Frequently Asked Questions

Kiwiburn 2025 will be held from 22 to 27 January. 

As of 2022, tickets in the general sale are available for purchase via a lottery in order to avoid the how-fast-is-your-browser situation of previous years.  The numbers for Kiwiburn 2025 have been increased to 2450, of which 450 will be availalbe via the lottery, however the event is still heavily oversubscribed generally and we will sell out. 2000 tickets will be available for Crew, Art and Theme Camps, so get invovled.  

After tickets sell out, we open up the Secure Ticket Exchange Program (STEP), which allows people to safely and securely buy/sell their Kiwiburn tickets.

The Theme for 2025 will be:

TRASH RENAISSANCE FAIR

We’re calling on everyone to be part of the solution by bringing items that can be reused or recycled. Instead of buying new, let’s dig into our closets, attics, and local thrift stores to find treasures waiting to be repurposed.
It’s about more than just reducing waste. By reusing and recycling, we’re building a culture of care for our planet and each other. Let’s turn old fabric into stunning costumes, forgotten wood into works of art, and overlooked treasures into something magical. Drawing inspiration from Radical Inclusion and Radical Self-reliance, we challenge ourselves to transform waste into beautiful works of art while embodying the principles of Radical Self-expression and Communal Effort.

So come on over and be part of the Trash Renaissance Fair. Together, let’s show the world the power of creativity and sustainability, one recycled masterpiece at a time.

”

Yes! We have a live one! Check out our Volunteer page to see what’s up!

If you’re interested in Volunteering throughout the year, take a look at our Volunteer Opportunities page. We need volunteers for all kinds of year-round positions, from the Media Subcommittee to Accounting and beyond!

If you want to Volunteer but it’s a bit too late to sign up, you can find the volunteer coordinator on site – but we prefer you make contact in advance because that helps us to be organised.

Kiwiburn’s Gate crew issue everyone with wristbands to help create a safe event for the community. If you see people onsite without a wristband, please let the nearest on-duty volunteer know.

No. Unlike many other festivals, Kiwiburn is an entirely volunteer-driven, participatory event. Because of this, everyone, including volunteers and the organising committee, buys a ticket for the event. Kiwiburn is non-profit, and all the ticket money goes into a pool to pay the expenses of the event, such as Art Grants, toilets and infrastructure. Read more here.

The Kiwiburn community can often help out with rides, floors to sleep on and other help, especially if you’re coming a long way. If you’re making art for Kiwiburn, there is an Art Grants programme that can help with expenses.

All participants must be offsite by 1pm on the last day of the event, typically a Monday (27 January for 2025).

We love it when people take photos of our event, but please make sure you are sensitive about other people’s boundaries. That naked person running around the fire may well be a tax accountant who doesn’t want to be tagged on Facebook for employers and family members to see. Don’t publicly share any sensitive photos, unless you have expressed permission to do so. Not sure if it’s a good time to take photos? Just ask. Consent is key! Brand new in 2024 (continued for 2025) will be the distribution of Yellow Rubber wristbands that indicate that the wearer is comfortable with photography, so look out for those and err on the side of caution. It is still best to ask of course.

Commercial use of all imagery taken at Kiwiburn is forbidden without expressed permission. All professional photographers with intent to receive compensation for a Kiwiburn image including editorial or gallery must check in with the organisers. Pre- or post-event, photographers should email our Photography Liaison for information and permission.

ALL motion-capturing video and film cameras must be registered, whether for personal or professional purposes. There is no filming without expressed permission. Read more on consent here, and read our Photography and Video policy here.

NO! Absolutely not. There are many reasons why you can’t bring animals of any kind to Kiwiburn:

Our agreement with the site owner forbids animals.
New Zealand has a unique ecosystem with no native mammals. Introduced animals can chase and kill birds and damage plants.
Pets are prone to responding adversely to loud noises, huge sound systems, explosions, fireworks and crazy costumed people.
Kiwiburn is surrounded by fields with farm animals – these can be harmed by pets. Farmers are entitled to shoot animals that are disturbing their stock.
Participants with animals will be turned round at the gate. There are a number of kennels around most New Zealand cities than can look after your pet during the event – making a booking early is recommended.

Kiwiburn is a pedestrian-friendly village that is easy to navigate with a bicycle or on foot. We encourage you to decorate your transportation. You may not drive your car at the event. This is a serious safety issue – moving cars create dust and we have little room for people to drive. Please recognise the importance of this rule. The sole exception to the no-driving rule are official cars, art cars and mutant vehicles, which must have been pre-registered and have a safety plan.

The Kiwiburn site is small and friendly enough that you should find your friends really easily. Or maybe find some different friends, as well (or instead!).

If you do need help finding your friends, especially if it’s dark, here are some suggestions:

• There may be mobile coverage. However, many people choose to turn their phones off during the event.
• There will be a whiteboard at Centre Camp to leave messages on.
• You can also leave messages at the Greeter Station. Or, even better, volunteer for Greeters and be there when your friends arrive!
• If they are involved with a Theme Camp, you can find them located on the map at either the Depot or Artery.

We’d suggest in this case that you do get a mobile phone and leave it switched on, or check in with your family.

The gates into the site will be open:

Wednesday: 8am – 10pm
Thursday: 10am – 8pm
Friday: 10am – 8pm
Saturday: 10am – 12pm (midday, final entry)
Sunday: CLOSED

We’d suggest that you plan to arrive as early as possible to fully enjoy the event.

Monday: EXODUS – all participants must be offsite by 1pm.

While leaving the Paddock during the event and returning to the default world will probably be the last thing on your mind, In & Out passes are available at Site Office for $20 per person. If you leave without receiving a pass, you will not be able to return. You can leave at any time (as long as you are not driving on the paddock after dark) but you can only re-enter during Gate open hours.

Kiwiburn is held on private land. As such, we ask that you notify our Art and Theme Camp Coordinator during registration if you need to arrive onsite prior to the event to set up. Please do not be offended if your request is refused! Before the event opens, the site is still a construction area – it’s important that we maintain safety while we are still setting up our infrastructure.

The nearest domestic airport is just North of Palmerston North (60km). Wellington Airport is about 190km drive.

Auckland is the only airport in New Zealand with direct services to the US and other intercontinental destinations.

If you have a personal aircraft, then, wow! We’d very much doubt there’s room for a fixed wing aircraft, but floatplanes, helicopters, hot-air balloons and Harrier JumpJets might be able to land. Contact us and the CAA, and we’ll try and make it happen.

There are a whole range of options:

• Post on the Rideshare group on Facebook or use the Rideshare Matchmaking service. Lots of burners are looking for people to share a vehicle and we encourage this to save on energy and emissions.
  To use Rideshare Matchmaking:
  →If you are SEEKING a ride, fill out this form: https://airtable.com/shreOPZWJq8b46bSy.
  →If you are OFFERING a ride, fill out this other form: https://airtable.com/shr2IrOYtKQk7Zx6x.
  →If you have any questions, you can email rideshare@kiwiburn.com
• Join one of the Kiwiburn volunteer teams. We love our volunteers, especially those from overseas, and can often sort people out with transport.
• Join a Theme Camp. A lot of camps will organise carpools for their members.
• There are affordable, regular bus services to Hunterville. See the Naked Bus page or the Intercity Coachlines website for details.
• Rent a car. You might be able to combine with others to fill a rental.

Hunterville is around 10kms from the site, where you can find a 4 Square, BP Service Station, and numerous other small businesses like cafes and pubs, and some that cater for clothing/costumes and unusual accessories. 

We encourage you to do as much of your shopping as you can in the local Rangitīkei district. It’s one way of thanking the community for having us – and it also saves you lots of leg-room on the journey there! The Rangitīkei District Council have put together an awesome resource just for Kiwiburners, filled with information about local businesses that may be of use to you on your way to and from Kiwiburn. This includes food and drink shops, op shops, building supplies, knick knacks, laundromats, and more. Check out the Kiwiburners’ Guide to the Rangitīkei.

Alternatively, Palmerston North is about 70kms drive away, and Wellington is the nearest large city, 190kms away. Asking on the Kiwiburn Facebook group may also help in meeting your requirements.

Some quick semantics, I hope you’re hungry for details!

At Kiwiburn, we don’t have a Man as such. Never fear – we still build a huge thing and burn it. But it’s not always a Man, like our friends in Nevada. We call it the Effigy. In the past we’ve featured a robot, a minotaur, and so many more.

What will it be this year, I wonder? You’ll have to come and see. Whatever it is, it burns on Saturday after sunset (followed on Sunday night by the Temple burn).

Kiwiburn has survived and flourished through sharing, trading and the giving of the gift of yourself. We have found the buying and selling of goods is a distraction to connecting and creating relationships. Selling is a transaction-based activity. There is NO VENDING at Kiwiburn. Participants who are found vending will be asked to leave.

There is no Main Stage at Kiwiburn. We have Centre Camp which provides a space for performance art and music. This will have a limited PA facility. See the Centre Camp coordinator to schedule a performance slot.

Many Theme Camps feature music and performance – if you would like to play music or DJ, for instance, then make contact with the camp organisers, who are usually happy to get new members.

You can also set up your own performance based theme camp.

Many Kiwiburn participants enjoy amplified music. Use of amplified music needs to take place with consideration for other campers and for the community outside the Kiwiburn perimeter. Because of this, we place large scale sound camps in dedicated areas, and have a quiet zone as far as possible from these areas. If you use an amplified audio system at your camp, the volume must be held to reasonable levels. Speakers must be elevated off the ground, and backed by a truck, camper or anything large and solid enough to prevent the sound from traveling backwards. If a problem with sound levels continues after sufficient requests and warnings, the source of power for such device or system will be disabled.
The hum of generators can become annoying over a long period of time. Please keep your neighbours in mind. We recommend generators that are sound insulated. Do NOT dig a trench to sound-insulate your generator – enclose it in a wooden box. High volume sound (greater than 90db at 30m distance) is only permitted in registered sound camps in the sound art zone. As a guideline, sound systems should not exceed 70 dBs at 10m a 180 degrees off-axis from the speakers. Speakers must be directed away from the main camping zones. If we receive noise complaints from the neighbours, you may be asked to turn it down. In the quiet camping zone, noise must be kept at a minimum. Musical instruments or stereos cannot be played there at night, and conversation should be kept to a minimum.

You are! Kiwiburn is a participant driven event. Everyone who performs at Kiwiburn does so as a participant, and there are no paid or booked performers. Based on previous years, there will be a range of DJs and musicians playing on theme camp stages and at Centre Camp.

If you want an idea of who’s playing or what styles of music are being featured, many of the Theme Camps have web or Facebook pages, or check out the registrations on the Kiwiburn website.

If you have a musical style you’d like featured, or a performer you want to see – think about starting a theme camp and persuading your favourite artist to come to Kiwiburn.

Registered Theme Camps will get placement in an appropriate position. Other camping is first-come first-served. Come early if you need space to add friends, but don’t grab more land than you need!

No. During daylight hours, cars may be driven across the paddocks to unload gear, however, they then need to be moved back to the parking area. They may not be kept on the paddock as storage units, even for theme camps. This will be monitored closely by the parking team. The idea behind this is to unclutter the paddock as much as possible and allow more room for camping (and fun!).

Vehicles that are being slept in may stay on the paddock in camping and theme camp areas. Please note that sleeping vehicles are likely to be blocked in during the event, so park in the designated parking paddock if you need to leave before 10am Monday.

There is to be no driving on the paddock after dark. People who arrive after dark will be asked to park up immediately and carry gear to camping spots. There will be a camping spot next to parking for people who want to camp up for the night and then move the next day.

Note: Sunset is around 8:40pm and Gate closes at 10pm on Wednesday 

Full details are available here: https://kiwiburn.com/about/the-organisation/policies/parking-policy/

Kiwiburn is alive 24 hours a day, and much activity takes place at night. We ask that each person respect their neighbour. If you are fond of quiet for sleeping, we recommend earplugs. There is a quiet zone where you can camp if you prefer, but we can’t guarantee silence.

The community, especially large sound camps do have guidelines to follow. Read the Sound Policy here.

There is to be no driving on the paddock after dark. People who arrive after dark will be asked to park up immediately and carry gear to camping spots. There will be a camping spot next to parking for people who want to camp up for the night and then move the next day.

During daylight hours, cars may be driven across the paddocks to unload gear, however, they then need to be moved back to the parking area. They may not be kept on the paddock as storage units, even for theme camps. This will be monitored closely by the parking team. The idea behind this is to unclutter the paddock as much as possible and allow more room for camping (and fun!).

Vehicles that are being slept in may stay on the paddock in camping and theme camp areas.

The parking team is working hard to ensure that we fit maximum cars into the parking area without anyone being parked in. Please follow the parking instructions and park thoughtfully. If you come in on Friday or Saturday you are expected to be able to follow the system and park sensibly on your own in the designated area.

RVs are fine. Remember, this is wilderness camping and there are no hookups. Do not discharge gray water or sewage. There is no servicing, so make sure you are set up to free camp for the time you’ll be at the event. Note that unlike other events, Kiwiburn doesn’t really “stress” vehicles so RV rental companies should have no problems with you coming to us, provided you leave the van in a reasonable state. Also, note that in New Zealand you can rent basic “camper vans” as well as full-size RVs. These have no plumbing, etc, but are way cheaper!

No. You need to treat Kiwiburn as free camping, provide all services that you need and haul all waste away.

Thank you for asking the million-dollar question. Kiwiburn is an exercise in radical self-sufficiency. You have to bring all you need to survive, and then some. Some people bring only the basics; others bring everything including the kitchen sink.

Water, food and shelter are imperative — you will be asked to turn around at the Gate if Gate personnel believe you cannot meet your basic survival needs. Carefully read the Survival Guide (PDF) and prepare accordingly.

After you have taken care of your survival, everything else is up to you. We’ve assembled a handy list of items that we recommend you bring.

Radical self-reliance means participants are responsible for their own water supply. However, for the first time in 2023, Kiwiburn has made water available onsite.

Water is a precious resource so a filling station for DRINKING WATER ONLY will be situated near Depot and only operating similar hours to fill containers of up to 20 litres per person. We ask that people don’t take water for showers or washing their bits (there is a river after all, though keep away from soap). Ensure you still bring your personal water bottles and enough water for your trip and the gate queue. Please treat this precious water with respect and also ensure that grey water wastage on the Paddock is kept to a minimum!

Theme Camps can fill their large tanks via very long hoses during the build period in the few days prior to the Burn. Register to fill your containment at site office when you first arrive on site, we operate a 1st come 1st serve policy. There will be 5 taps running at 70 litres a minute.

Remember to be prepared with your own supply for your other water needs (food preparation, washing, etc). Carry a bottle of water with you at all times. Coconut water or electrolytes will help keep you from being dehydrated.

In Nevada, there is a saying: if you don’t like the weather, stick around for five minutes and it will change. Oddly enough, we have the same saying in New Zealand, only in our case it’s actually true. Summer temperatures in the Central North Island range up to 35C in the daytime and down to 10C or below at night. Rainstorms are not uncommon – we have had some rain every year at Kiwiburn, but it’s always cleared up.
Be prepared for volatile extremes, and ready for anything and everything. Come with ample shade producing shelter, warm clothes and sleeping gear, and lots of water. Please read our Survival Guide (PDF).
Winds up to 40km/h are quite usual, and anything up to 120km/h is possible. So are earthquakes. And supervolcanoes. You are advised to secure your tent, shade structure and loose items in preparation for this possibility. You might want to visit the Burning Man “Securing your Structure” page for valuable information about creating a weather-worthy campsite. Rebar is your best friend!
Having said that, the weather is usually pleasant, but participants should be prepared for anything the climate can throw at them.

Put mudgrips on your wheelchair and bring an enthusiastic able-bodied assistant. There are wheelchair accessible portable toilets during the event – one near the medics, one in the middle of the lower paddock. We’d suggest you contact us in advance to discuss facilities.

Yes, we provide portable toilets. The toilets are serviced on a regular basis during the event. We do our very best to keep them clean and stocked with toilet paper.

NOTHING other than human waste is to be put into a toilet. We are encouraging participants to think of the portable toilets as if they were your own home toilets. ONLY HUMAN WASTE or TOILET PAPER should go into them. At other events, numerous discarded items in portable toilets have caused tremendous problems and prevented the timely cleaning of the portable toilets. Let’s make sure this doesn’t happen at Kiwiburn!

We encourage radical self reliance and first aid kits. However, medical needs can arise. Kiwiburn contracts with a local emergency services provider. The medics are here to help and can be found near Centre Camp. If there is a serious medical emergency, and the participant cannot be moved, contact a volunteer, Security or anyone with a radio for assistance. The St John Ambulance Service provide national paramedic services in New Zealand, e.g. if a person needs to be taken to hospital. Note that like most overseas travel, those from outside New Zealand should have travel insurance to cover any medical expense. First aid treatment provided by the onsite medics is funded by Kiwiburn.

No! Gas powered barbecues, stovetops and lanterns are okay though. Here’s our official Fire Safety Policy:

Camp Fires:
a) No camp fires are allowed unless given a special permit in advance of the event by the Health & Safety Officer.
b) Permitted fires only. Key fire management personnel are allocated and are on duty whilst fire is lit, equipped with fire suppression equipment and a radio to communicate with Site Manager if and when required.
c) A clear perimeter will be maintained around fire at all times.

Fire Performers/Spinners
a) Fire performers shall be permitted in designated areas
b) There will be designated fire safety person during performances, and safety equipment (fire extinguisher, fire blanket) will be visable.
c) All fuel will be clearly marked and stored appropriately.
d) Fire suppression equipment (extinguishers, sand and water) will be on hand at all times.
e) First aid is available from qualified medics 24/7 throughout the event.

Burn Nights (Sat – Man Burn, Sun Temple Burn)
a) A perimeter shall be clearly marked and staffed by designated safety crew around effigies.
b) Local fire services will be in attendance at effigies.

Gas bottles and any other fuel should be stored out of the sun and away from any any open flame (ie stoves), with “NO SMOKING” signs displayed prominently. Make sure you check your bottles and hoses for leaks before you head to site. Your camp should have at least one easily accessible fire extinguisher in working order for use in case of an emergency.

No – you need to provide your own power source, if required! If you want to share power with neighbouring camps, that’s great. If you want to help build better and greener power sources (like solar panels or wind turbines) then that would also be great!

NO. Nein, negatory, absolutely not under any circumstances. Did we mention that we have NO trash disposal? Leave no trace.

You are responsible for removing all waste you bring onto the Paddock. This includes cigarette butts, boa feathers, pistachio shells and couches.

When preparing your belongings and planning the construction of your campsite prior to arrival, keep in mind that you will have to take everything back with you.

Separating your garbage makes it easier to get home.

There might be a recycling camp. This will be a participant driven venture – do not rely on it!

You must dispose of your waste properly. Do not leave trash in gas station or town facilities, it’s rude and illegal. Ideally, take your waste home, though airlines may not wish to transport week old rotten fruit.

There are landfill/recycling sites in Hunterville, Marton and Bulls. A charge is made for waste disposal.

Check out our Theme Camp page for the current process.

It is not necessary to join a Theme Camp. Kiwiburn is small enough that you can camp independently and still meet people and participate in many fun things. If you have an idea for a Theme Camp, consider creating one yourself. The Facebook Group page is a great resource for floating an idea and organising a new camp.

If you want to join a Theme Camp, we’d suggest making contact beforehand. Most camps like to get to know their members, and sometimes have limits on numbers. There are details of registered camps on the Kiwiburn website and on the forum.

Building a Theme Camp usually involves costs, which may be a few dollars or several hundred. A Theme Camp may require a financial or participatory contribution from those in the camp to cover costs and get things done. Theme Camps (and Kiwiburn as a whole) are non-commercial and all camps should be run on a not for profit basis. This isn’t considered commerce, but we’d suggest that people get the money stuff out of the way before the event.

Theme Camps are a bit like a house party or camping trip. The members decide who they want to form their group. When Theme Camps throw events, these are nearly always open to all participants, but it may be that some camps will decide to have partly closed events. This is their choice.

Absolutely. You can either build your installation as part of your camp, or place your art in a different part of the paddock. If you’d like to stay near your installation you may want to build it as part of your camp. You should register your art in advance to arrange placement, obtain safety approval and get your art in the Event Guide. You may also apply for an Art Grant to help fund your art.

Yes – if you have modified the vehicle sufficiently for it to be considered mobile art! We will not give you a Mutant Vehicle Pass if you have simply draped a sheet over your car or put a couch on top. Show us what you can do! Please register your art car and we will send you an information pack including H&S requirements and other guidelines.

We aim to place everyone’s Theme Camps and art in the best possible place on the Paddock, allowing for traffic, noise, safety and other factors. Therefore, it is best to register your Theme Camp, village or art installation early.

Children aged 15 and under at the start of the festival will be admitted for free. They still require a free child’s ticket acquired in advance from the Kiwiburn ticketing app. Be prepared to show proof of age at Gate. As children 15 and under are admitted free of charge, they do not become automatic members of the Kiwiburn Incorporated Society.
Participants ages 16-18 require full-price tickets.
All children under 18 must be accompanied by, and remain the sole responsibility of, a parent or guardian.
If you plan to bring a child, please read more in the Kiwiburn survival guide.

Tickets are non-refundable. However, the Kiwiburn ticketing app with offer secure ticket tranfers. See above for details on how to sell or transfer a ticket.

Yes, you can transfer your ticket to someone else as long as they have a Burner Profile. Learn how to do this here.

Note that ticket transfers and name changes close 48 hours before the first day of the event. This is to allow enough time to run conduct checks that help keep our community safe.

People under 18 must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian. Exceptions will be considered on a case by case basis on written application from the parent or legal guardian to tickets@kiwiburn.com.

No. If your child is no longer coming to Kiwiburn, their ticket can be removed through the Kiwiburn ticketing app.  There is are no fees associated with children's tickets.

Kiwiburn is an experiment in temporary community. Relationships are created, neighbours meet one another, and fun is had by all. This is not a spectator event. It is difficult for you to take a role in the community if you are on the Paddock for less than 24 hours. In order to experience the true essence of Kiwiburn, you will want to become part of the community. Therefore, there are no day passes sold, and no discounts given based on your length of stay. Of course, it is not necessary that you come for the entire event. You are welcome to stay for just a portion of the event.

No, there are no tickets available at the gate.

No complimentary tickets are available for anyone. We can arrange an hour or so guided visit for free if you contact us at media@kiwiburn.com before the event. Otherwise you will need to buy a ticket.

Everyone participating in Kiwiburn should know what the event is and what it’s not, so they’re as prepared as they can be. The Burner Profile form asks a few quick questions to make sure people understand what Kiwiburn is all about! It’s not a test and there are no wrong answers. There is also the Annual Community Survey which needs to be completed every year. This survery gives us helpful data on our community so we can continue delivering the best burn we can every year! The whole process should only take a few minutes. 

Please don’t create a profile for someone other than yourself as you may be preventing them from being aware of very important information. Burner Profiles help reduce scalping of tickets as a ticket is directly linked to a profile.

If you sell your ticket, you’ll need to transfer the ticket online to the purchaser. The purchaser must also have a Burner Profile.

When you turn up at Gate your ticket MUST match your ID.

Yes, every ticket holder (not just the ticket purchaser) will have to make a Burner Profile. You MUST have completed a Burner Profile and filling in the Annual Community Survey before seeking to purchase a ticket. Tickets will only be sold to people with who have met the aforementioned criteria.

The ticketing app will check that the email address entered for each ticket holder is linked to a Burner Profile, and that the Annual Community Survey has been completed. If you’re buying a ticket for someone else, make sure they have done these things and you have the email address they used for their Profile.

The one exception is children under 16, who will not need a Burner Profile and do not need to complete the survey.

All participants will be required to review and update their Burner Profile before purchasing a ticket to Kiwiburn, this will include completing the Annual Community Survey, which must be done each year.

Every year we will then conduct an Annual Community Survey (you will receive an automated email to remind you to do it). This form will be hosted in a separate system to our Kiwiburn Portal system and be completely anonymised and unlinked to the Burner Profile. This form will collect information about the demographics of our community and perspectives on big decisions such as the number of participants on Paddock, the number of days of the event, and even “What is Kiwiburn?”. This information will act as a guide to further community consultation and decision-making and allow for more informed decisions to be made across the organisation. 

If you are not planning to come to the event, completing the Annual Community Survey will also ensure that your perspectives are still considered within decision-making processes – and you are still participating in determining the future of our community.

If you were too late for the Lottery, you can join the end of the STEP queue by following the steps to register for the Lottery. Once the Lottery has run, the Lottery menu option will change to STEP Queue.