Overview: What ZipHealth’s Festival Hookups Reveal
A new ZipHealth survey examines the sexual side of festival culture, surveying more than 1,000 attendees from the United States and the United Kingdom. The results are frank and revealing: 19% of festival participants report a sexual experience during a festival, with the share rising to 22% among Gen X and Millennial respondents. The study also finds that Brits appear bolder in this arena, with 25% reporting a sexual experience compared with 18% of Americans. Even among those who have not yet had a festival hookup, interest runs high: about half would consider sleeping with someone they meet at a festival, and roughly the same share entertain a weekend fling.
Gender differences are clear and pronounced. Men are more open to casual sex at festivals than women, with 62% of men versus 35% of women expressing willingness to have sex with someone they meet at a festival. These dynamics illuminate how the festival environment can shape decision making and risk taking, regardless of whether a participant ultimately acts on their impulses.
Festival Rankings: Which events heat up the most?
Not all festivals are equal when it comes to the nightlife dimension of the experience. Burning Man tops the list, with 47% of participants reporting a sexual experience at the event, followed by Download Festival at 42% and Coachella at 34%. Other shows show lower, yet still meaningful, levels of activity: Riverbend 28%, Summerfest 24%, Parklife 23%, Outside Lands 23%, Glastonbury 22%, SXSW 22%, Rolling Loud 20%, and Austin City Limits 19%. At the lower end, Wireless, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Reading & Leeds, Electric Daisy Carnival, Ultra Music Festival, Governors Ball, and Lollapalooza each hover in the single digits or low teens. These figures suggest that the energy and social density of certain lineups and environments correlate with a higher likelihood of intimate encounters.
Music, mood, and the atmosphere that sparks connections
Music matters in setting the mood for festival hookups. Respondents highlight a roster of headlining performers who most likely would put them in a states of openness: The Weeknd, Rihanna, Lana Del Rey, SZA, and Beyoncé. In terms of genres, rap/hip-hop and R&B/soul lead as the primary mood setters, with EDM, indie/alternative, and rock following. The soundtrack choices seem to align with the visceral, nonchalant vibe that many attendees associate with festival life, where music and momentary connection go hand in hand.
Where and how these encounters unfold
The physical settings for hookups are surprisingly varied. The most common spots are inside the crowd (33%), followed by tents (28%) and cars (16%). As for partners, the majority of experiences involve a steady partner (53%), while 38% involve someone new met at the festival, and 16% involve an ex or a friend who came with them. The most popular sexual position is doggy style (31%), though nearly half of respondents (49%) report no specific preference, underscoring a practical approach to intimacy in challenging environments.
spontaneity, risk, and consent
Spontaneity dominates: 92% of festival sex encounters are described as entirely spontaneous. Alcohol or drugs are cited by 62% as having some influence on the decision to have sex. This underscores how the festival atmosphere can amplify risk-taking and make conversations about consent and protection even more essential.
The darker side: anxiety, hygiene, and health risks
Not everything is carefree. About one in three participants report anxiety about their sexual performance. Hygiene concerns stop 41% from having sex at a festival, and 37% avoid due to fears of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). A troubling 46% of those who do have sex at festivals report having unprotected sex. Moreover, a large majority (78%) feel the festival environment does not encourage healthy sexual behavior, even as 10% say they felt pressure to have sex. These figures highlight the need for accessible information and resources around safer sex in festival settings.
Love in the glow of the festival
Affection and romance do emerge from festival experiences. About 13% report falling in love during a festival, and 9% begin a relationship with someone they hooked up with there. Millennials show the highest tendency to convert a festival hookup into a long-term relationship, with around 11% forming ongoing connections after the event.
Takeaways for attendees and organizers
For festival-goers, the study underscores the importance of consent, protection, and clear communication, even in high-energy environments. For organizers, it signals the value of accessible sexual health resources, discreet partner support, and educational materials that normalize safe sex practices without dampening the festive spirit.
