Burning Man introduces pay-what-you-will model for 2025

Ranging from US$550 to US$3,000.

Photo credit: Burning Man – Facebook

Burning Man has announced a new tiered pricing structure for 2025, offering tickets from US$550 to US$3,000. The “pay-what-you-will” model aims to enhance accessibility while maintaining the festival’s financial stability.

Starting February 12th, the new pricing model introduces six tiers, enabling higher-paying attendees to subsidize those paying less. This approach aligns with Burning Man’s radical inclusion principle, even as the organization faces financial challenges.

The organization encountered an $8.7 million setback in 2024—comprising a $5.7M budget shortfall and $3M in reduced ticket revenue. In response, they held an emergency ticket sale, and CEO Marian Goodell sought $20M in donations to secure the event’s future.

The new pricing strategy has sparked debate within the Burning Man community. Critics question the transparency of ticket allocation across tiers and express concern that the structure might create artificial scarcity and trigger panic buying.

‘Tomorrow Today,’ the 2025 edition, runs August 24th-September 1st in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert. Ticket registration ends February 11th at 12pm PST, with sales starting the next day.

More info and tickets are available here.