Women reveal the things they worry about most when navigating music festivals
In the lead-up to the first weekend of Coachella and as festival season officially gets underway, a March 2-5 OnePoll.com survey of 2,000 U.S. women who have attended a music festival commissioned by Always and Secret found that excess sweating from being too hot (35%) ranked among the top challenges. Dealing with body odor (24%) and being on their period or getting it unexpectedly also featured highly (19%) for survey respondents.
Not being able to look or feel fresh throughout the day (17%) also stood out, with a further 13% sharing having to change a pad or tampon on-site as something they don’t look forward to. But above all, access to a clean and sanitary restroom ranked as the top priority, according to more than half (56%) of female festival-goers.
The amenities women say matter most include air conditioning (52%), hand sanitizer (51%), hand towels (37%), and access to water or a beverage fountain (37%).
Additional sought-after features include complimentary deodorant (35%) and period products (25%), phone charging stations (28%), and bag hooks (25%).
Even more elevated touches are also welcome, with women highlighting a desire for a perfume bar (19%), mood lighting with music (8%), and a restroom attendant (7%).
Ultimately, the research highlights that beyond functionality, the bathroom remains an important cultural space for women at festivals.
It’s where moments of connection, confidence resets, and shared rituals happen — a space that, even in the middle of a high-energy event, continues to hold a unique place in girlhood.
The research also highlighted the everyday rituals or products women pack to help them stay fresh and prepared throughout festival season, with more than half saying they prioritize wet wipes (58%) and deodorant (51%).
And likely because more than two-thirds (64%) said their experience can be impacted when they have their period at a festival or event, it’s no wonder a further 62% would pack extra personal care items when attending an outdoor event during their period, while 55% would ensure they have extra underwear.
And of those who took part in the study, 55% said they resort to planning their outfits accordingly if they anticipate being on their period at a music festival, such as covering up more or not wearing white.
Top 10 things women worry about navigating at a festival:
- Access to a clean and sanitary toilet or shower (56%)
- Expensive food/drink (56%)
- Excessive sweating from being too hot (35%)
- Not having phone signal or being able to charge a phone (27%)
- Body odor (24%)
- Noise levels/volume (22%)
- Being on their period or getting it unexpectedly (19%)
- Painful feet/blisters (18%)
- Not looking or feeling fresh (17%)
- Changing a tampon or pad (13%)
This story was produced by Always and Secret, and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
