Mars College

Pop-up city recurring Salton Sea, California, USA January 5 – April 27, 2026 (build phase from Nov 1, 2025) low-cost; hundreds of dollars per month

An annual three-month off-grid village in the Southern California desert where residents build their own solar-powered infrastructure and pursue a low-cost, high-tech, self-sufficient life focused on AI and creative technology. The season ends with the Mars Electronica art and research showcase before the village is fully dismantled. Predates Zuzalu and runs on a much lower budget than most pop-up cities.

Founded by Gene Kogan and collaborators; independent of but adjacent to the Zuzalu scene

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Verified 2026-08 against public sources. Dates change; confirm with the organizers.