The world-famous post-apocalyptic music & arts festival Wasteland Weekend has taken place in the Mojave Desert in California since it was founded in 2010.

Unlike most other desert parties, car shows, or music concerts (and Wasteland is all three), this one requires ALL attendees to be in costume, including staff, volunteers, and journalists. The idea is to create a full-immersion effect, making festival goers feel like they’re inside a Mad Max-style movie for 5 days.

The annual event, held in the desert two hours north of Los Angeles, features live bands, DJs, car cruises, costume contests, a film festival, a post-apocalyptic swimsuit competition, light-hearted role playing challenges like a bounty-hunting game, crafting workshops, makeovers at the event-sponsored post-apocalyptic beauty salon, fire performers, a 24 hour radio station, an archery range, a daily printed newspaper, bars and lounges, and much, much more.