The Man in the Hat, Larry Harvey, Passes

“This may be the essential genius of Burning Man:
Out of nothing, we created everything.”
— Larry Harvey

Our founder, friend, and original instigator, Larry Harvey has passed away. Larry suffered a massive stroke at his home on the morning of April 4. We resolutely held out for a miracle. If there was anyone tenacious, strong-willed and stubborn enough to come back from this challenge, it was Larry. Though we all hoped he would recover, he passed peacefully this morning at 8:24am in San Francisco, with members of his family at his side.

Larry was never one for labels. He didn’t fit a mold; he broke it with the way he lived his life. He was 100% authentic to his core. For all of us who knew or worked with him, he was a landscape gardener, a philosopher, a visionary, a wit, a writer, an inspiration, an instigator, a mentor, and at one point a taxi driver and a bike messenger. He was always a passionate advocate for our culture and principles that emanate from the Burning Man experience in the Black Rock Desert.

As he told one of us recently, Larry liked to create “scenes” that made people consider the world in a new way. He was extraordinarily successful at doing just that.

Burning Man culture has lost a great leader and an inspiring mind. He adeptly interpreted the manifestation of what became a movement. I have lost a dear friend who I’ve known, loved, and worked beside for nearly 22 years. The loss of his presence in our daily lives will be felt for years, but because of the spirit of who he is, we will never truly be without him.

Larry would be the first to say this isn’t an ending, but the start of a new chapter, and we all have a hand in where we go from here.

“We will find our way. It always looks dubious when
we set out because we are setting out in the dark.
But your faith always guides you.”

Thank you, Larry!

Larry Harvey, the Man in the Hat: We love you.

All my love and gratitude,

Marian Goodell
Volunteer and cat herder since 1995
Currently CEO and Board member, Burning Man Project

We have published a tribute to Larry written by his close friend of over 25 years, Stuart Mangrum. You can read it on the Burning Man Journal. We have also published a photo essay of Larry’s life by Stewart Harvey, Larry’s brother. As we carry on our work organizing the event in Black Rock City and nurturing the global spread of Burning Man, we’ll create many ways to honor Larry and his vision. You can start now by sharing stories, photos, and video at larry.burningman.org. You can also send your messages to his family by emailing TheHat@burningman.org.


(Top photo by Ron Lewis)

About the author: Marian Goodell

Marian Goodell

Marian serves as Burning Man Project’s first Chief Executive Officer. She first attended Burning Man in 1995, met Larry and the other organizers in the fall of 1996, and in 1997 helped found the contemporary Burning Man organization. In previous roles, she was the Director of Business and Communications, briefly oversaw the Black Rock City Department of Public Works, and steered the development of the Burning Man Regional Network, which is now on six continents, with nearly 300 representatives in 34 countries. Marian is currently leading the organization’s efforts to facilitate and extend the Burning Man ethos globally.

158 Comments on “The Man in the Hat, Larry Harvey, Passes

  • Termeh says:

    Rest In Peace Larry. Thank you for everything.

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  • Rest in peace Larry, I will forever be grateful to the lasting impact you have had on my life and the world. They don’t make em like this anymore!

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  • Divya Maez says:

    God speed Larry Harvey. You will always be in our hearts. Thank you for sharing your vision with us.

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  • CheChe says:

    Thank you. Rest In Peace

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  • Val Hall says:

    Your lifespark set the fire. Deeply grateful. Thanks Larry <3

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  • Sabre says:

    Thank you, Larry. Rest in peace.

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  • Anti M says:

    Fair winds and following seas.

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  • Dawn Passaro says:

    Blessings to you Larry, May you rest in peace. Thanks for all you have done. I am grateful for the connections you have facilitated. The love you have brought, the changes to my life, and the lives of my friends. <3 <3 <3 <3

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  • Mike says:

    You changed so many lives, Thank you

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  • Annarosa says:

    RIP Larry. Thanks for your gift of creating Burning Man and its culture. Condolences to all his family and close friends. We salute you with dust. Xx

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  • Maasgarid says:

    Rest in peace Larry. I never got to meet you, and you changed my life all the same. )*(

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  • )'( Hail Larry the Traveler! )'(
    I’ll always remember you calling me “The Queen of Swag”
    Ranger Love,
    Beauty & RatBastard

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  • Michael Tucker says:

    Thank you Larry for giving me something exciting to look forward to year after year!

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  • Thor Young says:

    Thor Young So many of us have been enriched by the work of the Burning Man Founders. I had the pleasure of working for the Org. for a while and Larry was always the strong voice of creative energy and the great protector of the ideal social experiment. Larry never waivered when it came to staying true to the ten principles of Burning Man. He knew that at it’s core, and through much change, there is something there that is worth protecting and nurturing. Larry is one of those people who truly inspired others to reflect and consider, if even for a short time, what the world might be like if we reconsider the way we live within it.

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  • bccbob says:

    Larry, the many talks we had out on the playa made me look at the event in different ways, thanks for sharing you thoughts.

    Enjoy the next phase of your journey.

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  • StPeteEd says:

    Thank you for helping me grow Larry.
    You changed the world for us all…
    See you in the heavenly dust )°(
    Much love, StPeteEd

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  • KatieD says:

    Wherever your spirit may land- give um hell, Larry!

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  • Michael Heneghan says:

    RIP Larry, you were truly THE MAN

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  • Quenifer says:

    My life has been irreparably altered because Larry Harvey made a dream manifest. Your spirit will live on Larry, in the heart of every dreamer you have inspired . To all that love you I offer my humble sympathy for the loss of your dear friend .

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  • Elena says:

    Thank you for giving us “scenes” and a new world of living. Will see you on the other side.

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  • spaceman says:

    Thank you Larry for that flame that’s burning in my heart until the day I join you wherever that is.

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  • Shimmy says:

    Thanks for helping to ruin my life in the most beautiful and amazing way! You painted an incredible picture with your time here on the planet. Peace!

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  • Some Random Old Timer says:

    burning man and larry harvey ruined my life.

    i am eternally grateful.

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  • Mr. Blue says:

    “Everyone comes to Black Rock City when they’re supposed to.”
    -Larry Harvey to me in 2001

    Thank you, Larry, for the opportunity to create magic with you in so many ways.

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  • Shrugs says:

    Thanks to you and Burning Man, my horizons have been expanded and I have finally found my place in the world.

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  • Dustin says:

    Thank you for affecting g such a huge part of my life Larry, your creation will live on and continue to inspire. R.I.P.

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  • Thank you Larry!!!!! You will FOREVER be an inspiration <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

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  • B-jou says:

    My deepest condolences to you, Marian, and to all who knew and loved Larry. I owe who I am today in large part to him, as my first trip to Burning Man in 2001 inspired me to begin exploring the spiritual path I continue to walk to this day. Bless him, and all of you who have worked together with him, to create that magical container of Loving in the desert year after year so that people like me can experience the possibility in ourselves and in the world. <3

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  • Peepers says:

    “Heroes may be forgotten, but legends never die.” Here’s to a true legend. Party in peace.

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  • Matthew MacIntosh says:

    Rest In Peace, Larry!

    Your vision will live on in the community and culture you inspired. Thank you for giving us all a glimpse of what humanity could be (and become) when we endeavor to embrace the moment and infuse it with a little radical self expresssion and radical inclusion.

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  • Ammo says:

    Your light will forever guide the way in the dust for us forever. Thank you for creating this beautiful culture that both challenges me and keeps me coming back for more. You will never be forgotten. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

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  • Blue Beard says:

    He changed the world for the better and helped us see the best we could be! Amazing! This can be said for very few of us!

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  • Joan Dahl says:

    No words adequately can express my gratitude for creating s movement that gave me a home and people to call my own. Burning man gabe me a true sense of self and helped guide me toward self acceptance. All my love to those who were close to him. May we all honor his memory by being good to one another.

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  • Barbara McLean says:

    Blessed be Larry as you move on to the next adventure. Thank you for starting the fire that still burns in my soul so many years later. You will not be forgotten. Thank you too for giving me a place to be with others that share the dream you are the inspiration for all those that share that light and that fire… with Love
    Barbara BARE McLean-Moebius
    Arctica ICE Mistress 1997- 2012
    Burner 1997- 2014 and I will be back…
    LOVE TO ALL….. and LOVE TO LARRY

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  • Shawn Salami says:

    Thank you Larry for your vision and passion, and to be committed to seeing our community and culture grow despite all the challenges through the years. We will carry the fire on for decades to come ..

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  • Well, here we are.

    Larry’s work here is done, let’s the rest of us keep going.

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  • Matt Hatter says:

    Thank you Larry for creating such a gift that is Burning Man that has transformed so many lives around the world. I certainly wouldn’t be the man I am today were it not for this wonderful space and community I have been a part of since 2009. It’s shapes a large part of my being, community, and contribution to the world. May you rest in peace, give them hell wherever you go. <3 <3 <3

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  • Ranger Kentucky / Tinker / Sean McPherson says:

    Rest In Peace, and Thank you, Larry. For 25 years, Burning Man has been a part of my life, and the friendships and partnerships I’ve made through it wouldn’t have been possible without your original spark. You’ll be missed. )’(

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  • Kristin Odegaard says:

    Those who follow with their hearts are seldom understood by everyone. Thank you for encouraging many of us to follow with ours as well;)
    R.I.P. Mr Harvey

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  • Bruce Gil says:

    Larry, I’m sorry we never met. But from ALL accounts…YOU were THE MAN!
    Much Love

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  • John Marx says:

    We will keep those fires burning, dear Larry, in your honor, in your memory, and in the spirit of all that you have unleashed in our hearts…….. the unlimited beauty of human potential.

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  • Joseph "Pythagoras" Perl says:

    Thank you Larry for what you gave to so many of us. For myself, though I never met you personally, you reconnected me with my love for maker culture and for the art of photography, after too many years in a spiritual desert away from those things. And you held the space for me to find my Family. Rest in peace Maker of Makers and Maker of Families. So grateful for you.

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  • Damon says:

    The world is a better place because ofyou, Larry. May you forever rest in peace…

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  • Colleen (triscuit) Oshaughnessy says:

    Taking it Regional! God speed . Thank you.

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  • John A Finn says:

    “The Man in the Hat has left the Burning”

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  • Bucket says:

    Thank you Larry

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  • Darian Shapiro says:

    Rest with peace and love knowing how much you have done for so many.
    May your vision for a better planet carry on .
    Burn on Larry !!!!!
    With love light and gratitude I know you will be right back at it somewhere soon!!!
    Thank you for the journey!!!!

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  • Randy Davis says:

    I met Larry a couple of years ago at “First Camp” and we talked briefly. I felt honored to meet him and expressed my appreciation for all that Burning Man has done for me. I was into my sixties when I first attended and came away feeling like I had discovered a new me with creative stirrings that I never knew existed. My sincerest thanks to Larry for helping show me the way.

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  • The Rev says:

    Burning Man changed my life. It brought me back to community and helped me come back to love. It made me feel safe for the first time. It was fucking weird but it was amazing too. It wasn’t only me. I was a witness to the transformation of many of other people – even as quickly as a few months after their first burn. The problem with society is that it makes us forget, but the community which is Burning Man helps us to once again remember.

    Thanks Larry! I’m rooting for you!

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  • David J. Bradshaw says:

    Thank you Larry, your saved me from a dull life of normality. The fire you started we will keep Burning around the world.

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  • miz Jewelz says:

    Aw damn, Larry. Thanks for everything. And please give Dana a squeeze, ok?

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  • Michele Schottelkorb says:

    Absolute truth: “This may be the essential genius of Burning Man:
    Out of nothing, we created everything.” Goodnight Mr. Harvey… Don’t worry, we will keep creating everything out of nothing. Thank you for so much dancing, inspiration, and TTITD… And this. With love, Rob and Michele

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  • TEETH says:

    Thank you, Larry. I’ve never felt more at home than the one we’ve shared.

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  • Tammara says:

    So grateful for your life Larry. Soulshining on! May you have a wonderful journey to the next phase….

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  • Omega says:

    Larry, now you start your re-birth. From ashes come greatness and your greatness got us off our ashes to live and love as a unique community. I believe through your insight and leadership you found Enlightenment.

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  • Dr. Dave says:

    A burner since 2008, my deepest Burning Man regret is never meeting Larry personally, to thank him and to tell him (for the millionth time he’d heard it), how his personal folly on that beach long ago fostered a community worldwide and changed more peoples’ live for the better than many religions you can name. It’s gonna be a helluva Temple this year!!!

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  • Estrella says:

    Thank you Larry, through the Burn you have touched so many people you knew and didn’t, we will keep your legacy going and spread it beyond the desert.
    Wherever you are now, i’m sure only good things await. Rest In Peace

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  • Hervé P says:

    Tonight a new star will shine in heaven and on earth Larry will always be in our hearts <3 .. you have planted thousands of seeds for a different world and the seeds have grown well and will continue to grow. A Good trip starts for you Larry ! Have a nice trip ! Thank you very much Larry Harvey ! <3

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  • On to the next one, Larry! Wherever you end up, I hope you discover how brilliant you are.

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  • Heartbreaking words to read about such a remarkable fellow…
    He returns to the Cosmos whence he came…from stardust to starlight…
    Swordfish will be missed…

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  • Terbo Ted says:

    maaaaannn… Larry… I will always remember sitting in your kitchen off Hayes decades ago, all those long winded wild eyed conversations over cigarettes and coffee, dreaming up and conjuring bigger and better versions of this alternative world where people’s true self would shine out of them. We bonded over our trips to the void, ones we would return from each year. Best wishes on this trip you’re now on, the one with no hours long return drive down the I-80 in a dust encrusted motor vehicle.

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  • BlueRayne says:

    May you find an even bigger party in the hereafter. You are an inspiration and have brought so much joy to my life. Your vision has deeply integrated the principles of Burning Man in my daily life and for that I am eternally grateful. Rest in Peace you crazy soul!

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  • Buckstar Deluxe says:

    Rest well, Larry. You done good.

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  • Bobzilla says:

    Thank you Larry for supporting and enabling us to make strange radio in the middle of the desert

    You will be missed but not forgotten

    The Entire BMIR Crew

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  • Elvis Thompson says:

    See you one day in that big playa in the sky.

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  • HYPNOboy / CLAYboyNC says:

    Larry – one more favor please – Say Hello to Tom LaPorte for me – now I’ll have to miss you both. Thanks!!

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  • HEP says:

    Larry, le passeur vous accueillera en ami.

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  • Mistern says:

    I’ve never met you, but thank you for helping change my life and enabling me to establish life long relationships. To come back to “the real world” and be able to say ” I can do it, yes I can, because I’m a burner!”
    Rest in power

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  • Magorn says:

    Much Love to you Marian. This has to be hardest for you. Sancho to his Quixote, Sam to his Frodo. We none of us would have gotten very far without you. I work across the street from the Renwick in DC, and there is something gorgeous and right about the fact that he lived to see a beacon of Burner culture shining steps away from the White House

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  • Terri Petersen says:

    Fly free, Larry! Wishing you great adventures in the great beyond. Much gratitude for it all.

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  • Rosie Cheeks says:

    Dust to dust.

    Thanks for ttitd. Hope you are having a blast at ttit-universe.

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  • Rob says:

    You will live on in our hearts forever.

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  • Karina says:

    Rest in peace

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  • Double Check says:

    Losing someone like Larry rips a big hole in our universe. But, time will heal it as we continue the Project to maintain a space in society where we can practice radical self expression, being our authentic selves, and connecting with devine in others. Namasti Larry.

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  • epona says:

    Love to you, Marian. So sorry for your loss.

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  • justjoe says:

    Thank you for changing my life Larry.

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  • Vincent backen says:

    Safe voyage to the other side.

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  • David Johnston says:

    thank you, Larry.

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  • christopher kaprielian says:

    I remember taking my months old daughter to the BMan offices 12 years ago. I introduced her to Larry who said,”When we have children we relive our own childhood through our parents’ eyes.” I will never forget that.
    Thanks Larry

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  • Love to you on your journey, Larry. Grateful to have spent a moment with you, and all you’ve inspired.

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  • Jason1969 says:

    Well done, Larry Harvey. Thanks for doing your part, emphasis on Art in part, on unFucking this world. It’s in our hands now and we have a hell of a head start.

    And I really hope you get to be a spirit ghost in the next phase of your conciseness, just so you can really mess with us all on the playa!

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  • Mark says:

    I know your soul will be there with every burn, thank you Larry

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  • The Eye says:

    Thank you Larry. See you around.

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  • We just had a birthday party for our 7 year old. She requested a Burning Man theme, and we delivered with a Burning Man cake, and even a little man burn in a New York City park. You did this Larry – thanks!

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  • Mike Munger says:

    Many of us will see you soon, Larry! Thank you for changing the last years of my life. We will miss you and you will be in our hearts at this year’s Burn.

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  • jack haye says:

    now you can take your place in that great visionary hall in the sky… they are the richer and we are the poorer for it, but we will carry on and do our best to honor your vision, with love and gratitude… opa

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  • John McCaffrey says:

    Larry, you made the impossible, possible. You will never be forgotten, my friend.

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  • Jen borrow says:

    Oh Larry, so very sad to know of your passing but oh so grateful for your presence, you have and will continue to impact so many lives. Goodbye for now.

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  • Master Whippingboy says:

    I first met Larry in 2000 on the playa. I use to see him around every year until probably the last 5 years I haven’t seen him in BRC. What a beautiful world Larry has created not only in the BRC but around the world. I fell in love with his creation at the turn of the century and still admire it today. Today Larry is responsible for allowing my one week vacation a year, for me seeing beautiful amazing art, for me meeting great people, and for me opening my eyes to a wonderful city once a year that yields me a lifetime of memories. Cheers to your wonderful life Larry

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  • Joanna Wlodawer says:

    Larry— I stumbled upon the greatest gift many years ago and it impacted my life in ways that I cannot describe. And I am not alone in this… You altered our perception of human engagement. You have demonstrated the beauty of community and selfless giving. You have created possibility for artistic expression and limitless thought. You have opened a new world for those on earth and I hope we can all dance together one day again.

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  • Chilli says:

    Thank you for creating something that continues to change my life, Larry. I never thought that Burning Man would teach me so much and affect me so deeply.

    I’m glad that you were able to leave this world knowing that Burning Man is flourishing and continuing to grow for a long time to come.

    You created something that continues to have a positive influence on society, and your legacy will go on for a very long time <3

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  • Audrakennedy says:

    Thank you for being the inspiration for a movement that has touched my life exponentially. Rip.

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  • Joe (JOBI) Buchman says:

    Hoping to find the corner of Heaven you create when I join in the mystery of what’s next. Can’t begin to imagine what you will create there – you brought so much of Heaven to Earth while you were here! Forever grateful.

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  • Sergio Meadows says:

    If anyone has deserved a huge shrine in the temple its Larry. If no one is working on one already I’d be willing to lead and donate. RIP Larry <3 You truly touched us all and made us strive to reach our potentials. You will be missed!

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    • Robin K says:

      Yes, there needs to be a big shrine/temple dedicated to Larry Harvey this year. Bring pictures, momentoes, anything that reminds you of him and his gifts to everyone.
      I liked a conversation I had with him once in SF – he said he was considering the theme for the next Burning Man. It felt like he was channeling the zeitgeist of our time.

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    • Lynne says:

      and the HAT hAS TO BE THERE, IN FACT PUT A HAT ON THE MAN

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  • Cosmic Dancer says:

    Thank you Larry
    You introduced me to another way to live, and filled my life with people who wanted to live differently too. For all you created, and the wonderful new world you showed us, I will be forever grateful.
    Rest In Peace in the Playa in the Sky.

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  • Rejane THL says:

    Today I went to Baker Beach in SF with my 7yo daughter. We set there watching the sunset while was telling her about my first experience at BM, 1997.
    That was surreal, magical, I explained to her. And so it was the other years….
    For for that, I’m eternally thankful and grateful!
    Rest in peace Larry!

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  • Big Bear says:

    I received two gifts from Larry. The things he taught me and the gift of how to better teach myself. Larry was a unique catalyst that functioned to stoke the embers of the potential transformational fire that he knew smolders within us all.

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  • Captain evil yoyo says:

    Thank you Larry , you have touched so many lives. I wouldn’t nearly be the person that i am if it wasn’t for what you started on that beach in 1986. I will always have for you, buried deep inside my heart a burning flamme… Bon voyage.

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  • St. Tiki says:

    Thank you Larry, you forged a path that many have followed and changed the lives of all who have. Rest in Peace

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  • joebunny says:

    Thoughts & Prayers. Look at me, doing everything I can.

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  • Bill mulder says:

    You helped me see the creative potential we all bring to an empty table. I was part of camp carp when we were just a bunch of hacks and still are. I look fondly and live every year through memories of life on the playa.
    Thank you Larry.

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  • Interplanet-Janet says:

    The important thing is that he doesn’t miss Burning Man this year. Put him in a freezer and we can Weekend At Bernie’s this year. The show must go on. I know Larry would approve. He also owes me $1,000 for what happened in Reno in 2007.

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  • Bunny Man says:

    I saw you once at Burning Man in 2013. You were walking near Center Camp and I could hear the angels singing and the dust that you walked on turned to gold and flew up to Heaven. You were the reincarnation of Jesus H Christ. Amazing! A gift directing from the power of GOD.

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  • Thank You Larry for your energy and inspiration..

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  • Mama fox says:

    The temple will have new meaning this year. Thank you for all of the love that you brought to the world and the creativity you sparked.

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  • jake says:

    All access bedazzled edible wristband to the two-way zipline connecting burn to fern bro. We’ll play Misty for ya.

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  • Frenchy says:

    RIP Larry!!! Thank-you for the sparkle ponies, the Love, the vision of a better world.
    You will be missed
    Burn baby Burn
    Frenchy

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  • playamoth says:

    You’ve touched the hearts of so many people with your vision and left the World a much better place. Farewell…

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  • Stiffkrill says:

    Thank you Larry for your virus. Millions of us are permanently infected, passing on the gift of gifts, to unlock creativity and the essence of joy, curing humanity of the zero-sum game.

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  • Playto says:

    You opened up every door and let in wonderous experiences that flooded our world. Thank you for bringing me into a place where my voice could distinguish itself from it’s upbringing and controls. Gave me the deep inner strength to know myself and how to activate the knowing of myself. Taught me to play play play.

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  • DCLynn says:

    RIP Larry. You will forever be much beloved and admired for your numerous contributions.

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  • Andy says:

    Larry Harvey managed to create the loving, giving, helpful and unselfish community that all religions have always tried but failed to create. Helpfulness for helpfulness’ sake. Giving for giving’s sake. Art for art’s sake. Rest in peace, Larry.

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  • John Mccahill says:

    Larry Harvey Rest In Playa.
    Johnny Mac

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  • Tibby Elgato says:

    thanks Larry, you will be missed and remembered.

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  • Deji Olowookere says:

    Larry has played his part in humanity, he has made a mark, his footprints are in the sands of time.
    My condolence

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  • He was real. I’ll never forget him pulling me aside and thanking me for my volunteering at HQ.

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  • Andrew says:

    Thank you Larry for creating something wonderful and life-changing, for so many of us. I feel lucky that I was able to meet you once in 2005 and say so in person. You did a great thing, and made it possible for us to. <3

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  • Ars est longa, vita brevis .
    Beginning with one simple act, Larry Harvey spawned the greatest and most pervasive force for good around the world in modern times–and that can never die. Now, we grieve; we recover–and then, in his name, forever and always, we build Black Rock City anew!

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  • Costume Jim says:

    Go well dear friend. So many of us will carry a piece of you always.

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  • Gaia says:

    I’ve yet to attend Burning Man and I’m hoping to this year. I see we have lost a truly remarkable being. Reading all of the wonderful reflections in the comments is heartwarming. No doubt that all he has done in his life will continue to live on. Sending love and comfort to family and those closest to Larry.

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  • firefly says:

    The Transformus, Ignite!, and Synthesis community mourns with you. We have all been touched by Larry’s vision and are grateful it has spread throughout the Southeast, and indeed the world.

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  • I waited and waited, knowing about TEITD since Baker Beach. My son turned 12 and we went in 2008. I told myself that all seniors should take their senior trip to the desert to prepare themselves for life. Maid Marian et al my condolences. Death? There is no death, only a change of worlds where Larry has gone to watch over us.

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  • Lotus says:

    Thank you Larry for the incredible world you inspired and we all create in BRC, a vision coming to life on the playa to be shared and carried into all our realities for the rest of the year! Thanks for changing my life!

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  • some seeing eye says:

    We can never know if there is an afterlife. It’s a common enough myth across cultures.

    Although Larry has said he did not believe in an afterlife, I’ll always imagine him laughing at us with curiosity for years into the future, trying to create the beautiful mess that is Burning Man.

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  • Nanette Johnston says:

    Nicely put. I never met him, but Burning Man has forever changed my life and for that I am very grateful to Larry Harvey. RIP

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  • SVE says:

    How about putting a giant stetson hat on the man this year?

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  • Mica says:

    This is it, this is all that there is, and it is perfect.

    A component of how I live this life is, in part, a reflection of the community that the illustrious Mr Harvey instigated and which I stumbled into one fateful week in 2001. An ethos and a curiosity that came home with me have shaped many aspects of the way I engage the world, and those who are in mine.

    So many humble thanks and boundless gratitude, good sir.

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  • Timeless says:

    Larry Harvey was the first person ever to recognize the potential of my art investment model, “Fundiversify”, after I’d tried in vain to get anyone else to read my material, much less understand its simple premise: Privately funded, publicly shared art that doubles as investment. Mr. Harvey posted insightful and inspiring comments about it, inviting me to quote his words. Then he ordered an entire article written about Fundiversify for the Burning Man Journal and even presented the concept at the Global Leadership Conference.

    I promised him that I’d share its principles with the community he created. Now we need angel investors to help prove the working model successful at auction. If you’d like to help with this project, as investor or promoter please click my name here and learn more.

    How sweetly we will miss Larry Harvey….

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  • Lynn Vind says:

    9 years ago your vision and 10 principles changed me. Burning Man has made me a better human. I will miss watching you stand and watch the man burn while you receive your vision for the next year. That man standing with a white Hat is burned in my memory forever. Thank you Larry.
    Lynn~

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  • Robin K says:

    A MESSAGE FOR DISCUSSION BY EVERYONE/PLANNERS OF THIS YEAR’S BURNING MAN: I’m aware that Larry asked for the I Robot theme for this year’s Burning Man fest, but with his passing, I think everyone is having some very human feelings, whereas robots have no feelings and thus now feels like an inappropriate theme. I think people need to honor Larry at this BM fest as a planetary visionary. Feelings will include both grieving and celebrating. What about postponing the robot theme to next year’s BM and letting this year’s fest be in honor of Larry as a great man, with great values, vision and community that has now extended globally? What about asking what everyone would choose to bring about in life before we die? These are much bigger issues than robots, and I think all this will be on people’s minds. And yes, a Stetson hat on the man!

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  • April Washburn says:

    Beautiful tribute Maid Marion! Some of my most magical memories were made in the Black Rock. Thank you Larry, much love!

    April May June, Burner 1996-2003

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  • BB Sue says:

    It’s not good bye. We’ll see you on the other side.

    Thanks for the change, and for the inspiration, and the fun. You never gave up… neither will I, neither will we.

    We won’t forget what you did for us, and to us, and what you inspired in us.

    Rock on, bro. Catch you later.

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  • Frank Sangiovanni says:

    Thanks for everything

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  • John Wiley says:

    Thank you, Larry, for making the spark and fanning the flames that now reach all the way around the world.

    I never had the honor of meeting you in person but “that thing in the desert” has touched (and changed) me forever!!!

    ~ duck ~

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  • LaLa says:

    Amazing run, Larry. Thank you for passing the baton.

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  • Sereenz says:

    Thank you Larry for changing my life forever. I am eternally grateful for you and all that you have done to shine the light on this world.

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  • Honest Non-Burner says:

    Hey Larry,

    Thanks for creating an event that celebrates extreme white-privileged and for creating a space where people can self-righteously talk about social change and green technology while partying in the least sustainable, non-environmental friendly place on earth. A place where uneducated, uncultured people can espouse radical individualism while acting out extreme, ant-like conformity in the most self-conscious, non-expressive manner possible.

    Basically a frat-party in the desert, where people display the most didactic, self-indulgent Art ever created — a real utopia.

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  • Rusty says:

    Thank you for all you gave! RIP. Hopefully we will meet on the other side.

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  • turnerBroadcasting says:

    I will never forget the moment I met Larry. I was working on something out in the desert, and he and his wife pulled up in a golf cart. A brief conversation ensued, and at the end, he thoughtfully suggested that I look at making work, and fun the same thing in my life. No one had ever put it quite the way he did, and I thought about it – and it made a real difference in my career. This , more than anything – helped me to understand him and his work, it was a form of just being real, wherever you are – I miss him .

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  • Broken Wing says:

    Thank you Larry. Because of you and the movement you started, my life has changed forever for the better.

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  • Helen Rogers says:

    Rest In Peace, Larry.

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  • Thomas Beckfield (Tempo) says:

    Thanks Larry for making our celebration of life so epic here on earth!

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  • Elfe says:

    Thank you Larry! Rest in peace!

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  • Jewels says:

    RIP and thank you for creating this event.

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  • Souhil says:

    RIP Larry ! Thank you so much … Love You !

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  • J.. Rod says:

    I find it odd that people are posting comments on here as though they are speaking to Larry. It’s as though they have accepted the fact that he has died but they think he’s still on Facebook.

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