NSFW PHOTOESSAY: A Post-Apocalyptic World at Wasteland Weekend

Some photos contain nudity in a non-sexual context. 


The largest post-apocalyptic festival in the world, Wasteland Weekend, takes place annually in the Mojave Desert in California. It’s filled with cool cars, intricate costumes, bartering and bounty hunters. Come one, come all, but no jeans or tortoise shell glasses allowed.

ww1

ww2

ww3

ww4

ww5

ww6

ww7

ww8

A wedding in the Thunderdome

ww9

ww10

ww11

ww12

Remnants of a pre-apocalyptic world for sale including porn, Coca-Cola, and comics

ww13

ww14

ww15

ww16

ww17

Wasteland Elvis

ww20

ww21

ww22

ww23

ww24

ww25

Cannibal burlesque by Pangaea, a queer cabaret from LA

ww26

ww27

Nuclear Bombshells Burlesque troop performing by firelight

ww28

ww29

Last Chance Casino, a 21+ area for bottle top gambling and drinks if you can impress the bartenders with entertainment.

ww30

ww31

A fight in the Thunderdome

ww32

ww33

ww35

Gladiatorial combat

ww36

ww37

ww38

There was a swimwear contest on a ship built from pieces of the one used in Waterworld

ww39

ww40

ww41

ww42

Followed by a wet t-shirt contest…

ww43

ww44

ww45

ww46

ww47

What happens in the wasteland stays in the wasteland.

Before you go! Autostraddle runs on the reader support of our AF+ Members. If this article meant something to you today — if it informed you or made you smile or feel seen, will you consider joining AF and supporting the people who make this queer media site possible?

Join AF+!

Molly

Molly Adams is an LA-based photographer. You can find documenting life from Afghanistan to Standing Rock to the LA queer nightlife. You can also find her on Instagram.

Molly has written 59 articles for us.

17 Comments

  1. Two things … firstly, if educators are supposed to be providing students with an all-round education, I want to know how I can work this in to the yearly plan … because, boy will my kids need some scaffolding about this.
    Secondly, wow, I like how this article was referenced in the same page as an article about ‘you like who you like’. Really, you should do you, because there is an endless variety in the spectrum.

  2. HOW DID I NOT KNOW THERE WERE STRADDLERS AT WASTELAND?!

    Any of you coming next year, come by and say “hi” to the Dukes of the Nuke! I am Hot Shot out there and I ref all the jugger matches/help run the Dukes.

  3. Creeping into the archives after I saw your photos in the Dinah shots, and holy! this is amazing. I’d be terrified, because I’m a wuss, but this is just amazing!!!

Comments are closed.