Burning Man kicks off pre-sale ticket process, $800 cost

It's seven months away, but Burning Man hits "go" on 2015 ticket pre-sales this week.

The 72-hour registration period begins at noon Wednesday. Those who register will have access to the first-come, first-served pre-sale ticket event on Jan. 21.

The $800 cost for pre-sale tickets is more than twice the price for regular tickets, but it does provide the earliest access to a Burning Man pass, which can be hard to come by for those who wait too long.

According to Burning Man, those who buy the pricey admissions are aiding those who might not otherwise be able to afford it.

"These are the most expensive tickets we offer and are intended for those who wish to help offset other lower-priced tickets (such as those offered through our Low Income Ticket Program)," according to the festival's ticket website.

The ticketing process is complicated, with pre-sale registration and the actual pre-sale sales, followed by directed group sale, individual sale registration, individual sale sales, low-income ticket application and sales and an "OMG" last-minute sale.

Those who register for this week's pre-sale will be able to purchase up to six tickets and three vehicle passes. Registration is the only way to join ticket sales, but does not guarantee access to a ticket or vehicle pass, according to the Burning Man site.

This year's Burning Man festival will be Aug. 30 to Sept. 7 in the Black Rock Desert, about 120 miles north of Reno.

The 2015 art theme is "Carnival of Mirrors." Organizers will include a midway and funhouse, traditional pieces to old-school carnivals.

The first Burning Man in Nevada drew some 80 people in 1990. In 2014, the festival drew 66,000 people.

For more explanation about how to get tickets of all kinds, visit tickets.burningman.com. For information about the festival itself, go to burningman.org.

2015 Burning Man ticket dates

• Jan. 14, noon PST: Pre-sale ticket registration begins.

• Jan. 17, noon PST: Pre-sale registration ends.

• Jan. 21, noon PST: Sales of pre-sale tickets begin (first-come, first served among those who pre-registered).

• Feb. 11, noon PST: Individual ticket sale registration begins.

• Feb. 14, noon PST: Individual ticket sale registration ends.

• Feb. 18, noon PST: Sales of individual tickets begin

Source: tickets.burningman.com