From Greek Tragedy to Burning Man: Deconstructing Festival Culture
Sating our desires for ritual, occasion, and community, festivals are as old as Western civilization itself.
On its sand-strewn surface, Burning Man appears to be a uniquely 21st century phenomenon; an under-the-radar weeklong art happening in the desert that became a wildly popular festival, quickly co-opted by Elon Musk and Instagram brand influencers. But in fact, Burning Man is one of the oldest and most successful ideas in Western cultural history — the festival — dating back to the ancient Greek Festival of Dionysus.
Around 450 BCE, Greeks from all over the region would descend on Athens for several days a year to feast and drink, participate in a processional and sacrifice, and watch, act in, and vote for the best tragic play. Beyoncé might gain Grammy-related solace to learn that in 426 BCE, Sophocles won only 2nd place for Oedipus Rex, losing out to the now unknown nephew of Aeschylus. Scholars don’t agree on the exact content or purpose of the Dionysia festival, or even whether it was even held in honor of Dionysus, the god of wine. Was the festival a place of entertainment, religious ritual, dramatic performance, or a celebration of what Simon Goldhill calls the “ideology of the polis,” a social and political event, where people assembled and enacted their citizenship? Much like Burning Man — which can be a spiritual revelation, a networking activity, or a chance to dress like a mermaid and experiment with club drugs — the City of Dionysus likely bore different meanings to individual attendees.
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