The act of remembrance marks the first time this summer that a major festival has openly acknowledged the Nova massacre victims
September 1, 2025 11:57
Burning Man festivalgoers have paid tribute to the victims of the Nova music festival, with attendees at the famed US event gathering to honour those slain. It marks the first time during this year’s festival season that the Nova massacre has been acknowledged by organisers at such a large-scale event, and its victims commemorated.
Revellers at the week-long extravaganza in the Nevada desert paused at 6.29am on Saturday – the exact time at which Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad began their assault on the Nova festival and the surrounding communities of southern Israel on October 7 2023 – to commemorate the hundreds murdered, as Nova co-founder Ofir Amid vowed to cheers, “we will dance again”.
At 6:29 AM, at Burning Man Festival, a moment of unity honored the hundreds of lives stolen by Hamas at the Nova Festival.
— Embassy of Israel to the USA (@IsraelinUSA) September 1, 2025
Ofir Amir, one of Nova’s founders, who was wounded on October 7, stood and spoke alongside freed hostage Omer Shem Tov, who spent 505 days in Hamas… pic.twitter.com/8nPDdgBQWu
Amir, who was wounded by terrorists on October 7, gave an emotional address on stage alongside freed hostage Omer Shem Tov, who was kidnapped by Hamas from the Nova festival, which was held in the Negev desert, and was held captive for 505 days.
“Nearly two years ago, Jews were attacked and we lost 412 beautiful souls,” Ofir told the crowd, referring to the Nova death toll. “Today we gather to honour them.”
In total, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists massacred around 1,200 people in a matter of hours on October 7.
Ofir, whose his wife was at home and nine months pregnant when he was shot by terrorists, described his young daughter as a “living reminder that even in the darkest moments, life and hope can prevail.”
He reiterated calls for the “safe return of the hostages” still held captive by Hamas to the “lives waiting for them”, and ended his speech by promising the crowd: “We will dance again” – the slogan adopted by the Nova survivors and the wider Israeli and Jewish community to represent hope and a refusal to bow to terror.
There are still 48 hostages in Hamas captivity, of whom approximately 20 are presumed still alive, after nearly 700 days.
The act of remembrance at Burning Man is the first time this summer that a major festival has openly acknowledged the Nova festival massacre, marking a departure from the prevalent anti-Israel sentiment on display at other celebrated music events such as Glastonbury, in the UK and Coachella, in the US.
Last year, Burning Man facilitated a large art installation honouring the Nova festival victims.
The installation included 405 wooden laser-cut angels, each with the name of an October 7 victim, and six wooden spiral staircases engraved with messages in Hebrew and English, including “kindness creates miracles,” “love conquers all” and “music heals hearts”.
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