Burning Man 2027, Nevada: dates, tickets, how to get there

Know before you go

The practical bit

When to go: 2027: 29 August to 6 September, theme Spellbound. The Gate opens at 12:01am on the Sunday before the Man burns and stays open 24 hours during the event.
Tickets: Register first, then buy in the Main Sale (2026: 29 April to 8 May). 2026 tiers were $550, $675, $775, $975, $1,500 and $3,000, plus 9% Nevada tax and fees. Vehicle pass $165. Two tickets per purchase.
Getting there: Fly to Reno-Tahoe (RNO). About 112 to 114 miles to Black Rock City via Gerlach on I-80 and Highway 447. Participants enter by the 8 Mile entrance, 8 miles from Gerlach on County Road 34.
House rules: A physical ticket per person, vehicle pass on the windscreen and photo ID for adults. No tickets are sold at the Gate. Resale above face value is cancelled. Bring everything in, take everything out.
Capacity: About 71,500 people in 2025, by the Black Rock City Census estimate (72,000 in 2024).
Nearby: Gerlach is the last town before the playa. Reno has the airport, the Burner Express bus and the last supplies. Pyramid Lake lies on the Route 2 road out of Reno.
Official: Official site and tickets → (burningman.org)

Checked on 15 October 2026 against the venue's own site. Times, prices and routes change: confirm before you travel.

In the room

The experience

Black Rock City exists for nine days a year on an ancient dry lakebed in the Nevada desert. The 2025 census put the population at about 71,500, laid out in a clock-face street plan around the Man. There is no commerce: you bring everything in and take everything out, under the principles of Decommodification and Leaving No Trace. The Gate opens at 12:01am on the Sunday before the Man burns and stays open around the clock, but sells no tickets. Robot Heart, the art car whose sunrise sets draw the music heads, first camped on the playa in 2008. The 2026 edition, Axis Mundi, ran from 30 August to 7 September. The next, Spellbound, is set for 29 August to 6 September 2027. The ritual music travellers come for is the dawn set, but there is no official schedule for it. You follow the bass out into the dark and wait for the light.

Gallery

Two frames

A column of flame at night — torroid from SF Bay Area, CC BY-SA 2.0

A beam of white light in a dark sky — torroid from SF Bay Area, CC BY-SA 2.0

Insider tip

Walk in knowing

Register before the Main Sale and buy only through official channels; resale above face value is cancelled. Book the Burner Express bus from Reno-Tahoe Airport if you do not want to drive.

Why it fits

Why it is in the atlas

The defining desert listening experience of the modern era. AfrikaBurn is its official regional event. Belongs in the atlas.

Plan the trip

When to go, hours, getting there

Best time to go

The whole event, 29 August to 6 September 2027. The Gate opens at 12:01am on the Sunday before the Man burns; early arrival needs a Setup Access Pass. Ticket sale dates for 2027 are expected to be announced in spring.

Hours

Annual, nine days ending on Labor Day: 29 August to 6 September 2027. The Gate is open 24 hours during the event and sells no tickets. No services on site: bring everything, take everything.

Getting there

Fly to Reno-Tahoe (RNO). Drive about 112 to 114 miles via Gerlach on I-80 and Highway 447. From Gerlach it is 8 miles on County Road 34 to the 8 Mile entrance, the only one for participants. The official Burner Express bus runs from Reno-Tahoe Airport and San Francisco on set dates; in 2026 fares started at $159 from Reno. You need a ticket, a vehicle pass for a car and photo ID.

Straight from the source

Official site and tickets

Official site and tickets →

Dates, line-ups and tickets come from the organiser. Opens burningman.org in a new tab.

FAQ

Questions people ask

When is Burning Man 2027?

29 August to 6 September 2027, nine days ending on Labor Day. The 2027 theme is Spellbound. Ticket sale dates for 2027 had not been announced as of October 2026; the official site says to check back in spring.

How much are Burning Man tickets?

2026 Main Sale tiers were $550, $675, $775, $975, $1,500 and $3,000, with a $165 vehicle pass. Add 9% Nevada tax, $4.50 per item and a 4% card fee. 2027 prices are not yet published. Lower tiers are expected to sell faster.

Can you buy Burning Man tickets at the gate?

No. No tickets are sold at the Gate. Each person needs a valid physical ticket and adults need photo ID. Resale is allowed only at face value plus fees; tickets priced above that are cancelled without refund.

How do I get to Burning Man from Reno?

Drive about 112 to 114 miles via Gerlach, taking I-80 then Highway 447. From Gerlach it is 8 miles on County Road 34 to the 8 Mile entrance, the only entrance for participants. Or take the Burner Express bus from Reno-Tahoe Airport.

Is there a bus to Burning Man?

Yes. The official Burner Express runs from Reno-Tahoe Airport and San Francisco. In 2026 it ran outbound 28 August to 3 September and returned 4 to 8 September. Fares were from $159 from Reno and $194 from SF plus fees. You need a Burning Man ticket and photo ID.

Where is Burning Man?

In Black Rock City, a temporary city built on the Black Rock Desert playa in Nevada. It is about 112 to 114 miles from Reno via the town of Gerlach. Participants enter by the 8 Mile entrance on County Road 34.

Why is Burning Man in the Sonic Paths atlas?

It is the defining desert listening experience of the modern era, a city of about 71,500 built for nine days and burned. AfrikaBurn is its official regional event.

On the atlas