With just weeks to go before the iconic Burning Man desert gathering kicks off on Aug. 25, tickets are still available. CBS News and Bloomberg report that, for the first time in over a decade, the event hasn’t sold out well before opening day. Attendees, known as “Burners,” say expensive ticket prices and the overall […]
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With just weeks to go before the iconic Burning Man desert gathering kicks off on Aug. 25, tickets are still available. CBS News and Bloomberg report that, for the first time in over a decade, the event hasn’t sold out well before opening day.
Attendees, known as “Burners,” say expensive ticket prices and the overall decline in the event’s industry may be deterring interest this year.
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What is Burning Man?
Burning Man began in 1986 on a San Francisco beach but relocated to Nevada as the event grew. Now, tens of thousands of Burners gather annually in the Black Rock Desert to build a temporary city and ignite a giant wooden figure — a ritual symbolizing release and renewal.
The event features interactive art installations, themed camps, workshops and dance parties. Though it’s often called a festival, organizers insist otherwise.
“Burning Man is not a festival! It’s a city wherein almost everything that happens is created entirely by its citizens,” their website reads.
Burning Man operates as a 501(c)(3) public benefit organization under 10 guiding principles. One of the most defining: decommodification. That means no advertising, sponsorship or even merchandise sales despite having nearly 2 million Instagram followers.
Ticket sales decline?
Tickets on the official resale platform range from $550 to $750, with vehicle passes priced at $150 for up to 1,500 vehicles. The event has even launched an “OMG Ticket Sale” for last-minute buyers who didn’t pre-register, typically a requirement.
Dominique Debucquoy-Dodley, associate director of communications for Burning Man, told CBS:
“By opening the OMG Sale to everyone, including those who did not register, and selling tickets for instant gratification at outlets in San Francisco and Reno, we are creating the opportunity for this to ‘be the year’ people interested in creativity, innovation and culture make it to Black Rock City.”
Still, the challenges of past years may be dissuading some.
The year thousands were left stranded
On Aug. 27, 2023, about 73,000 attendees gathered for the annual celebration. But by Friday, over half an inch of rain turned the playa into a deep mud pit. Roads became impassable, forcing organizers to close entry gates.
A “Wet Playa Survival Guide” urged attendees to conserve supplies and shelter in place.
“Burning Man Project has been facilitating Black Rock City and Burning Man for over 30 years. We have done table-top drills for events like this,” an update read on Sep. 2. “We are engaged full-time on all aspects of safety and looking ahead to our Exodus as our next priority.”
Thousands, including celebrities Chris Rock and Diplo, walked through the mud to escape. Diplo wrote on Instagram:
“I legit walked the side of the road for hours with my thumb out cuz I have a show in dc tonight and didnt want to let yall down.”
For those who attempted the trek to County Road 34, Burning Man’s site issued a stark warning:
“It is possible to walk to the blacktop County Road 34… This isn’t a simple solution, but it is a possible one should you need or want to make the trek.”
Others chose to wait out the storm, with soggy tents and limited food.
One death was reported at the time. Emergency responders couldn’t revive the man, who later was determined to have died from a combination of cocaine, alcohol and MDMA toxicity, according to People.
By Sunday, about 70,000 people remained stranded, according to Sgt. Nathan Carmichael of the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office who spoke to CNN. Organizers advised against driving.
“Please do NOT drive at this time. Road conditions differ based on the neighborhood,” the website warned.
Eventually, by Tuesday, traffic lines stretched for hours as attendees exited the playa. The final update from the event’s survival guide came on Sep. 6:
“Exodus operations continue smoothly in Black Rock City Wednesday, 9/6.”
Extreme conditions in years prior
Despite the chaos, more than 70,000 people returned in 2024. But that year brought different problems: dust storms and traffic jams.
“Winds of 20 to 25 mph are enough to lift the dust and cause disabilities to be reduced,” said the National Weather Service in Reno, according to Fox Weather.
In 2024, 39-year-old Kendra Frazer died at the event. No official cause of death was immediately available, and there have been no known updates since.
Even back in 2022, Reddit threads described the event as brutal but beautiful. One user wrote:
“It was glued together and janky. Brutal and miserable. Beautiful and otherworldly.”
Another said:
“It was incredible… obviously very hot, a few very bad dust storms. Some bad energy in the air. Hard to describe.”
A struggling event industry
Economists have coined the term “funflation” to describe the rise in live event costs post-pandemic.
A May 2025 report by Tickethold found ticket prices have surged. Since 2021, admission to concerts, sporting events and theaters has risen 26%. The average concert ticket in 2025 now costs $144 — up 45% from $96 in 2019.
Dynamic pricing and inflation have contributed to the spike. Moreover, fans are now waiting longer to buy tickets instead of purchasing early.
Bloomberg also reported rental costs for generators, equipment and vehicles have nearly doubled since 2019. This has made it harder for Burning Man to operate without pricing out its core audience.
Not all bad news for Burning Man 2025
Burning Man organizers remain hopeful. They say late sales are becoming the norm.
“Recent trends around the world that show last minute ticket buying, and continuing to sell tickets until the maximum Black Rock City population count is reached, encourages immediacy and makes it easy for more people to immerse themselves at the heart of the global Burning Man cultural movement,” they told CBS.
contributed to this report.
