This chart shows how expensive and mainstream Burning Man has become

Advertisement

burning man

Aly Weisman/Business Insider

Since it started in San Francisco in the 80s, Burning Man has gone from a countercultural afterthought to a mainstream phenomenon. The annual pilgrimage of those seeking an alternative living experience - for a week - has exploded in popularity among the tech elite.

Advertisement

Many flush with tech money now spend thousands of dollars to stay in air-conditioned storage units, and Sergey Brin and Elon Musk are rumored to have toured a property that Burning Man organizers are considering turning into a full-time Burning Man community. There's even an app that lets techies chat without cell service or WiFi.

But all this interest, especially from the tech community, has driven up the cost of the festival, even as the number of attendees has skyrocketed. This chart from Dadaviz shows exactly how much the ticket price and attendance of Burning Man has exploded over time:

NOW WATCH: How to build an air conditioner in under 15 minutes