Adarsh, a 32-year-old data analyst hailing from Mumbai, is a regular at music festivals. His passion for music is paired often with a gin and tonic, and occasionally, he enhances his experience with smoking a joint. Adarsh shares that this combination elevates his festival experience. Nonetheless, during a particularly packed music festival in 2022, he faced a dire episode. The overwhelming crowds and intense atmosphere led to a distressing panic attack. Stunned and sweating profusely, Adarsh felt nauseous and disoriented. He approached a nearby volunteer for some water, and allowed himself a moment to calm down before deciding to leave the festival. This incident served as a wake-up call, prompting him to swear off attending festivals under the influence.
Adarsh’s experience echoes a common narrative among concert-goers, as many seek the thrill of immersive experiences amid vibrant festival atmospheres. It’s not always substances that trigger discomfort; sometimes, it is simply the overpowering stimuli of the environment that can unsettle an individual.
In response to such scenarios, music festivals worldwide are increasingly focusing on the emotional and physical well-being of their attendees. Emotional welfare booths are being established as sanctuary spaces, offering mental health support and addressing physical wellness needs amidst the chaos and excitement of festival settings.
At Bacardi NH7 Weekender, a widely-celebrated music festival held annually in Pune, these support services are gaining traction. Many music festivals globally have already made welfare and medical support integral to their operations, with festivals like Glastonbury in the UK offering ‘Sanctuary’ zones hosted by mental health professionals. Burning Man’s ‘Zendo Project’ offers a haven for emotional guidance, particularly for attendees facing challenging experiences. Tomorrowland also maintains a ‘Comfort Zone’ for mental health needs and immediate medical assistance, while Coachella focuses on harm reduction resources. In Portugal, Boom Festival’s ‘Kosmicare’ highlights wellness, offering support to those grappling with emotional distress.
Back in India, although such services aren’t yet prolific, festivals like Magnetic Fields in Rajasthan have partnered with organisations like Tatva to provide a comforting space for well-being. Sarah Chawla, co-founder of Magnetic Fields, stresses the significance of these support spaces.
. The festival’s collaboration with Tatva isn’t limited to emotional welfare; it extends to enhancing safety through a comprehensive sensitivity training program for the core security team. This program is aimed at evolving their focus on guest well-being every year.
The welfare teams play an indispensable role in mediating situations involving festival attendees, security, and medical staff. As first responders, they are trained in LGBTQIA+ sensitization, bystander intervention, and offering support through active listening. “Our welfare area is a sanctuary for conversation, where patrons can access information on sexual health, consent, report harassment, discrimination incidents, and find respite,” elaborates Kripi Malviya of the Tatva Centre.
At Bacardi NH7 Weekender, fostering an inclusive environment is one of the pillars. Support booths have been established to assist anyone overwhelmed by the experience, or facing harassment, especially involving issues of sexuality. This addition has transformed the festival into a holistic experience, catering to both the physical and emotional needs of all attendees. Ashish Jha, brand manager for Bacardi and Breezer India, articulates the importance of prioritising mental health, ensuring festival-goers know their emotional wellbeing is paramount.
The festival’s latest edition saw the involvement of Mist LGBTQ Foundation, a Pune-based inclusivity partner, with founder Shyam Konnur and volunteers actively waving the Pride flag to extend psychological first aid to those in need. Partnering further with Mindworks Counselling enabled quick on-the-spot consultations, addressing distress confrontations head-on. Armeet Narang, a psychologist from Mindworks, describes how overstimulation from festival environments can trigger intense anxiety, sometimes escalating to panic attacks.
Other potential threats include harassment and molestation incidents that can induce a fight-or-flight reaction, which underscores the necessity of safe spaces. Consumption of substances like alcohol and drugs further complicates the emotional states of festival attendees, potentially leading to adverse experiences. Separation from friends, especially in areas with limited connectivity, can aggravate feelings of isolation or panic.
For Lollapalooza India’s second edition, strategic collaborations were set to offer real-time support for mental and emotional health. Trained counsellors and Quick Response Teams (QRTs) were put in place to ensure psychological safety and inclusivity, with special attention to preventing sexual assault.
Chief of Business for Live Entertainment at BookMyShow, Owen Roncon, explains that prioritising inclusivity meant sensiting staff on gender issues, ensuring the festival environment was accommodating for all, with gender-neutral facilities and inclusive communication during interventions. These efforts reflect a prolific shift in the culture of care at music festivals, striving for events that nourish both body and soul, advancing towards a future where emotional enrichment is a priority.
