How to Survive Your First Wasteland Weekend
How to Survive Your First Wasteland Weekend
By JunkDrawer of Last Rites
Last Updated August 2025
So, you’re planning your first trip to Wasteland Weekend — congrats! You’re in for a great time. This unofficial document is designed to help you be as prepared as possible, so you can get the most out of your experience.
First, a few general tips:
- There are many ways to experience Wasteland Weekend, and it’s up to you to decide what you want to get out of the event. Some people come to LARP and do missions and quests; some people come to drink and dance the night away; others just want to immerse themselves in the amazing costumes, camps, and cars that other attendees have created. The Wasteland is full of chances to push yourself out of your comfort zone (which can often lead to rewarding experiences) but there’s no one “right” way to enjoy the event, so do what feels right for you!
- Don't go too hard your first year. Keep your costume basic and comfortable, and most importantly, focus on getting ready to survive in the desert. Plan a few key events/activities you want to check out, but leave yourself open to experiencing whatever random thing the event throws at you. Many of my favorite Wasteland moments have happened totally unexpectedly! Make sure to plan for some down time, too — you’ll need the rest.
- Test everything in advance. You don't want to open a brand new tent or camp stove and find out it's missing a piece or you don't know how to use it, or get stuck with a bunch of cardboard and styrofoam packaging you need to haul out with you. Try wearing your full costume for a few hours on a hot day to make sure it's comfortable. Start breaking in your shoes well before the event.
With that out of the way, here’s an annotated packing list of stuff you might want to bring:
Documents:
- Ticket (Phone Screenshot & Hard Copy)
- Google maps isn't reliable there, so print or screenshot the directions!
- Printed Event Map
- Printed Event Schedule
- Envelope containing the above
- Cash (For Bartertown shopping, food vendors, and dumpster)
General Camping:
- I wish I had some fabulous recommendation here, but it comes down to your individual comfort and budget. There are plenty of fancy desert festival tents like Shiftpods and super rugged tents like Kodiak canvas tents which are fabulous, but they ain’t cheap. So get the best tent you can afford or use what you already have. Bonus points if it’s well suited to heat and wind.
- Cot / Air Mattress / Sleeping Pad
- Sleeping Bag or Bedding
- Fitted Sheet
- Getting into a bed that’s covered in dust and dirt sucks. A great way to prevent this is to put a fitted sheet over your sleep setup after you wake up so it’s protected throughout the day.
- A Twin XL sheet will fit best with most cots.
- There are many camps that are happy to have you hang out in their shade during the heat of the day but it never hurts to have your own.
- DO NOT USE AN EASY UP STYLE CANOPY. It WILL get destroyed and you will be sad. Trust me on this one.
- Don't use a parachute. Not only will it catch the wind, it doesn't protect from UV and you'll get sunburned sitting under it (learn from my mistakes!)
- 90% UV shade cloth is the best, but camo netting works, too. You want it to be lightweight and provide cover, but have some breathability for wind and heat to escape.
- This is a whole topic of its own but the tl;dr is they should be at least 12” and extremely tough. Rebar stakes, military stakes, and lag screws are the best options in my opinion.
- Something that's highly-visible to mark your guy lines and stakes so you don't trip on them is also a good idea.
- Don’t forget a good mallet, too — the ground can be pretty tough!
- Ground cover & broom if you’re fancy!
- Certain areas have prickly grass, and the dust gets everywhere. A canvas drop cloth or cheap rug will give you a more comfortable spot to stand/sit.
- Flashlight or Headlamp
- Lanterns, solar stake lights, etc.
- Battery-powered fan
- I've found that a small fan allows me to sleep for an extra hour or so before the sun roasts me out of my tent.
- It can get really cold at night, so come prepared!
- Power bank for recharging phone
- They even make ones with built-in solar panels so you'll never run out of power!
If you’re camping in your car:
- Windshield reflector
- Window coverings
- Cutting up cheap windshield reflectors or even just cardboard to the size of your windows and taping them in place will help considerably with heat and privacy.
- Plywood boards to park on
- At least under your front tires (for front-wheel drive vehicles), to make sure you don't sink into sand!
- Fuel up in Mojave or California City
- Jumper battery or jumper cables
- Spare car key
- Give it to a friend or campmate so you’ll have a backup in case you get locked out or lose your key!
Food & Supplies:
- 2 gallons per day per person should cover drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, etc.
- Those 2.5 gallon jugs from the market get expensive fast. Reusable water jugs can actually be an economical choice.
- A themed water bottle or Camelback is good to carry with you during the day!
- Plan meals in advance to avoid over- or under-packing.
- Shelf stable foods are easy and affordable.
- Pre-cooking meals and freezing them is also a good option!
- There are a couple of excellent food vendors in Bartertown that are worth planning to try. Bring cash.
- Your appetite in the desert will be reduced, but it’s really important to eat regularly. We usually cook breakfast and dinner each day, and survive on snacks or food vendors for lunches.
- Make sure the food you bring is food you enjoy and are used to eating. Shocking your system into an unfamiliar diet may not agree with you while you’re adjusting to a new environment!
- High protein snacks like jerky and nuts
- High electrolyte snacks like pickles
- Pre-chill your cooler and anything going in it for maximum cold retention!
- Dry ice can help, but make sure none of your food or the walls of your cooler are in direct contact with it. Wrap blocks of dry ice with old towels, and open your cooler’s drain so CO2 pressure doesn’t build up inside.
- The Dinki-Dive food stand in Bartertown sells ice if you need to replenish.
- A cooler cover made of cheap windshield reflectors can help prolong cold retention.
- Frozen water bottles are great to start with. Once they thaw, drink them and buy replacement ice!
- A booze or mixer to donate to The Atomic Cafe
- Free drinks at the bar all weekend, but they ask that you bring a new unopened bottle of something to contribute. Avoid shitty cheap vodka, and bring something you’d personally drink. They especially need mixers!
- Drop it off at the Command Center (just inside the Wasteland City gates, on the right) during the daytime.
- Gatorade / Pedialyte / Coconut Water / Etc.
- Water is important, but you also need electrolytes - it's what plants crave!
- Camp stove & fuel
- Fire extinguisher
- Pots, pans, etc.
- Can opener
- A plate or bowl & cutlery!
- People may offer you food if you have your own stuff to eat off of!
- Another good option is biodegradable plates - you can throw them away instead of washing dishes.
- Pack it in, pack it out. Leave no trace!
- There is a dumpster on site where you can dump for $5/bag.
- Dish cleaning kit (if using reusable dishes)
- This should include a waste bucket, paper towels, two spray bottles, environmentally-friendly soap, and ziploc bags.
- I’ve found the most efficient dish cleaning system is:
- Wipe scraps into waste bucket or trash with paper towel
- Hit it with a spray bottle of soapy water, then wipe it down
- Use a second spray bottle of clean water to get rid of soap residue, then dry it off
- Store clean dishes in a Ziploc bag
Costume & Comfort:
- It can be very hot in the day and very cold at night, so planning your costume to adapt to any temperature is a good idea.
- Find something that completely seals around your eyes to protect yourself during dust storms or while cruising in vehicles.
- It can get very dusty and the less dust you breathe, the better! Not only is losing your voice annoying, Valley Fever is a nasty bacterial infection you can get from breathing the dust — bring a bandana, tactical scarf, KN95 mask, etc. Your lungs will thank you!
- The Atomic Cafe and the other bars around Wasteland don't provide cups, so it's a good idea to carry one with you. Have fun theming it to match your costume!
- Most of the bars have non-booze options as well. It's a big drinking event but there are also plenty of sober folks!
- Don't worry about theming shoes too much, the dust will make most shoes look fine instantly! Focus instead on comfort/support/durability, and break them in before the event.
- Flip-flops or slip-on shoes
- For when you have to go to the porto in the morning but you don't want to lace up your 20-eye Docs!
- For when the DJs are still playing at 3am and you’re fuckin’ tired!
Personal & Hygiene:
- Bring more than enough so you can reapply throughout the day! Most sunblocks need to be reapplied every 60-90 min. The UV index gets nasty in the desert, so set a timer to remember to reapply.
- Lip balm with SPF
- Apply your first layer of sunblock before you put your costume on in the morning. All those cool distressed holes in your costume can give you quite an interesting sunburn if you’re not careful!
- Apply even when you’re under shade — UV can bounce off of the ground, and not all shade covers are UV-rated!
- Sometimes the portos run out so it's best to bring a roll of your own as a backup.
- Backpacking toilet paper rolls don’t have the cardboard center and can easily fit in a pocket or pouch!
- Hand sanitizer
- Biodegradable Wipes
- Best way to "shower" — I give myself a wipedown each day around dinner and again before I go to sleep
- Do NOT throw them out in the portos!
- Note: If you need to leave site for a real shower, the EZ Trip and Love’s truck stops are good options.
- Makeup remover wipes
- Medi-Lyte tablets
- "Gatorade in pill form!" If you haven't been consuming enough electrolytes, these will help, along with water.
- Using this a couple times a day will help keep your sinuses from becoming painfully dry.
- A bag with baby wipes, condoms, lube, gloves, clean underwear, etc. can't hurt to have around, just in case.
- Wasteland's Medical team is great and can help you with any injuries or health issues, but it doesn't hurt to have some basics like Band-Aids, Neosporin, aloe, tweezers, etc. readily available at your camp.
Misc:
- Wasteland Radio is broadcast on 88.3FM! It's all fun, but in the mornings they do Fallout hour and a rundown of the day’s events which is our favorite thing to listen to while having breakfast.
- Scorpions glow under blacklight, so a UV flashlight is handy to check your camp for them at night.
- Most of the vendors in Bartertown proper ironically prefer "pre-war money" AKA real cash, but most other attendees will have fun trinkets to trade.
- The hottest items tend to be small decorations and accessories that people can instantly use to improve their costume, but anything goes! You never know what folks will be interested in, so a good starting point is if you think it’s cool or useful, someone else probably will, too.
- Inspired by the Fallout series, certain bottle caps are a kind of currency in the Wasteland.
- Regular beer bottle caps aren't good for anything other than crafting.
- Custom designed bottle caps from Bottlemark.com (or even hand-decorated caps) act as fun little calling cards for individuals and tribes. Collect them, trade them, but don't expect to be able to use them for barter.
- Last Chance Casino orange-painted caps can be used for gambling and sometimes for barter.
- The Pochteca Trade Association has their own special caps called “Poochies” that are redeemable at their trading post. Earn Poochies by completing quests at PTA and around the Wasteland.
- Knife or Leatherman Tool
- Crafting & Repair Kit
- Pet Photo or Memento
- Indulge me in some shameless self-promotion here — my tribe, Last Rites, is home to the Congregation of Blessed Beasts pet memorial chapel. This is a beautiful sacred space where you can leave a photo, memento, note, etc. to honor your pets that are no longer with us. Visiting the chapel can be an intense emotional experience, but it can also provide peace and healing to anyone who’s ever lost an animal companion.
- Donation for ‘Feed the Animals’ Shelter Donation Drive
- Last Rites also sponsors the annual ‘Feed the Animals’ donation drive, where we collect dog and cat food, treats, litter, toys, blankets, cleaning supplies, etc. for the California City Animal Shelter. You can also donate money to the shelter’s PayPal directly. It’s a great way to give back to the community that puts up with a bunch of costumed weirdos coming to town every September, and everyone who donates will receive a special bottle cap as a thank you! More info here!
Additional Tips:
Participate!
The Wasteland is full of fun and unique activities! I spent many years feeling too awkward to participate, but once I decided to start trying new things, a world of fun opened up for me! Most of the things to do are put on by fellow paying attendees who’ve put a lot of work into creating these experiences for you, so they really want you to participate! Here’s a brief list of some of my favorite experiences in the Wasteland:
- Stop by the Slammer and pick up a Wanted poster. Find your target and challenge them (usually “rock, paper, scissors”) and return to claim your bounty! Some posters indicate a Most Wanted target with additional challenges, and you can print your own posters if you want to be hunted, too!
- Find Chatter Box to receive a bottle cap, and then find someone to trade it for something either bigger or better. Keep trading up until we convene on Saturday to crown a winner! (I won in 2024 by trading for an electric guitar!)
- Head to the WCC post office and grab a letter to deliver! Sometimes it’s addressed to a particular person you need to track down, sometimes it’s to a specific camp, and sometimes it’s to “the first person you find with green hair,” but it’s always a fun adventure and a great way to get your bearings.
- A crash course for first year Wastelanders including a tour of the event, essential survival information, and introductions to costuming, quests, and employment opportunities.
- Boneyard Buzzards Jet Delivery
- Visit the Boneyard Buzzards to become a courier for stealthy Chem-running missions. Scout camps throughout the wastes to retrieve valuable ingredients, proprietary formulas, etc. from hidden dead drops.
- Visit the Farlanders and become a gas courier! They’ll give you a gas can to deliver to another camp, but watch out — raiders might try to take it from you along the way!
- Fracture Hill Fossil Co. Museum
- View amazing artifacts from before the bombs fell! Read the informative signs to learn totally “true” information about all of the items on display. Dig for “fossils” at the active dig site!
- The Thunderdome is one of the most thrilling events to watch and/or participate in! If you want to fight in the ‘dome, you must sign up in advance! It’s incredibly physically demanding to fight, but so much fun. If you’re not up for fighting, it’s still amazing to watch — just get there early so you can secure a good viewing spot on or around the dome.
- This varies from year to year, but there are a lot of really cool crafting workshops where you can pick up new skills from your fellow Wastelanders! From traditional hand crafts like embroidery and yarn spinning to post-apocalyptic projects like theming Barbie dolls or making wind chimes, it’s always fun to sit around with your fellow weirdos and make something cool together.
- The official Car Cruise and Car Shows are great opportunities to see all of the amazing post-apocalyptic vehicles in action and up close, respectively, but it’s also fun to ride around the event on one of them! If you see a cool vehicle approaching, stick out your thumb and say “hey, can I get a ride?” and most of the time, the driver will be more than happy to let you hop on.
- From live bands and DJs on the main stage to burlesque shows and drag performances, variety shows and much more, it’s always fun to watch whatever is going on at the main stage, Wasted Saints, Wreck Room, and other stages around the Wasteland.
- Shameless self-promotion: join the Congregation of Blessed Beasts at Last Rites on Friday at midnight for a communal ceremony of feral self-expression! Howl your joy, your rage, and your sorrow alongside your fellow strays. All breeds are welcome.
Enjoy the Desert!
- The Mojave Desert is an incredible place. While it may appear to be a desolate, barren wasteland, it’s actually a vibrant ecosystem full of life. Take a moment to pause and look around you and notice the unique plants and animals that have adapted to thrive in this harsh environment.
- Remember that we are just visitors, intruding on the animals that call the desert their home. You may see snakes, lizards, desert tortoises, tarantulas, scorpions, tarantula hawk wasps, ants, coyotes, kangaroo rats, and more. In general, if you see any of these creatures, it’s best to leave them alone; if they are presenting an imminent hazard, contact the Security team and they will send someone to safely relocate it. Never harm or harass the local wildlife.
- If you happen to camp near one of the many ant colonies on site, you can leave a food offering away from your tent so they’ll become preoccupied with that instead of getting into your stuff. It’s never okay to use pesticides, diatomaceous earth, boiling water, gasoline, etc. to harm the wildlife.
- Look up! During the day, you may see interesting aircraft flying over from the nearby Edwards Airforce Base. At night, the stars are absolutely gorgeous and you can usually get a spectacular view of the milky way.
Utilize the Medical and Security teams!
The event provides teams of volunteer medical and security staff. Remember that they are there to help, make sure you know where they are located, and use them as a resource!
- In an emergency, look for the ‘blue light’ stations throughout Tent City. Inside each is a walkie talkie that will connect you to medical and security, and they will send help to your location.
- Medical: The medical team is well versed in the types of injuries and ailments that happen most frequently at this event. If you’re feeling like you may be having a reaction to the heat, they can provide a place to rest and cool off, offer you water and electrolytes, a cold pack, etc. and if you need any kind of first aid, they’ll patch you up. For more extreme emergencies, they will help coordinate your evacuation from the event to the nearest hospital. If you’re suffering the effects of alcohol or drug use, they will help take care of you, no questions asked. They even have a wellness volunteer on duty at all times, if you need someone to talk to about a mental health issue.
The medical team is there to provide you with a safe space and comfortable care. The team includes a diverse group of people representing many genders, races, sexualities, and backgrounds, so you can always find someone you are comfortable talking to without fear of judgment. - Security: While Wasteland Weekend is a remarkably safe festival with a wonderful community, any time you put 4,000 people together, you’re bound to encounter the occasional security issue. Theft is rare but it does happen occasionally, so consider locking up your valuables. Be mindful of taking drinks from strangers (it’s safer to take drinks from tribes’ bars since they can be identified if there’s an issue). In the rare event of something happening, the Security team does an awesome job taking action — just go to the Security tent during the event, or if you need to report something afterward they have a handy online form.
Porto Etiquette!
Wasteland is home to some of the cleanest portos I’ve ever seen at a festival. We all do our part to keep them clean! Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- While the portos are generally very well-stocked, it’s never a bad idea to have a backup roll of toilet paper — just make sure it’s single ply only.
- Never put anything other than toilet paper in the porto. That means no trash, no food, no menstrual products, etc! You may see memes or references to “porto chicken” which is a bit of an urban legend around the event in which people have found evidence of someone eating chicken wings in the portos — please don’t do this.
- When you’re finished, close the lid! Keeping the lid closed helps the porto ventilate properly and reduces the smell.
- Be kind to the sanitation staff! They work hard throughout the event to make sure everything’s clean and well stocked, and have become beloved members of our community, so be nice to them! If they are servicing a bank of portos, go to another bank or wait until they are finished.
FAQ:
The official website’s FAQ covers a lot, so start there, but here are some additional questions I see newbies asking often:
- The event is divided into two zones: the “Theme Zone” which includes Wasteland City, all of the entertainment, themed camps, food vendors, Bartertown, etc; and “Tent City” which is open camping for all attendees. Space in Tent City is on a first-come, first-served basis but there’s plenty of room. If you don’t need to come in and out of the event, utilize the space on the interior of the blocks.
- Do I really need to be in costume the whole time?
- According to the official rules, yes. However, nobody’s going to kick you out if you’re spotted walking to the portos in your unthemed pajamas first thing in the morning, or if you’re in jeans and a t-shirt while you’re first setting up your camp out in Tent City. Just plan to be in a fully-themed outfit anytime you venture into the Theme Zone and you’ll be alright!
- Do I need to theme my glasses/cell phone/wheelchair/etc?
- While it can be really fun to go all out on your theming, no, you’re not going to get in trouble if your necessary medical device or your cell phone isn’t in theme. For non-vision-impaired attendees, get some cheap sunglasses and fuck ‘em up with some paint so they don’t distract from your otherwise amazing costume!
- What kinds of things should I bring to barter?
- As mentioned above, this really depends on who you’re bartering with — one man’s person’s trash is another’s treasure, as they say!
- That being said, barter items that are often exciting for many attendees include things that are unique and handmade, accessories and jewelry that can readily be added to a costume, patches and pins, items that are useful for comfort and utility at the event (themed bottle openers, hand fans, drinking vessels, pouches, etc), and crafting supplies like bullet shells, bones, car emblems, leather, etc.
- Please note that unless you have a county-issued health permit, food and drinks are restricted and should not be bartered or given away to anyone except your campmates and friends (but luckily it’s easy to make friends quickly at the event).
- Unless you’re an official Bartertown vendor and have registered for a sales permit through the county, selling items for money is prohibited.
- NO! One of the great things about Wasteland is that you can choose how to enjoy it. Some people choose to be fully in character the whole time, while others choose to be themselves but in dirty-looking clothes. Most common, however, is some in-between where you are in-character during certain interactions or while doing a mission, but slip out of character when you’re just hanging out.
- How do I get a Wasteland name? Do I need one?
- Most people go by a Wasteland name at the event, but it’s not a requirement. Some people name themself before the event, and others are given a name by friends or fellow attendees upon arriving — they’re both valid!
- It took me about 3 years to land on a name that I liked, and that’s okay. Don’t feel pressure to figure it out right away.
- You might show up with a name in mind, and after a day or a few years decide it’s not right for you. It’s okay to change your name! Many of my closest friends at the event have changed names at some point.
- How do I join a tribe? Do I need to?
- Don’t worry about joining a tribe your first year — most people go solo or with a few friends. Even if you arrive solo at the event, if you make an effort to meet the people in line with you, the people camped near you in Tent City, and the people you interact with while doing missions and activities, you’ll quickly find like-minded people to hang out with!
- Keep in mind that many tribes require a lot of commitment. Theme Zone tribes must arrive early to set up their camps and stay late to tear them down; most spend lots of time and money building throughout the year; there may be dues to cover storage and transportation fees; many require communal cooking and kitchen duties, more strict group costume guidelines, shifts to work missions or bars, etc. — it can take a lot of time, money, and energy to be part of a Theme Zone tribe, and that’s on top of everything you’re already doing to get ready for your first event!
- Some tribes are less formal and exist primarily as a collection of friends who enjoy camping together and sharing resources. This may be a more accessible route for people who are new to the event, but it’s in no way a requirement — there are many lone wanderers in the Wasteland!
- Volunteering is also a good way to make friends if you’re new to Wasteland, plus you can earn your ticket! Check out the official website’s volunteer page to learn more.
- Is this an inclusive event?
- Yes! Wasteland is a wonderfully diverse community that accepts people from all backgrounds, genders, sexualities, races, body types, disabilities, etc. The event’s code of conduct explicitly prohibits any kind of harassment, and if you encounter any harassment it should be reported to the Security team immediately.
- While at first glance, Wasteland can look like a very aggro male-dominated event, but it’s actually incredibly inclusive. Body positivity abounds, there are a ton of queer and trans tribes who host events for those communities, a large majority of my friends at the event are neurodivergent and/or disabled, and pretty much everyone is incredibly friendly and welcoming!
- Heads up: a standard Wasteland greeting you’ll hear is “fuck you!” but don’t worry — this is Wasteland's version of an “aloha” or “shalom” where it means hello, goodbye, I love you, and more. Just smile and shout “fuck you” back!
Community Resources:
You surely have more questions and are eager to start getting to know the community. Here are some good places to engage with other Wastelanders:
- Facebook Groups — there are several official groups (and several unofficial) for various aspects of Wasteland Weekend
- The Wasteland World Discord server
- r/WastelandWeekend on Reddit
- The Apocalypse Post is a great podcast and YouTube channel that discusses all things Wasteland Weekend
- YouTube Videos — in addition to official videos, watching vlogs and other videos is a great resource to know what to expect! Here are some of my favorites:
I hope you’ve found this guide helpful and that you feel more prepared for your first Wasteland Weekend! If you’d like to say hello to me at the event, you can usually find me at Last Rites, and if you’re feeling generous, here’s my Venmo. Best of luck with all of your preparations!
