Burning Man 2025: Orgy Dome destroyed by storm, organizers vow to rebuild

The famed Orgy Dome, one of Burning Man’s longest-running and most 
notorious attractions, was destroyed by high winds during a fierce storm 
in Black Rock City, organizers confirmed.

“Our build team worked so hard this past week to erect our lovely space,” 
read the group’s Instagram post on Monday, Aug. 25. “Unfortunately, the 
winds yesterday undid all that labor and wrecked our structure. We are 
still here and thankfully safe, we hope to gift the playa some workshops 
and will keep you updated.”

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The collapse came after a weekend of brutal weather already battered this 
year’s festival, which began Sunday, Aug. 24.

Dust storms with gusts up to 50 mph tore through the Nevada desert, 
injuring at least four people, toppling campsites and destroying art 
installations, including Black Cloud, an inflatable sculpture by a 
Ukrainian team. “A sudden hurricane-force wind swept across the desert,” 
its creators wrote in a statement.

The storms left thousands facing hours-long delays at the gates, with new 
lightning warnings on Monday raising concerns of further closures.

Founded in 2003, the Orgy Dome has become one of Burning Man’s most 
infamous fixtures. Run by a sex-positive collective, it offers 
festivalgoers a climate-controlled space outfitted with mattresses, 
couches and pillows, where participants are expected to enter with a 
consenting partner. 

Organizers describe the dome as a place to promote “education about 
consent and the importance of its practice beyond intimate space.” 

Last year, the attraction reportedly welcomed more than 5,000 visitors, 
with long lines often forming outside.

While it is uncertain whether the structure will be rebuilt this year, 
organizers said they still plan to host workshops and events on the Playa. 

Messages of support poured in on social media, with one neighboring camp 
offering “cold craft brews all week” to the volunteers who had built the 
dome.

Burning Man, which draws about 70,000 people each year, runs through 
Monday, Sept. 1.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/article/burning-man-orgy-dome-
destroyed-21016594.php