The Burning Man festival usually sells out months in advance, within minutes of going on sale. It has sold out every year since 2011. But in 2024, just days before the festival is scheduled to start, there are still plenty of tickets available.
The festival began in San Francisco in 1986 and then moved to the Nevada desert where everyone could fly their freak flag more freely. Last year over 75,000 people attended. Predictions suggest that number will drop to around 70,000 this year.
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There are several factors at play here. Post-pandemic global inflation has caused everyone to tighten their belts, even those who dress up as Mad Max characters for a weekend. Everything is more expensive, from travel costs to the old-fashioned motorcycle goggles that match your pimpled leather cap.
Weather also plays a big role. The 2022 event was spoiled by a heatwave. Burning Man 2023 saw torrential rains that turned the desert to mud and stranded attendees well beyond their allotted paid vacation time. People probably don’t want to find out if all good things come in threes.
Burning Man’s predicament is not an isolated case. Festivals and concerts of all kinds have seen record lows in attendance in 2024. Ticket sales at this year’s Coachella festival fell sharply, and several musicians who planned to tour the US this year have had to either drastically slash ticket prices or cancel their tours altogether due to low ticket sales.
Years ago, Burning Man felt like a groundbreaking experiment that combined radical self-expression, fringe art, and anti-consumerism. As it grew in size and popularity, it was increasingly criticized for its perceived commercialism, negative environmental impact, and elitism. It’s also possible that, culturally, we’ve simply outlived Burning Man’s usefulness.
