Some volunteer positions require training or orientation to make sure you know what to do during your shifts. Check below training dates & times.
Ranger Training
At Ranger Headquarters
Friday, May 22nd, 2026 at 7pm
Sanctuary Training/Orientation
Location to be announced
Session 1: Friday, May 22nd at 3:00pm
Session 2: Saturday, May 23rd at Noon
Trainings does go over material that people may find uncomfortable, so Phoenix will be leading a guided breathing exercise afterwards for those interested.
Like a program but better!
The What Where When (WWW) Guide is the participants’ guide to all the many silly, inspiring, delightful, loud, quiet, thoughtful, foxy, exotic, expressive, interesting, beautiful, humbling, and yummy things that happen at Playa del Fuego.
Events listed in the WWW guide are current as of the beginning of May. See the online Events list for the most up-to-date happenings.
THE PRINT 2026 WWW GUIDE IS HERE!
Download or print one of the versions below and bring it with you to the burn. Printed copies on site will be limited.
Print instructions: In Print window, choose Fit, Landscape, Double-sided (Print on both sides of paper), and Flip on short edge. After printing, make sure the cover is facing out and fold all the pages in half like a book. Pro tip: It may be too large to staple, so try using a rubber band or hair tie to hold it together.
WHAT IS PLAYA DEL FUEGO?
Playa del Fuego (PDF) is the Mid-Atlantic’s oldest Regional Burning Man Event. Playa del Fuego is a community-driven, temporary experiment in collaborative community building – featuring interactive and experiential art and music, a gifting economy, and striving to Leaves No Trace. It is a 100% volunteer-run event.
Playa del Fuego is in Tamaqua, PA. GPS 40.777480 -76.02282, Coal Creek Ranch
From Tamaqua, PA get on South 209 2 miles – Right on Piersol St Left onto Old 209 Entrance is 1/2 mile on the right
See the Survival Guide for more info about the topography and challenges of the site.
WHEN IS PLAYA DEL FUEGO?
Memorial Day Weekend: Thursday prior to Memorial Day at 5pm to Monday Memorial Day at Noon
2026 Event Dates: Thursday, May 21 – Monday, May 25
Volunteer!
Online Signups are closed at this time. Visit Participation Station to sign up for shifts onsite, or email participation@playadelfuego.org about shifts you can no longer fill.
There is a section below on general coordinator and lead responsibilities. Also, you can check out the Department Descriptions page for more detailed departmental descriptions and find what most excites you.
General Coordinator and Department Lead Expectations:
TL;DR Coordinators/Leads are responsible for all aspects of their department: before, during, and after the event.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Familiarity with the department
Ability to delegate responsibilities to a team of co-coordinators and/or assistant coordinators, as the coordinator sees fit
Prepare all required documentation for the department including a department Afterburn Report, updating and maintaining a department operations document, and department inventory, as well as any department specific documentation such as safety plan, city map, parking guide, how-to guidelines, etc.
Agree to sign and adhere to the Social Media Agreement
Prepare for and participate in event organizational meetings
Develop volunteer schedule and recruit volunteers to fulfill department responsibilities
Manage, document, train, and prepare department volunteers as needed, including before and during the event (per department needs)
Fill vacant volunteer shifts when efforts to fill the shift have failed
Create and manage Departmental Budget and submitting it on time
Acquire budget items and assure their transportation to the event
Maintain budget receipts and submit them to the Finance Liaison/Treasurer in a timely manner for reimbursement
Save the organization money whenever possible
Communicate and collaborate with event leadership, the FirePony board, and other department coordinators/leads as needed
Read and participate in the event email distribution list and organizational communications in a timely manner
Use online tools and resources such as email, mail-lists, Google Docs and calendars, Zoom, and Slack to communicate and manage tasks for the event
Be onsite pre-event and post-event to set up and break down your department, as needed per department. Basic infrastructure is provided by the Department of Public Work (DPW)
Prepare and submit an After-Burn report for your department within the timeframe given
Coordinators attending the event must provide proof of COVID vaccination as required by all attendees
Note: Community members that have been removed from a prior volunteer position or have been banned from attending any FirePony event at any time are not eligible to participate as a Coordinator or Department Lead
FirePony Creative Society:
R.I.D.E. FirePony – FirePony is committed to upholding the principle of Radical Inclusion by increasing Diversity and promoting Equity in our leadership and at our events, and rooting out residual racism in our organization. We invite community members (that’s YOU!) to join us in making that happen. Enter you interest on the FPCS Volunteer Interest Form
This program is for Black, Brown, Indigenous, Native American, Latina/e/o/x, Chicanx, Arab, Middle Eastern, North African, South Asian, Asian, Pacific Islander individuals.
Learn more about RIDE Tickets and apply thru the form below.
2026 RIDE Ticket application deadline: Sunday, February 15th, 2026 CLOSED
Ticket Aid
To help eliminate obstacles to participation in our community, reduced price tickets are offered every year.
If a full price ticket is outside your means, you can apply for Ticket Aid to receive one ticket at a 50% discount.
2026 Ticket Aid application deadline: 9pm on Sunday, February 15th, 2026 CLOSED
Personal information about applicants is kept confidential and only shared with Firepony Creative Society Board of Directors members
If your ticket aid application is approved, you will be sent an email confirming your discount for one adult ticket with a coupon code, which can be used during any round of ticket sales.
Confirm or create your ticket account prior to ticket sale events. You will need to be logged in before entering the queue.
Due to Ticket demand, all participants that are in queue at the time of ticket sale opening will be randomized and assigned the order in which the tickets are purchased so all participants have equal opportunity to obtain tickets. The fastest computer does not win. Don’t be late!
Tickets will not be sold or transferred by volunteers at the gate. All tickets must be transferred with waivers signed before admission will be granted.
Buying Group Tickets:
Purchasers in the Ticket Sale may buy up to 4 adult tickets per sale.
Purchasers will be prompted to complete a waiver that applies to all tickets until extra tickets are transferred and claimed by other adults. See waiver information below.
Purchasers who buy more than one ticket will need to transfer all tickets to the Peacock account of the participant using the ticket so that they can sign the waiver (except minors, whose tickets should remain on their parent/guardian’s Peacock account).
Ticket Transfers must be completed before admission will be granted.
Transferring Tickets
Reminder: DO NOT resell tickets for more than the price you paid for them! Any tickets found to be resold for more than the $90 purchase price will be void and reseller may be publicly shamed.
Gifting & Transferring of tickets must take place before tickets can be used for admission.
Transferees must have a Peacock account to receive the transferred ticket and sign the waiver.
Confirm correct spelling of email that a ticket will be transferred to, or it will be transferred to the incorrectly spelled account.
IMPORTANT – Do NOT transfer tickets to minors. Tickets for minors should stay on the account of their parent/guardian so that they can sign a minor waiver.
Waivers
Note: All adult participants are required to sign the online PDF waiver form prior to the event
The ticketing system will prompt you to sign the waiver during the purchase process and when claiming a transferred ticket.
This waiver is a legally binding document and must reflect accurate details about the adult participant including legal first and last name and address as reflected on your ID. A valid ID consists of:
A valid photo driver’s license issued by the PA Department of Transportation or any other state
A valid photo identification card issued by the PA Department of Transportation or any other state
A valid Armed Forces ID card containing the holder’s photograph
A valid passport, passport card or travel visa containing the holder’s photograph
Upon entry at the gate, participants are required to show a valid legal ID matching the name and ID number on the signed waiver.
No copies or other reproductions will be accepted at the gate; only a valid legal ID matching a signed waiver are accepted.
PDF department coordinators, assistant coordinators, coordinators-in-training, etc.
members of the Board of Directors of FirePony Creative Society
people to fill key skilled volunteer roles by arrangement with department coordinators
Participants with reserved tickets will have access to a Reserve Tickets sale after Round 1.
Reserve ticket holders will receive an email with instructions for purchase.
All reserve tickets not purchased by the end of reserve sales are forfeited and added to the pool of tickets available for purchase in Round 2 of open sales.
Tickets for Minors
All minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
New for 2026: Children 12 and younger require a $15 “Minor Ticket” be added to their parent/guardian’s Peacock account, available outside regular ticket sales
Minors ages 13 – 17 require a standard adult ticket, which stays on their parent/guardian’s Peacock account
Minors are defined as being under 18 at the time they come through the gate.
Participants under 18 require a parent or legal guardian to sign a minor waiver in Peacock for each individual
Sign up for PDF’s Burning Pony Express newsletter and other FirePony Creative Society emails.
Updated as we know them.
2026 Event Dates: Thursday, May 21 – Monday, May 25
2026 Gate Hours
Thursday: 5 pm – midnight
Friday: 9 am – midnight
Saturday: 9 am – 6pm
Sunday: Closed- Exit ONLY
Monday: GO HOME!!! All Attendees MUST be off site by Noon!
Payment thru PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay, credit/debit card, etc.; NO CASH
When: Friday, Saturday & Sunday; 11am-noon and 5-6pm
You can still add events that will appear in the Dust app and the online event listing, although publishing may be delayed as admins are intermittently online.
Payment thru PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay, credit/debit card, etc.; NO CASH
When: Friday, Saturday & Sunday; 11am-noon and 5-6pm
Playa del Fuego, also known as PDF, is a Mid-Atlantic Regional Burning Man Event.
Playa del Fuego is an experiment in collaborative community building, featuring art, music, and a culture of play. This community is created by volunteers working together utilizing the Ten Principles of Burning Man as our guide. There are no spectators at Playa del Fuego; everyone collaborates in some way to create the event. It’s a place for radical self-expression, acceptance, inclusivity, and respect.
PDF is a sincere experiment in creating a gift economy. There are no concession stands. No cash transactions are permitted at Playa del Fuego. Even bartering is discouraged. If you need something, ask for it. If you have something, gift it! Note: Ice Sales and Re-Entry Passes are available to purchase onsite via credit or debit card sales only.
Porta potties and firewood are available on site and are included in your ticket price. There are no garbage cans: everyone is responsible for packing out their garbage. Leave No Trace is a Burning Man Principle.
PDF began with about 20 east coast residents who were preparing to make their first journey to Burning Man in the Nevada desert, and wanted to get together a little closer to home to celebrate the spirit of the event. They joined together on the beach of Assateague Island on Maryland’s coast on August 1st, 1998. In the spring of 2001, Playa Del Fuego had grown so much that a new site was needed to accommodate all the participants and it moved to Flemings Landing, DE. In 2018, Playa del Fuego found a new home in Tamaqua, PA where it remains today. PDF is a 100% volunteer-run event, with volunteers administering art grants, managing parking, facilitating workshops, handling ticket sales, and so much more.
