictures: Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

Burning Man in Israel

Israelis dance at a party during the Midburn festival

In pictures: Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

Burning Man in Israel

A young girl stands on a playa during the Midburn festival

In pictures: Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

Burning Man in Israel

People walk in a colourful surroundings at the Midburn festival

In pictures: Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

Burning Man in Israel

A participant rides a bicycle as the sun goes down during the Midburn festival

In pictures: Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

Burning Man in Israel

An Israeli man walks in the playa during Israel's first Midburn festival in the desert near the Israeli kibbutz of Sde Boker

In pictures: Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

Burning Man in Israel

People walk in the dusty playa during Israel's first Midburn festival near the Israeli kibbutz of Sde Boker. For five days, participants, mostly Israelis, created a temporary city dedicated to creativity, communal living, and what the festival calls "radical self-expression"

In pictures: Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

Burning Man in Israel

Costumes hang on a fence at the first Israel's Midburn festival. The festival took place a few miles southwest of the desert gravesite of Israel's founding father, David Ben-Gurion, who dreamed of making the Negev desert bloom, though he probably didn't envisioned it blossoming with hula hoops and pyrotechnics

In pictures: Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

Burning Man in Israel

An Israeli woman wears a unicorn mask as she walks in the playa during the Midburn festival

In pictures: Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

Burning Man in Israel

Israelis push a sailboat art car at the playa during the Midburn festival

In pictures: Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

Burning Man in Israel

Israelis in costumes walk around the playa during the first Midburn festival in the Israeli kibbutz of Sde Boker. For the Bedouin Arab shepherds tending their flocks in Israel's Negev desert, it was almost as if aliens had landed from outer space

In pictures: Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

Burning Man in Israel

An Israeli man wears a spoon and a stone as necklaces as he dances during a party at the first Midburn festival near the Israeli kibbutz of Sde Boker. Some came costumed in cape or corset. Others, from babies to grandparents, went nude. Participants brought their own food and water, and shared with others. The only thing on sale was ice because of the scorching heat

In pictures: Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

Burning Man in Israel

There were workshops in sculpture, drawing, and touch therapy. There was music and theater. At the 'tent of heaven and hell' participants were chosen at random for one of two fates: getting massages or doing chores

In pictures: Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

Burning Man in Israel

Participants sits under the shade during the Midburn festival

In pictures: Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

Burning Man in Israel

People listen to live music during the Midburn festival

In pictures: Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

Burning Man in Israel

Hand writing and doodles adorn a dusty car during the Midburn festival

In pictures: Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

Burning Man in Israel

An Israeli man walks in house slippers during the Midburn festival

In pictures: Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

Burning Man in Israel

A man rests on a couch during the Midburn festival

In pictures: Israel gets its own 'Burning Man' festival

Burning Man in Israel

A hat with stars of David lays on the ground during the Midburn festival

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