A silver lamé jacket sways on the Revolving Washing Line beside a pair of wool socks and a velvet cape, free to whoever loves them next. Across the paddock, a sound camp tests its rig with one long bass note that rolls across the grass. Someone in moss-green face paint and a circuit-board visor wanders past with a chilly bin, gifting ice blocks.
The air smells of cut grass, sunscreen and river water. By the time the effigy burns, the whole valley will be wrapped in hoods.
So here's the art of what to wear to Kiwiburn: dress for two climates and one theme. Afternoons can top 30°C (86°F), nights slide to around 10°C (50°F), and the 2027 theme, "Moss & Microchips," welcomes everyone from faeries to cyberpunks.
Kiwiburn 2027 runs from Wednesday, January 27 to Monday, February 1, near Hunterville, according to the official Kiwiburn site. We're Magus and Lylyth Fawn, Los Angeles visionary artists and festival lifers, and this is our packing list for New Zealand's regional Burning Man event.
Kiwiburn 2027 at a glance: the outfit plan from paddock to effigy
Kiwiburn asks for a wardrobe that changes with the light. Magus Fawn's plan runs from sun-smart swimwear at midday to theme costume at golden hour, then fleece and a faux-fur-lined cloak once the valley cools.
| When | In the valley | What you're wearing |
|---|---|---|
| Midday | 30°C+ (86°F+), sun that burns fast | Swimsuit or bodysuit, bucket hat, sunscreen |
| Golden hour | Theme camps light up | Moss or Microchips: leggings, bodysuit, sleeveless hoodie |
| After dark | 10–13°C (50–55°F) | Fleece joggers and a hooded cloak |
| Camp morning | Dew on the tent | Hooded blanket and a cuppa |
Pack it all from home. Kiwiburn runs on a gift economy, and its gift economy page puts it plainly: "The only thing you can buy at Kiwiburn is ice."
What should you wear for Kiwiburn's Moss & Microchips theme?
Pick a side, or blend them. Kiwiburn's 2027 theme sets technology against the natural world, and the theme page invites you to "embrace your inner faerie, cyberpunk, or anything in-between!" Magus Fawn's answer: fern greens and spirals for the moss, chrome filigree and glowing circuitry for the microchips.
The best costumes here wear the tension on purpose: a forest creature with a motherboard heart, a cyborg sprouting lichen.
The moss. The Shroom Flower of Life Green men's festival leggings ($65, XS–3XL) unfurl moss and lime spirals like young fern fronds, flecked with crimson, the forest floor in close-up. They're microfiber, 90% poly and 10% spandex, in a skinny fit made for dancing.
The microchips. The Cyber Punk Mech sleeveless bodysuit ($55, XS–2XL) packs cobalt, teal and violet machinery around glowing amber lights, with white Metatron's Cube and flower-of-life linework running down the center like a schematic for the soul. It's 92% poly and 8% spandex in a skinny fit with a half-high collar.
For him, the Cosmic Cross Silver men's sleeveless hoodie ($75, S–2XL) mirrors silver, grey and lavender filigree from hem to hood, chrome-bright, with one small blue orb at the heart like a status light. It's 180 g/m² jersey, 95% poly and 5% spandex, in a regular fit. Wear it over the moss leggings and you've built the in-between.
One theme tip from the Kiwiburn survival guide: it lists even "bio-degradable" glitter as MOOP. Let the print do the sparkling.
How strong is the sun at Kiwiburn?
Strong enough to plan your outfit around. Kiwiburn's what-to-bring page notes that the sun "can burn you in less than 20 minutes, even with sunscreen on," and midday can climb past 30°C (86°F). Magus Fawn's daytime formula: a brim all the way round, sunscreen, shade and pieces that dry fast.
The Sacred Geo bucket hat ($50) tiles its crown with pastel pink, lavender and gold panels of flower-of-life, star and hexagram geometry. It's 100% poly at 275 g/m² in XS, S/M and L/XL, with a brim that keeps the sun off your face.
River afternoons in the valley
Kiwiburn sits in river-valley farmland, and its FAQ notes with a wink that "there is a river after all, though keep away from soap." The survival guide adds the local wisdom: stay clear of the cliffs around the river, and "Bring a buddy – don't swim alone."
Our pick for the shingle is the Crystalline Forest one-piece swimsuit ($65; $68 in 2XL, $69 in 3XL), a kaleidoscope of faceted crystals in leaf green, lime, magenta, violet and cobalt, like sunlight breaking through a mossy canopy. It's on the product page as Lylyth's Personal Pick: 225 g/m² four-way stretch with a double-layer front, a scoop neck and a low scoop back, listed as quick-dry, in XS–3XL.
How cold does Kiwiburn get at night?
Cool enough for a proper hooded layer. Kiwiburn's FAQ says summer nights in the Central North Island drop "down to 10C or below," and most Kiwiburn nights settle around 10–13°C (50–55°F). Magus Fawn packs fleece joggers and a faux-fur-lined cloak for the effigy and the sound camps, plus a hooded blanket for the dewy camp morning.
The burn sets the night's rhythm: per the FAQ, the effigy goes up on Saturday after sunset and the Temple burns on Sunday night. Wrap up warm, then keep cloaks, velvet and fleece well back from the fire line. Spinners change into natural fibers for their performance; our fire-spinning story, Wait for the Wind, follows one through her first Kiwi burn night.
The cloak. The Angel Catcher Green men's festival cloak ($250) blooms neon-green sacred geometry, star triangles and mandala petals, around a glowing flower-of-life orb on charcoal: moss and microchip in one print. It shares the Magus Fawn cloak build: a micro-mink outer, an ultra-soft fluffy microfiber fleece lining in black or white faux fur (listed fabric weight 200 g/m²), a double front zipper, heavy drawstrings and four pockets, two deep side pockets plus two interior stash pockets, one of them zippered. Unisex fit, XS–5XL. Phil, reviewing an Angel Catcher cloak in October 2023: "I was pretty dang skeptical to make this purchase due to price… Was it worth it? Hell YES it was!"
The joggers. The Forest Wizard Teal joggers ($100; $105 in 2XL, $108 in 3XL) hang an antlered stag's crown with moss, crystals and blossoms over teal flower-of-life and charcoal honeycomb, finished with a Celtic knot band: pure woodland faerie. They're a listed 308 g/m² with brushed vegan fleece inside and cuffed legs. The fit is slim, so order one or two sizes up for a looser one (read the story behind the art: The Trader in the Wizard Cloak).
The camp morning. The Madriax Grey hooded blanket ($150) spreads a silver and charcoal mandala ringed with orbs and OM symbols over a honeycomb grid, part temple and part circuit board. It's an oversized pullover in 300 g/m² fleece with a cat-ear hood, a front quarter zip and an oversized front pocket, one size (4XL). For the full layering plan, see our guide to how to stay warm at a festival at night.
When should you order a Kiwiburn outfit for 2027?
Order by Monday, November 30, 2026. Each Magus Fawn piece is made to order, and that date clears our slowest timeline, up to 11 business days of production plus up to 14 in transit, landing your parcel by January 6 at the latest. That leaves three weeks of Kiwi summer to spare before the gates open on January 27.
- Shipping to New Zealand? International shipping starts at $10. We're a Los Angeles studio, and that three-week cushion is there for the trip across the Pacific and the holiday mail rush.
- Size outerwear for what goes under it. The Magus Fawn FAQ suggests sizing up on cloaks and hoodies, "sometimes even 2 sizes up to fit extra layers under."
- All sales are final. If you're between sizes, email your measurements to art@magusfawn.com. We typically reply within 1–2 business days.
- US shipping is free on orders of $70 and up.
More burns, from Love Burn to AfrikaBurn: our guide to regional burns and what to wear to each.
Build the rest of your Kiwiburn outfits: men's cloaks · women's cloaks · joggers · hooded blankets · bodysuits · women's swimwear
Frequently asked questions
When is Kiwiburn 2027?
Kiwiburn 2027 runs from Wednesday, January 27 to Monday, February 1, 2027, near Hunterville in New Zealand's Central North Island, according to the official Kiwiburn website. The festival FAQ says the effigy burns on the Saturday after sunset and the Temple on the Sunday night, and everyone packs out on the final day.
Where is Kiwiburn held?
Kiwiburn is held at 136 Cooks Road, Hunterville, in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island. The site is about 190 km from Wellington and 460 km from Auckland, with Palmerston North the nearest large centre. It's river-valley farmland, and the ground is paddock: grass, dirt and, after rain, mud.
Is Kiwiburn part of Burning Man?
Yes. Kiwiburn is New Zealand's official Burning Man Regional Event, and Burning Man's New Zealand page calls it the longest-running international Regional event, held almost every year since 2004. It follows the Ten Principles, so there's no vending on site: the gift economy runs the paddock, and ice is the only thing for sale.
How do Kiwiburn tickets work?
Kiwiburn sells general tickets through a lottery. You complete the annual community survey, register for the lottery, and are sorted at random into a ticketing queue. The event regularly sells out, resale runs at face value or less, and children 15 and under need a free child ticket. The official tickets page lists the key dates.
Written by Magus & Lylyth Fawn, the Los Angeles artists behind Magus Fawn. Magus makes VR and digital visionary art and produces Psy EDM. Lylyth makes fractal digital art and runs design and customer care. We've been selling wearable art since 2020 on Etsy (4.7★ from 144 reviews as of October 2026) and here at magusfawn.com. Come say hi on Instagram @magusfawn.
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