Burning Man Festival shows one 'positive sign' amid ticket chaos and failure to sell out

Burning Man Festival has been surrounded by controversy, with the event failing to sell out for the first time since 2011 and people scrambling to get rid of tickets .

Festival-goers have been accepting huge losses in an attempt to offload unwanted tickets . Some ticket prices have been slashed in half and people are accepting hundreds of dollars worth of losses just to get rid of their extra tickets.

People have pointed to the cost of living crisis and last year's severe weather as the reason why the festival has failed to sell out. However, PR expert Ryan McCormick believes there is one positive thing organizers to cling to and that's the determination of some fans to still make it to the Burning Man Festival.

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Speaking exclusively to The Mirror US, Ryan said: "I wouldn't say that one non-sellout implies that the annual event is on the decline. Plenty of individuals are passionate about it.

"Some social media accounts are showing 9-hour long traffic jams to get to Burning Man. That is a very positive sign." He also suggested some reasons for the slow ticket sales.

Ryan explained: "At last year's Burning Man, 70,000 people were trapped in foot deep mud with no toilets resulting from an unexpected storm. Some of those attending individuals may now see the event in a different light.

"For those who observed the situation from the news, it could have deterred a number of them from coming this year." He added: "Additionally, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, between 2022 to 2024, the average cost of groceries has increased by about 10-12% and average rent prices increased by approximately 10-15%.

"Because of this, many Americans may not have the disposable income right now to partake in an event like Burning Man." The festival is held every year in the western US and will be taking place this year from August 25 until September 2 in Reno, Nevada.

While tickets begin at $575 before taxes and fees on the Burning Man Festival website, some sellers are only getting around $300 for their extra passes. The dip in sales has caused some people to worry about the future of the music event.

One festival-goer told The San Francisco Standard : "I'm more sad for Burning Man as a whole than I am about losing $400 or $500. Everyone always claims, like, 'the end of Burning Man,' right? But I don't know, maybe it is. Everything ends at some point."

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