A temporary hub for art installations, music performances and interactive exhibits is set for Windward Plaza
An official Burning Man regional event returns to Venice Beach this weekend, transforming a public plaza into a temporary hub for art installations, music performances and interactive exhibits inspired by the annual Nevada desert festival.
The Venice Afterburn, produced by the Los Angeles-based nonprofit Dogtown Artists United, is scheduled for Oct. 4 and 5 from noon to 10 p.m. at Windward Plaza, near the city’s skate park. Admission is free until 6 p.m., after which a $20 fee applies; entry ends at 9 p.m. each day. Organizers recommend children leave after 6 p.m. due to evening performances.
The gathering, which draws from Burning Man’s 10 principles of community participation, radical inclusion and self-expression, aims to extend the festival’s ethos beyond its Black Rock City origins. It is open to newcomers as well as veterans of the main event, with no prior experience required. Past iterations have attracted a mix of local residents and out-of-town visitors, blending Venice’s bohemian vibe with playa-style creativity.
This year’s lineup features “Nested Heart,” a sculpture by Stephen Reynolds that debuted as an honorarium project at Burning Man 2025, and “Campfire Nostalgia” by Jay Fedoruk, appearing at the event for the first time. Attendees can expect “mutant vehicles” — decorated, mobile art pieces — including a wheeled lifeguard tower, a flame-shooting TV platform, rolling chariots, an elephant sculpture and a stagecoach wagon with six-foot wheels.
Interactive elements include a large-scale Lite-Brite wall, a virtual reality zone and a swing installation covered in faux fur by Santa Monica artist John Geary. Additional works come from Los Angeles creators such as Erica Halpern, Jonathan Gudino, Corey Smith and Lindsey Nobel, with more details forthcoming. As evening falls, fire spinners will perform, and DJs — many returning from the Nevada event — will provide electronic and eclectic sets across multiple stages.
The event caps each night with an afterparty at The Rose Room, a local nightclub, running from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
For more info, go to www.veniceafterburn.com.
