The Burning Man festival has been canceled for the first time in its history because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The weeklong event brings about 80,000 people to the Black Rock Desert in northern Nevada annually.
This year’s festival was scheduled to begin August 30. Organizers said they were committed to providing refunds for tickets – but they are asking purchasers to consider foregoing refunds because the organization faces layoffs, pay cuts and other belt-tightening measures.
They plan to host an online virtual version of the festival, although details of that are still being worked out.
