Burning Man has sold out – here’s how to get the last tickets

It’s that time of year again; you wait patiently online with lightning fast reflexes at the ready and the speediest internet connection you can find, but once again you find yourself without a Burning Man 2018 ticket. Fear not, there are still some chances to get to one of the world’s most famous parties.

The tickets for the Nevada festival – which runs from 26 August to 3 September this year – went on sale Wednesday at noon Pacific time. Thousands of potential burners were left disappointed as all 26,000 tickets were sold out within thirty minutes, with the vehicle passes following soon after. It’s the 7th year in a row the festival has sold out and there is often double the amount of people vying for tickets than are available.

The main sale tickets cost US $425 but desperate revellers with extra cash have been known to pay thousands for second-hand tickets. If you’re still keen to get your ticket through official means, there are a few options available to you.

Low-Income Ticket Program: Applications for this stay open until 16 April or until the maximum amount of applicants has been reached, so get it in sooner rather than later. These cost $190 and you’ll need to provide proof of your income and expenses.

Limited $1200 Tickets: Willing to pay almost three times the price but with less competition? This sale starts on 4 April at noon PDT.

Secure Ticket Exchange Program: Try your luck at finding a secondhand ticket at face value without the potential of encountering scammers. Opens to sellers on 11 April and buyers on 25 April.

OMG Sale: If you can plan your Burning Man 2018 at the last minute, this is a last-ditch attempt to get your hands on the final 2000 tickets, released at the regular price of $425. Tickets go on sale on 1 August at noon but you’ll need to preregister between 25 and 27 July.

If you’re still not successful this year, it might be time to look ahead to Burning Man 2019. At the moment, participants are capped at 68,000 but organisers have requested this be raised to 80,000. While any decision won’t be made in time for this year’s event, it’s possible the extra places might be available for next year.

In the meantime, you can explore some of the incredible art of Burning Man at Washington DC’s Renwick Gallery until January 2019. If you’ve been one of the lucky ones and are already planning your trip this year, start getting excited at the preview of this year’s main temple design.