Wasteland Weekend
Applications for Theme Zone placement consideration are closed for 2026.
Please make sure you read EVERYTHING before applying.
Our goal is to provide an immersive experience for our attendees, and the Theme Zone is a large part of this experience. This official zone is not only inside the gates of Wasteland City, but extends well beyond. If this sounds like something you’d be interested in as a Tribe, please read on.
You’ll find the application at the bottom of this page.
While a themed campsite is not mandatory for all attendees the way costumes are, it IS mandatory for any Tribe wanting a spot in the official Theme Zone (circled in red).
This is your chance to be in the thick of things, and a part of the action! If this sounds like something you’d like to do, you’ll need to complete and submit an application for approval and placement consideration.
THEME ZONE FAQ
Read the entire FAQ and familiarize yourself with the event rules BEFORE filling out the application.
What’s required for placement in the Theme Zone?
Wasteland City is the hub for entertainment, nightlife, barter, and action. Simply having a themed camp is not enough. ‘City’ tribes must be interactive, provide some service, entertainment or function, and maintain the highest standards in theme and conduct.
Does everyone in my Tribe need tickets?
YES. Every Tribe member, event volunteer, vendor, performer, and attendee needs an event ticket.
What theme requirements are considered for placement?
Your camp must fit within the accepted post-apocalyptic themes and rules, and provide a fully immersive atmosphere. A fully-themed camp covers every visual aspect both up-close and from a distance. Themed vehicles are a plus. Camp decorations, nighttime lighting, and interactivity with passing Wastelanders is highly encouraged. (Any non-themed cars/trucks/tents/structures or ‘back stage areas’ must be hidden or camouflaged.)
What other criteria go into the approval process?
Adherence to theme rules, interactivity, great costumes, awesome vehicles, and of course a willingness to work with management and staff. NO bright colors, neon, whites, pinks, or anything that makes you stand out in a bad way.
How big (small) does my tribe themed camp have to be?
We will consider all shapes and sizes. But please remember, from small to very large camps- you must create a 360* fully themed space. So plan accordingly.
Our camp isn’t done yet. Do we still have to send in pictures?
Yes. We need to see where you are in your build. Gather what you do have, and set it up. Take photos both daytime and at night (as we need to see your nighttime lighting), and include the best clear and in focus shots in the application. There is also a spot in the application to insert your Tribe’s Facebook, Instagram, or website URL.
My Tribe was approved for placement last year, do we still need to apply this year?
Yes. All Tribes and camps must submit an application each year to be considered for placement. Only the best themed Tribes will be considered, regardless of years in attendance. If your Tribe has been coming for five years and a first-year group of noobs kicks your ass in theme, it’s time to up your game.
When is the deadline to apply?
APPLICATION DEADLINE will be 11:59pm July 14th, 2026.
Tribes should expect to hear whether they have been accepted or not within a week or two of submitting their applications so that if accepted, they can have the most time possible to prepare.
What if we’re not really a Tribe, just a group of “lone wolves” with a cool camp. Can we still get placement?
Sure (if your camp plans are approved). But for all practical purposes, that makes you a Tribe (semantics….and you can’t pluralize lone wolf). We still have to put something on the map, and “my camp” isn’t going to cut it. Come up with something cool.
Our friends in another camp got placed, but our Tribe didn’t. Can we just combine our camps?
No. Every Tribe / themed camp needs to submit their own application and get officially confirmed on their own merit.
What if we’re bringing something amazing that takes more than one day to set up?
All the more power to you. We love seeing tribes take the initiative, go the extra mile, and raise the bar. If you are planning something that would require extra time, space, or other considerations, PLEASE include that in your application.
Does approved placement mean our camp gets to arrive before the event begins?
For the most part, yes. Approved Theme Zone Tribes are granted a very limited, strictly monitored, allotment of Early Access (EA) passes to set up your camp space. EA passes are to actively set up and build your approved space. EA passes are not to have extra time to hang out and party with your friends. Being a member of an approved and placed Tribe does not automatically grant an EA pass. If the day after your camp gets approved and placed, you suddenly sprout 30 new members on your setup team, you could lose your camp placement, be subject to relocation, and lose EA status for everyone in your Tribe.
All approved Tribes and Vendors must arrive and be finished with setup up no later than Tuesday night. EA passes are only usable until 10pm on Tuesday, September 29th, no exceptions. Anyone with an EA pass arriving after that time will have to wait in the regular attendee line, which opens at 7am on Wednesday, September 30th.
Does every member of my Tribe or camp get to arrive before the event starts?
No, only people with EA passes are allowed to arrive before 7am on Wednesday, September 30th.
Does our camp have to arrive early, or can we still come in on Wednesday when the event officially opens?
Wasteland City Tribes need to be open and running by Gate Opening on Wednesday, September 30th. We cannot have holes in our layout after Wasteland begins, so plan your builds accordingly. If you do not plan to be on site before Tuesday, please let us know in advance so we can review your build plan. Any unclaimed spaces may be allocated to new arrivals and camps on the waiting list. If we have to scramble to fill the void your tribe left, it can affect future placement.
My camp wants to vend at Wasteland, so do we need to fill out VENDOR Application?
Yes. Anyone who is selling something needs to fill out an application. Trade and bartering is allowed, but anyone exchanging actual currency for goods and services must be an approved vendor (with proper business licenses and permits). Under California law; YOU CANNOT VEND WITHOUT A LICENSE! If you would like to sell items, including food, check out our Vendors page and Food Vendors page to apply. wMake sure you have read and understand it all before doing anything. Anyone found vending without proper credentials may be escorted from the event without a refund.
We want to have a DJ, a stage, do Karaoke, or otherwise have amplified sound for our camp. Is that ok?
No. Tribes and camps should not have any audio amplification that violates our official sound policy. If you DO want to have some kind of stage area or performance within your Tribe space, you must include those plans in your application. If you get approved, we will ask to see your schedule and planned entertainment, to make sure it fits in with the event’s theme rules and code of conduct.
When is the deadline to apply again?
11:59pm on July 14th, 2026.
No applications will be accepted after that date.
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I’ve read the FAQ twice and familiarized myself with ALL of Wasteland’s rules and theme guidelines, but I still have some questions. Who do I talk to?
For information about Tribes, please contact tribes@wastelandweekend.com
All other event-related inquiries should be directed to wastelandweekend@gmail.com
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