Burning Man 2024 art preparations underway as ticket sales lag
Burning Man 2024: slow ticket sales may help the event return to its roots
An East Bay artist and a team of volunteers are creating new artwork for Burning Man 2024 before heading out to the desert festival. But the sale of tickets is the slowest it's been since 2011. The possible reasons for the slump and why some people say lower attendance may help the event return to its roots.
OAKLAND, Calif. - The countdown to this year's Burning Man has started.
Typically, the desert festival sells out well before the event. However, this year, tickets were still available days before the gathering.
On Thursday, at an Oakland warehouse, work was underway to build the largest interactive art installation for Burning Man 2024.
Cjay Roughgarden, the artist leading the project, is creating a sea serpent called "Naga and the Captainess."
Roughgarden, who has worked on numerous art projects for the festival and started attending in 2009, is gearing up for her 14th Burning Man.
"We've laser-cut about 4,000 scales and volunteers have hand-shaped each one," Roughgarden said as she pointed to different parts of the serpent under construction.
She, along with 200 volunteers who helped with the artwork, plans to attend Burning Man this year.
"I really enjoy making art with a large group of like-minded people," said volunteer Rebecca Lui.
Yet, ticket sales for Burning Man are at their lowest since 2011.
Festival organizers said the tickets are usually sold out by August 1. That is not the case this year.
The reasons could be an economy that has seen job layoffs or possibly, Burning Man burnout—those opting for a break from the annual event.
Some speculate that last year's flooding may also be a factor.
Organizers anticipate about 70,000 attendees compared to the over 74,000 from last year.
"Those of us who just want to go to the desert, make art, see our friends in a really unique environment can have that back. I feel like it's been taken over by people who think it's a rave," said Roughgarden.
The gathering that began as a counter-culture event in 1986 has become more mainstream over the years.
"It should really be a place to go out and have unusual experiences and be radically self-reliant," said Roughgarden.
Organizers said that the only item for sale at the festival should be ice, with other goods and services being shared or gifted.
Roughgarten said the event is about creating a community among diverse people.
"Now we have this lovely bunch of people who would never have interacted for any other reason, and now we feel like family," said Roughgarden.
The artist and her volunteers will leave the East Bay for Burning Man on Aug. 22.
After Burning Man, Roughgarden plans to exhibit "Naga and the Captainess" at a public space in San Francisco and is fundraising for that effort.
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Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU.