Law changes may see next year’s Burning Man tickets rise well above US$400.
Whether you’ve always wanted to attend Nevada’s utterly unique Burning Man festival or you’re a “burner” from way back, this might be the last year you can attend before prices get a significant hike - and before you start lamenting that the fest is “going commercial,” just know: it has nothing to do with Burning Man itself.
The State of Nevada has had a “Live Entertainment” tax for years, but up till now the rules around who got taxed and who didn’t have been fairly murky. In an effort to avoid confusion (and tax evasion) state legislators created a bill which will come into effect later this year, that slaps a 9% tax on tickets for live events such as Burning Man and the Electric Daisy Carnival music fest.
Those responsible for running Burning Man and EDC have labeled the bill “extremely detrimental” and “short-sighted” but State Senator Mark Lipparelli defended the move in an interview with Bloomberg. “There’s no better venue in the world than Southern Nevada to conduct an event like Electric Daisy Carnival and there’s no better place than the desert of Northern Nevada for an event like Burning Man. We like them as businesses and we want them to keep coming here. We also want to improve education in Nevada.”
Ticket prices for Burning Man 2015 won’t be affected, but next year’s event will be subject to the new law changes. So what does that mean for festival goers? The organisers are still deciding whether or not to pass the price hike on to burners, but if they do it will push most ticket prices well over the US$400 mark.
If that sounds like it’s just a little bit out of your price range, there’s still the option of heading along this year. Planning for the massive week-long event can be a little intimidating if you’ve never been before - if you’re looking for some ideas on what to expect / how to travel, it might be worth checking out the Motorhome Republic RV rental Burning Man Guide.
Why an RV? It’s the perfect way introduce yourself to the bizarrely wonderful world of Burning Man. Fierce winds and even heavy storm cells are not uncommon in Nevada’s Black Rock desert, and while there may be a certain glory to being exposed to the elements, there’s definitely a case to be made for riding out the storms in comfort. Plus, one of the cardinal principles of the festival is radical self-reliance, and while this does have spiritual and emotional connotations as well as physical, attending in a self sufficient motorhome is a pretty good start.
So where would you pick up a motorhome rental for the festival? It really depends on how big you want your adventure to be. The surrounding area is full of spectacular scenery and fascinating places to stop off and enjoy but if you’re after a pick up location that is less likely to be booked to hilt, you might want to try Salt Lake City. You’ll be looking at a 9 and a half hour journey to get from the beautiful SLC to Black Rock City, but every mile of Highway 80 is worth the experience. Las Vegas and San Francisco are also great spots to start an RV adventure.
No matter where you want to start your journey from or what kind of trip you have planned, Motorhome Republic has great deals on a huge range of RV Rentals, ranging from two berths to seven-plus. Thousands of burners use our site to transport them to one of the greatest festivals on earth - you could be one of them!
After all, in spite of the recent law changes, experiencing the ever-surprising wonders of Burning Man is something that you’ll hold with you for many, many years to come.
