Wasteland Weekend
WASTELAND WEEKEND RETURNS
SEPTEMBER 30TH – OCTOBER 4TH, 2026!
Tickets went on sale Tuesday, April 21st at 9am (Pacific).
Tier 2 began on June 2nd.
Tier 3 begins July 7th
We’ve kept ticket prices for Wasteland Weekend 2026 the same that they were in 2025 (and the same price as Neotropolis 2026). Tickets will be offered in price tiers, based on when you purchase. Higher price tickets are not VIP or anything, they just mean you bought after a certain date. Your ticket covers ALL DAYS of the event, including parking, camping, and unlimited ins-and-outs.
There are no additional fees for cars, parking, RVs, or camping.
Volunteers
Applications for volunteers are live now! If you plan to volunteer, please DO NOT purchase a ticket until you hear back. Even if you are not picked to volunteer for whatever reason, you will have a chance to purchase a ticket at whatever the tier price was when you applied, so it’s important to get those applications in!
You can find all information about volunteering, including expectations, department and role descriptions, and the application to apply on our Volunteers page here.
Performers
Applications for performers are live now! If you plan to perform, please DO NOT purchase a ticket until you hear back. Even if you are not picked to perform for whatever reason, you will have a chance to purchase a ticket at whatever the tier price was when you applied, so it’s important to get those applications in!
You can find all information about performing, including expectations, and the application to apply on our Performers page here.
Vendors
Applications for 2026 vendors are now closed. This includes goods & services and food vendors. You can find all information about vending, as well as the application to apply, on our Vendors page here. Food vendors page is here.
Tribes
Applications for Theme Zone placement for Tribes are live! If your camp thinks you have what it takes, apply for Theme Zone placement! You can find all details and the application to apply on the Theme Zone page here. Deadline to apply is midnight on July 14th, 2026.
Rules
While our normal event rules don’t drastically change, it’s always a good idea to read them each year. Big ones remain EVERYONE must be in a thematically appropriate costume, EVERYONE must be at least 18 years old by the time of the event, and EVERYONE must follow all state and local laws, as well as the EVENT RULES.
Costumes
Yes, EVERYONE must be in a thematically appropriate costume. What does that mean? Well, no Halloween or comic-con basic costumes for starters. No Darth Vader, no “Wasteland Harley Quinn” or Balder’s Gate characters. Fallout, however, is allowed! Just no power armor or deathclaws. You can read our guidance on Fallout at Wasteland Weekend here. No MEDIC costumes or red crosses, either. We don’t want someone to be confused during an emergency or anything. You can read about our Theme Guidelines and Costume Rules here.
How to Get to Wasteland Weekend / Directions
We have to say this every single year, but, please do NOT use the street address associated with Wasteland Weekend when getting directions to the event. Instead, please follow the directions on our Maps page.
Entry Etiquette / Check-In
For those of you who are new, you’ll want to read through our Event Entry Etiquette page. This will explain what you should bring with you to check in for the event, as well as what you can and cannot do (the Midnight Line, etc.) before the event official starts.
Event Layout / Event Maps
Once complete, we’ll post this year’s event map, which will have all officially approved Tribes and vendors on it, on the Event Maps page.
Facilities
Wasteland Weekend takes place outdoors in a desert environment. There is no running or potable water on site. There is no electricity (or hookups for electricity) on site. There are no dumping station (for grey, black, or fresh water) on site. What we DO provide is several hundred portapotties (portos) and handwashing stations. There are no trash or garbage receptacles on site for the public, either. You will need to pack-it-in, pack-it-out, which means if you brought it, you bring it home with you.
Yes, we have food vendors on site, but, they are not open 24 hours, so you’ll want to plan for your own needs when it comes to food and water. (The usual recommended amount of water to plan for is 1 gallon per 1 adult per day.)
We do have a dedicated Medical tent and staff, as well as Security tent, staff, and mounted patrols. There are usually local law enforcement on site as well.
While there is no event-provided shade (other than select areas for volunteers and staff), most Theme Zone and City Tribes do provide some spaces with shade for attendees during the day. Plan accordingly.
If you’re looking for a nearby hotel, there are two we suggest: Best Western Inn & Suites, and Comfort Inn & Suites Mojave
Weather
“What’s the weather going to be like?” We get this question a lot. After years of holding the event in the same spot in the Mojave Desert, at the same time of year, we still can’t tell you for sure what the weather will be more than about 7 days out. Desert weather is too unpredictable to be accurate farther ahead than that. Even then, it CAN change, sometimes daily. The best rule of thumb is plan for hot, cold, and everything in between.
