Wasteland Weekend
VOLUNTEER APPLICATIONS FOR WASTELAND WEEKEND 2026
ARE CLOSED.
PLEASE READ ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE BEFORE SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION.
If you plan to apply to volunteer or perform, do NOT purchase a ticket until you hear back about your status. If you are not selected, you will be able to purchase a ticket at whatever Tier price we were in when you applied.
If you are a confirmed volunteer and you need help with your volunteer ticket- you’ve deleted your confirmation, you need to change the email address or phone number associated with your ticket- please email us, subject line “Wasteland Weekend 2026 Volunteer Ticket,” and we’ll do our best to help you.
PERFORMERS
Bands, DJs, GoGo Dancers and other performers will need to submit a Performer application (when it goes live) HERE.
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Wasteland Weekend absolutely could not happen without the help of our dedicated volunteers. Join our crew, and help the event grow bigger and better each year. Our volunteers are the backbone of the event, and get the benefit of a fully-comped ticket, and most positions will receive an exclusive Wasteland Weekend volunteer dog tag, as well as a department patch and year rocker (where applicable). But for most of our volunteers who come back year after year, it’s about the camaraderie and the satisfaction of working behind the scenes at the biggest immersive post-apocalyptic show on Earth!
The best part of volunteering is that in addition to helping the event run smoothly, you will absolutely have plenty of time to experience Wasteland! We make sure of that.
It’s why you’re out there with us all in the first place!
Sound like your kind of gig? Then read on!
ALL VOLUNTEERS MUST BE 18
BY THE DATE OF THEIR CHOSEN SHIFTS
VOLUNTEER TICKETS
Fully Comped Ticket – 16 Hour Commitment (most positions)
Volunteers who contribute a total of 16 hours or more will receive a fully comped ticket (most positions).
These hours will usually be broken into two shifts of 8 hours each. THERE ARE A FEW EXCEPTIONS, and not all positions will have a specific 16 hour commitment, but that should be noted in the job description or information from your team lead. When you complete an eight hour shift, you will be given a break of at least 30 minutes so that you can go eat lunch/dinner/whatever. After you are confirmed for your volunteer position, your team lead will let you know when your shifts are scheduled.
YOU CANNOT STACK COMP TICKETS.
For example, if you perform at AND volunteer for the same event, you will only receive one comp ticket.
You can read more about comp tickets at the very bottom of the page.
Do NOT buy a ticket if you expect to volunteer
We fully expect to get back to all applicants as to whether we will be able to use you as a volunteer for this event. Everyone who applies will hear from us (either way), with enough time to purchase a ticket at the tier/price you originally applied during. An example would be if you applied during Tier 2, but don’t hear back until Tier 3, you would still be able to purchase a Tier 2 price ticket.
If for some reason you DID buy a ticket and then are confirmed to volunteer, then yes, we will refund your purchase. But it’s much easier for us (and for you) if you simply wait for your volunteer confirmation. If for some reason we were to sell out all tickets before your volunteer app is processed, you WILL still be allowed to buy a ticket, even if the event is sold out (provided you submitted your application while tickets were still on sale).
RULES
The success and smooth operation of the event depends on a committed and reliable volunteer army. We welcome your help, but please apply only if you are confident you can fulfill the role.
Please show up on time for your shift. You may not volunteer while under the influence, so plan your fun accordingly. If you show up drunk or otherwise unprepared for your position, you will be replaced and treated as a no-show. And while Wasteland is all about some kind of costume at all times, please dress in a way that fits the theme but, more importantly, allows you to do your job well. Your volunteer shift may not be the best time to strap on all your prop weapons and accessories (or that face mask that makes it difficult for people to understand you when you talk). On the flip side, wearing too little can be unsafe for certain tasks.
No-Shows will not be tolerated. Last minute cancellations and poor performance may result in you having to pay for your comped ticket, and can lead to exclusion from future volunteer opportunities.
And obviously, please follow any/all official event rules.
FAQ
“I submitted my app. What happens next?”
–> Please make sure the information you are using is up to date, and the email address you use for your application is one you’ll actually be checking, because most of the applications we reject are because the applicant did not respond to multiple emails.
Phase 1: Applications open. Apps are reviewed by the Volunteer Coordinator, and are sent to Team Leads from the indicated department choices for review, as well as looking at the various skills and experience of the applicant. Some departments close sooner than others due to the amount of qualified applicants, so don’t wait too long to apply!
Phase 2: Team Leads reach out to applicants to either accept or decline them. Sometimes there are followup questions they’ll have for you, so you’ll want to make sure you respond as soon as you can. If the Team Lead feels the applicant isn’t a good fit for their department, they’ll be transferred to their second or third choice, or a high-priority position if needed. Volunteers will receive emails confirming approval or transfers, as needed. Please make sure the email address you provide in your application is the one you’ll actually check, as 90% of the reason an applicant gets declined is failure to respond!
IMPORTANT: Chosen volunteers MUST complete a confirmation step as indicated in an approval email before they will be fully confirmed and scheduled. Not completing this step will result in cancellation of volunteer approval. (This just means your Team Lead will email you to confirm your interest / availability in their department, as well as emailing you to confirm your schedule of shifts. If you do not respond to one or both of those emails, you will be removed from our volunteer roster.)
Phase 3: Team Leads start scheduling approved volunteers. Approved volunteers will receive an email with more information. Volunteer tickets will be issued at this point as well. If a confirmed volunteer needs a refund from a previously purchased ticket, they will have access to a form to start the process.
ALL Wasteland Weekend attendees (including volunteers, vendors, Tribes and performers) need a ticket for entry.
If you are scheduled for a pre-event department, or your shift is scheduled to begin before say, noon of the first day the event is open, you will be issued an Early Entry (EA) pass. These mean you are able to come into the event before we officially open to the ticketed public at 7am on Wednesday, September 30th, 2026. If you are issued an EA, you can only use it until Tuesday, September 29th at 10pm, when the gate closes. If you have an EA and do not arrive by that time, you will have to wait until the gate opens to the ticket-holding public at 7am on Wednesday morning.
No exceptions. (You can read more about our event entry etiquette here.)
Phase 4: Final emails go out to all confirmed volunteers with your schedule, and when/where you should check in on site. We make every attempt to get through these phases as fast as possible, but with hundreds of volunteers and a lot of moving parts to the planning, this phase may not happen until very close to the event.
At the Event: Once onsite and settled, volunteers are required to report to Command Center for volunteer check in, unless your Team Lead has told you otherwise. Schedules, reporting location/contact, camp location, and contact info will be double-checked. This step is to make sure our volunteers are onsite and all set to fulfill their commitment. This is also how you’ll get your Volunteer dogtag and if applicable, crew patches/rockers for the year!
These are examples of some of the swag you’ll be eligible to receive once you’ve completed your volunteer shifts:
–> IMPORTANT: IMPORTANT: Those who do not check in at Command Center may be considered no-shows, will not receive volunteer souvenirs, and might not be allowed to volunteer in the future.
“What if this is my first time at Wasteland?”
Perfectly fine, and even encouraged. Volunteering is a great way to jump right in and get involved! First-timers will meet and volunteer alongside our amazing community, while getting to know the layout and feel of the event very quickly.
“How do you pick which applicants get approved?”
Ultimately the event’s success depends on our volunteers, at all levels. We will definitely have fewer spots to fill than applicants, so we choose who seems the best fit for the position, to the best of our ability. But there are some other factors that help too.
We keep notes on how previous event applicants performed. If you volunteered for a previous event, and you received a good review from your team lead, then you will likely get priority placement.
Some positions are extremely popular, so we tend to fill those roles with people having relevant experience or background in those areas.
Some positions require a special certification, like our Medical Team. Those positions will ONLY be filled by those with the relevant, valid certification/license. Special requirements are noted in the position listing, including any certifications, date availability, and skills.
A lot of positions are going to fill up fast, especially some of the more popular roles, so don’t wait to fill out an application.
If you have any questions about a particular role, the volunteer process, or need to make changes to your application, send a note to our Volunteer Coordinator (volunteers@wastelandweekend.com)
Thank you for wanting to be a part of the Wasteland Weekend team!
HOW VOLUNTEERS EARN COMP AND BONUS TICKETS (AND HOW MANY YOU CAN EARN):
Off-season build: 4 days of off-season build are required to earn one comp ticket. Extra days past those 4 days do not earn extra tickets.
On-site build: 4 days required for one comp ticket.
During-event volunteering: 2 complete shifts (usually two shifts of 8 hours each, with breaks) required to earn one comp ticket. No splitting shifts.
Trash Panda: 2 days required to earn one comp ticket (or refund).
Teardown: 4 days required to earn one comp ticket (or refund) AND one bonus comp ticket (or refund).
As you can see above, working Teardown is the only way you can earn more than one comp ticket or refund.
If you volunteer for two roles, such as 4 days of off-season build plus 2 shifts during the event (or you are also a performer or someone that would get a comp ticket via another channel), you DO NOT earn more than one comp ticket to the event.
The ONLY path to earning more than one comped admission or refund per event is to be part of the Teardown crew.
The maximum comp tickets anyone can earn per event is 2 (and the only way you get to 2 is to be part of the teardown crew).
The maximum number of comp tickets you can earn PER YEAR is 4, and this would be done by doing teardown at both events or some combination of another role plus teardown at both events.
Any and all comp tickets or bonus tickets or refunds must be used within 1 year of earning them, or they are no longer valid.
Finally, a reminder we do not want volunteers to buy tickets. You will be issued a volunteer ticket once you are confirmed.
(position descriptions that are crossed out mean that that position is already FULL for this year)