There is a party at the end of the world and it is called Wasteland Weekend. Over five days in late September 2018, over 4,000 Mad Max fans came together in the Mojave Desert in California for the ninth edition of the post-apocalyptic music and arts festival. As always, the event was full immersion, with no one allowed on the grounds unless they were in costume. There were live bands, DJs, car cruises, a film festival, fire performers, a bounty-hunting game and Thunderdome battles.
After almost a decade, Wasteland is more than a destination; it's becoming a full-fledged subculture as self-described "Wastelanders" form "tribes" with fellow attendees and socialize year-round, meeting up at satellite events like the Wastelanders Ball and the Wasteland World Car Show. But the main festival remains the focal point of each year, and its 10th anniversary iteration is on the horizon. In the words of its organizers, "The future of Wasteland Weekend is looming large and bright — like a mushroom cloud."
photograph by Preston Yarger
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photograph by Preston Yarger
photograph by Preston Yarger
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photograph by Preston Yarger
photograph by Preston Yarger
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photograph by Preston Yarger
photograph by Preston Yarger
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photograph by Preston Yarger
photograph by Preston Yarger
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photograph by Preston Yarger
photograph by Preston Yarger
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photograph by Preston Yarger
photograph by Preston Yarger
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photograph by Preston Yarger
photograph by Preston Yarger
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photograph by Preston Yarger
photograph by Preston Yarger
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photograph by Preston Yarger
photograph by Preston Yarger
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photograph by Preston Yarger
photograph by Preston Yarger
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photograph by Preston Yarger
photograph by Preston Yarger
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photograph by Preston Yarger
photograph by Preston Yarger
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photograph by Preston Yarger
photograph by Preston Yarger
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photograph by Preston Yarger
photograph by Preston Yarger
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photograph by Preston Yarger
photograph by Preston Yarger
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photograph by Preston Yarger
photograph by Preston Yarger
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photograph by Preston Yarger
photograph by Preston Yarger
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photograph by Preston Yarger
photograph by Preston Yarger
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photograph by Preston Yarger