Colorado Burning Man Regional Apogaea Halted Over “Nonconsensual” Fentanyl Dosing

A printed notice distributed at Apogaea attributes the decision to “multiple incidents of nonconsensual drug exchange and dosing.”

Apogaea, a Burning Man regional event that has been underway since Wednesday, June 4, has called off its remaining programming due to concerns surrounding drugging.

Yesterday, June 6, organizers disseminated copies of a printed notice throughout the Trinidad, Colorado gathering’s footprint. “Apogaea 2025 has been officially shut down,” it reads. “This is not burner snark, this has been mandated by the Apo organization and the Los [sic] Animas Sheriff Department due to multiple incidents of nonconsensual drug exchange and dosing involving substances containing Fentanyl.”

The statement instructs those still on site to leave within 12 hours as part of a “phased exodus.” Importantly, it implores them to “be vigilant about the liquids you ingest and, where possible, use sealed sources.” Apogaea’s organizers could not immediately respond to EDM Identity’s request for more details on the factors guiding their decision.

On a phone call, the Las Animas County Sheriff’s Department said that, in reality, it was the Office of Emergency Management who advised Apogaea to discontinue the event. A spokesperson on behalf of the latter was not immediately available to comment on the matter.

The turn of events has left a number of would-be attendees stranded, especially those who traveled there from out of state. Some were on the road to the Apogaea site and were forced to turn around, following the directions of an online statement similar to the printed notice.

A Burning Man regional event, meaning that its organizers have adopted the ethos and principles of the world-famous arts gathering in rural Nevada, Apogaea inaugurated in 2004 as the spiritual successor of a regional called Geodesika. Nearly 1,600 revelers participated in its 2024 edition.

Colorado Burners have taken to several comment threads in Apogaea’s closed Facebook group to offer stranded ticket holders temporary places to stay. One post by the Apogaea General Information account lists several hotels with vacancies in Trinidad, Pueblo, and Raton, plus a number of nearby campgrounds.

This is a developing story that EDM Identity will update as additional information becomes available.