Burning Man struggles with ticket sales and weather issues: Is the event losing its appeal?

This weekend, tens of thousands will head to Black Rock City in the Nevada desert for Burning Man.

As rising prices, unbearable weather, and declining ticket sales have recently affected the Nevada desert event, there is growing speculation about its future.

This weekend, tens of thousands of people will travel deep into the Nevada desert to Black Rock City, a temporary city that appears each year to host Burning Man. For 10 days, attendees—referred to as "Burners"—gather on the playa, a vast and desolate land. The event features large-scale art installations, mutant vehicles, performances, DJ sets, and a variety of unique activities, including self-help talks and sex parties. However, it’s not called a festival. There is no money exchanged at Burning Man; instead, it focuses on self-reliance and gifting, with the main attraction being the burning of a large wooden effigy known as the "Man."

If any of this interests you, you’re in luck because, for the first time in over ten years, Burning Man has not sold out (tickets in previous years were usually sold out months ahead), leading to speculation that the event may be losing its appeal. The slow ticket sales are just the latest issue in a series of challenges for Burning Man. The event was canceled for two years due to Covid, although an unofficial "renegade burn" drew 20,000 people to the desert in 2021. When the event returned in 2022, it faced extreme heat, with temperatures reaching an unbearable 100F (38C) and severe dust storms.

Some critics argue that Burning Man has drifted too far from its countercultural origins, that it has grown too large, and that despite its "leave no trace" policy, it still causes environmental damage (last year, climate activists blocked access to the event). These factors have led to the idea that Burning Man might be facing an existential crisis. Nevertheless, even with fewer attendees compared to last year, many people are still eager to venture into the desert for the experience. "Nothing really comes close to the whole package of what is essentially a survivalist desert camping trip pretending to be an epic arts festival," says Adriana Roberts, who has attended Burning Man 30 times.