Burning Man’s appeal appears to be waning among festivalgoers, with tickets still available before the festival kicks off on August 25. It’s the first time since 2011 that the event has sold out not long before opening day.
The bad weather at the desert event over the past two years appears to be slowing ticket sales for this year’s Burning Man festival, which runs from August 25 to September 2.
After participants of Burning Man 2022 had to endure extreme heat, Heavy rain and mud in 2023, Many potential “burners,” as festival-goers are called, are staying home this year. Economic factors may also play a role, as tickets to the event in Black Rock City, Nevada, sell for $575 apiece and some consumers may Spending cuts after years of increased inflation.
Tickets for the normally sold-out event are still available directly from the event organizer and are being offered for about half price on resale sites. The Burning Man Project, the nonprofit that puts on the festival, is hosting an “OMG ticket sale” on its website and is even selling last-minute tickets to guests who haven’t pre-registered, which is normally a requirement to attend.
This year, Burning Man is selling 3,000 tickets for $575 each, plus 1,500 vehicle passes for $150. Those who decide to attend at short notice can also look for even cheaper ticket prices on resale sites like StubHub.
One resale listing offers two general admission tickets for $268 each, while another offers two tickets for $279 each.
Last minute ticket sales for Burning Man
Burning Man was founded in San Francisco in 1986 and moved to the desert in 1990. In recent years, the event has typically attracted around 80,000 people, according to the organization. According to The Guardian, it has sold out every year since 2011.
Marian Goodell, executive director of Burning Man, told the New York Times this week that organizers decide each year how many tickets to sell. “If demand is lower, we just turn the tap back on.”
“By opening the OMG Sale to everyone, including those who didn’t register, and selling instant gratification tickets at outlets in San Francisco and Reno, we are creating the opportunity for this to be ‘the year’ that people interested in creativity, innovation and culture make it to Black Rock City,” said Dominique Debucquoy-Dodley, Burning Man’s deputy communications director, in a statement to CBS MoneyWatch.
He added that the decision to hold a last-minute ticket sale also “reflects recent trends around the world that show that purchasing last-minute tickets and continuing to sell tickets until Black Rock City’s maximum population is reached promotes immediacy and makes it easier for more people to immerse themselves in the heart of the global cultural Burning Man movement.”
Goodell added in a statement that the sale is “an exciting opportunity to bring more people together who care about Burning Man and arts and culture.”
What happened last year?
Last year’s extreme weather conditions may deter people from attending this year. In 2023, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office closed the main road to the festival’s entrance, stranding attendees on the grounds for days. They were told to conserve resources while they waited for road conditions to improve.
And in 2022, temperatures rose to over 38 degrees Celsius during the festival.
The Coachella and Lollapalooza music festivals also struggled with ticket sales this year, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times, suggesting that economic reasons may play a role.
Ticket prices are only a portion of the cost of attending Burning Man. When you factor in flights, car passes, costumes, and other items, visitors spend thousands to attend the festival.
In recent years, Burning Man has attracted a larger share of high earners. Demographic data shows that 35% of attendees in 2023 will earn between $100,000 and $299,999, compared to 21% in 2015. At the same time, according to the same data, the number of attendees earning less than $50,000 per year has dropped sharply.
Yet there are signs that even wealthier Americans are beginning to cut back on spending, which may contribute to weaker-than-usual ticket sales for Burning Man this year. A survey released in June by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia found that a third of people earning over $150,000 are worried about how they will make ends meet over the next six months.
Lower kimono sales
Companies that cater to Burning Man festivities are also feeling the pinch. David Carr, owner of San Francisco clothing store Kimono Dave, says the store typically generates between 25 and 40 percent of its total sales in the week before Burning Man.
This year, however, that may not be the case.
“It’s taken a lot longer for people to start shopping than we’re used to,” Carr told CBS MoneyWatch.
He is encouraged, however, by a recent near-record sales day that he believes is linked to the cooler weather forecast for this year. Carr sews every piece he sells himself, including many coats.
“The weather is expected to be much colder than in previous years. That might be the reason why I made so much sales yesterday,” he said.
Carr, 34, has been attending Burning Man for 14 years and wouldn’t dare miss an event. He suspects the bad weather of the past two years, as well as the economic situation, have contributed to sluggish ticket sales this year. He believes that could be good news for loyal fans like himself. “It’s really weeded out a lot of the fair-weather Burners,” he said.
Burning Man
