Two people have died at Burning Man 2026.
The week-long festival – which is located in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert and focuses on community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance – ended its 2026 edition today (September 7).
Two deaths have been reported at Burning Man this year, with Burning Man Project – the festival’s official communications team – identifying the second as 60-year-old Craigh Mann.
Organisers said he was found dead by his campmates at his camp around 3pm on Saturday (September 5). A cause of death has not been provided.
“Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the participant’s family, friends, campmates, and all those affected by this loss,” the organisation said in a statement.
Mann’s death came two days after another participant, a man in his mid-50s, died following a medical emergency at Black Rock City.
According to organisers, the man received lifesaving measures before being transported to the festival’s onsite emergency care centre, where he was pronounced dead. His identity has not yet been released.
Pershing County Sheriff Coroner Jerry Allen said there were no apparent signs of external foul play, with a final cause of death still pending.
This year’s festival has been a difficult one for organisers, with heavy rain and dust storms causing disruptions throughout.
Another attendee was seriously injured earlier in the week after falling from the 55-foot Nest Tower at the Square One camp. Authorities have also reported 34 arrests for alleged drug sales or trafficking as of Friday morning, along with an arrest related to domestic violence.
This year’s event also arrives one year after the killing of 37-year-old Vadim Kruglov, who was found fatally stabbed at Burning Man in August 2025. No arrest has been announced in that case.
Burning Man organisers have made around-the-clock peer and crisis-support resources available to attendees affected by the deaths.
In 2024, Marian Goodell, the CEO of Burning Man called for “urgent” donations as a way to help save the festival amid staff lay-offs late last year.
The week-long non-profit festival has been known to sell out of tickets months in advance, sometimes within 30 minutes of release. 2024 also saw the festival open ticket sales to non-registered buyers for the first time after experiencing slow sales.
