PARTY-GOERS have descended on the deserts of Nevada for Burning Man - one of the world's biggest and most extreme festivals.

The yearly Burning Man festival sees tens of thousands of people gather for at least a week of mayhem and mutiny on a scale that puts makes Glastonbury look tame.

21 Burning Man participant Marshall Mosher from Atlanta surfs through the desert dust on a motorised surfboard Credit: Reuters

21 Diggy Shakes lights the art installation Efflorescence as approximately 70,000 people from all over the world gathered for the annual Burning Man arts and music festival Credit: Reuters

21 Kylie Webb of Santa Cruz, California spins inside a metal hoop on a roller disco floor Credit: Reuters

Revellers from all walks of life — from surreal artists and far-out families to high-flying CEOs and tech titans - head to the sands for a party like no other.

In the past, electric car pioneer Elon Musk, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Google’s Larry Page and Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook joined the rebellious souls at Burning Man.

From obscure sculptures and wacky outfits to the ever-popular Orgy Dome - Burning Man seems to get more insane every year.

Last year’s festival hosted over 70,000 "burners" including 3,000 rich enough to fly in to its unregulated Black Rock City Airport.

And in the past there's been a tent for mass lesbian romps, a human petting zoo and first-timers get hugged by a stark naked welcoming committee.

The event began Sunday and continues through the weekend about 100 miles (161 kilometers) north of Reno.

21 A masked man takes part in a fire ceremony in the desert Credit: Reuters

21 A Burning Man participant who goes by the playa name 'Twinkle Mel' bicycles through Black Rock City Credit: Reuters

21 A reveller dances under the blazing desert sun Credit: Reuters

21 The madness doesn't come cheap - with tickets starting from around £300 per person without a vehicle Credit: Reuters

21 The event takes place in the middle of the Black Rock Desert of Nevada Credit: Reuters

The Burning Man Festival was first held by Larry Harvey and his group of friends in 1986.

They named the event Burning Man because it began as a bonfire ritual on the summer solstice on Baker Beach in San Francisco.

Since then, the gathering has been organised by the Burning Man Project and has become an annual event which this year was attended by over 70,000 “burners”.

And for many, it marks the end of summer, the festival is rounded off by living up to its title - with the burning of a giant wooden man-shaped construct.

21 A bizarre procession delivers a golden carrot to a shrine Credit: Reuters

21 Festival goers are encouraged to show themselves and their personalities through various forms of artistic self-expression Credit: Reuters

21 The region is "a temporary metropolis dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance" Credit: Reuters

21 The festival is held in the Nevada desert and the dried up lake becomes the Black Rock City Credit: Reuters

21 A performer spins burning poi, a staple activity at many festivals Credit: Reuters

21 They named the event Burning Man because it began as a bonfire ritual on the summer solstice Credit: Reuters

21 Artist Lazy Boy tags the art installation Deus Ex Machina Credit: Reuters

21 The annual gathering kicks off on the last Sunday of August, and runs until the first Monday of September Credit: Reuters

21 Rainbow flags are unfurled to celebrate LGBTQ culture Credit: Reuters

21 Two women escort a mutant vehicle on the playa Credit: Reuters

21 Burning Man participant Cole Wardley of Salt Lake City plays the Baby Grand piano inside the "Heardt" art project Credit: Reuters

21 Burning Man participant Bob Rafie of France pedals his bike through Black Rock City Credit: Reuters

21 Burning Man participant Marie Sbrocca of San Francisco poses for the camera Credit: Reuters

But anyone wanting to spark up a joint at the party should think twice - even though Nevada has legalised recreational marijuana.

"The broader public including those that go to Burning Man seem to think that at Burning Man, anything goes," said Rebecca Gasca, CEO of the Reno-based cannabis consulting firm Pistil and Stigma.

Voters in the state passed a marijuana legalisation measure in 2016, and sales began at retail stores on July 1.

But consumption is allowed only in private and even possession remains illegal on federal lands, including the stretch of Black Rock Desert managed by the US Bureau of Land Management where the counter-culture festival is.

"You're not exempt from the law at Burning Man, and that is doubly true this year," festival spokeswoman Megan Miller told the Reno Gazette-Journal.

BLM officials say a pot possession arrest can result in a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

But federal agents made no arrests for any crimes last year at Burning Man, or the year before.

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368