By Abigail Imas
The arrival of the festival season represents a highlight of summer. We have a chance to, unashamedly, grow the volume of Instagrammable posts, take videos clogging up our camera rolls, and scream with friends as we share moments with our favourite artists. This is what we know about a typical festival experience, but maybe we need to start making space for a new type of experience. What is it like to go solo to a festival?
For women, going solo to festivals or concerts remains uncommon. In 2024, 7 in 10 women said they had never been to a concert alone. Not feeling ‘confident enough’ and feeling ‘unsafe’ ranked as the top reasons. However, times are changing. Just as the girls’ trip is being replaced by women seeking a solo adventure, maybe festivals are poised for a similar refresh.
As the trend of solo female travel has grown, so too has the research into its positive impact. Studies on solo travel consistently highlight how it supports personal development. Solo female travelers discover greater freedom, independence, and increased confidence in overcoming challenges. As solo festival-goers remain relatively uncommon, research is also in its infancy.
From those attending a festival solo in Finland, researchers identified an interplay between empowerment and loneliness. From this, festival goers may juggle feelings of enjoyment while grappling with the social expectation of being at a festival without a group.
I wanted to discover the experience from a woman’s first-hand perspective. How does it really feel to go alone to a festival? Is it a story of anxiety and fear? Or can it be empowering and a chance to leap outside your comfort zone?
To answer these questions, I interviewed Ynés, a 34-year-old woman, from Brussels. She is currently travelling solo through South America, and she is currently in Mexico. Ynés is breaking the festival taboo. While in Argentina, she headed to Lollapalooza – a 3-day international music festival.
What made you decide to solo travel and why South America?
When I moved to Spain 10 years ago, my first plan was to learn Spanish and then travel around Latin America. It was my Teenage Dream. But then I started a career in Spain, so my dream hit a pause. Going travelling solo is not something that I was afraid of. I’ve always wished for it, but life meant that I had other plans… until two years ago, when I started traveling on my own.
And then you decided to go to Lollapalooza solo – how did you feel about going alone?
I believe that doing anything solo can look and be challenging for people, based on the image you give to other people. We live in a society that is more and more individual. Yet, at the same time, we are scared of doing things on our own.
In the past, maybe because I didn’t have enough self-confidence, I was a bit scared of doing things on my own. But, I believe that the more you do things and experience events on your own, the more you get self-confidence. It was a wonderful experience and, at the end of the day, if someone wonders if she or he would go on his or her own to a festival, do it. And, don’t worry because almost nobody is paying attention to you. Everybody’s there to have fun and to have a good time.
Festivals are typically seen as activities for a friend group. For solo festival goers, breaking into a group as an individual could be perceived as daunting. From your experience, how did you meet people, and did you want to meet people?
At the festival, sometimes I could feel people were intrigued or maybe looking at me, as if I was, almost coming from another planet. But as soon as I talked to them, I think they seemed quite fascinated.
Also, when you really like music, you start dancing. This brings people together, and that’s why it’s so easy to get to know new people. For example, I started talking to someone who told me her girlfriend was at another concert. I told her I was alone and asked if she wanted to have a drink after… We chatted and had a beer together and then she left to go to another concert. I wasn’t especially interested in the artists they were going to see, so I stayed on my own.
And why did you decide to go to Lollapalooza for only one day?
In my case, one was enough. Also, I was in Buenos Aires for 10 days, so I wanted to spend one day at the festival and the rest enjoying the city. It was my first time visiting Buenos Aires.
Having said that, going for three days to a festival. Yeah, I might do it in the future, why not?
Women have ranked ‘not feeling confident enough’ as a top reason for choosing not to go to concerts solo. Did you have any anxieties about going solo to a festival?
No, I didn’t feel any anxiety. But, I’m 34 years old, so I have some kind of life experience, and I have become more self-confident over the years, especially being a woman. So if I might give a little piece of advice to younger women, I would say, experience new things on your own path, and if you feel confident enough to do it. Do it. If at a certain point, you feel anxiety, you’re always free to go… Do it if you feel you want to do it, don’t do it as a pressure because it’s trendy now and everybody is doing things on their own. I believe life is wonderful on your own, as well as with people.
Another reason given by women is safety and security concerns. At Lollapalooza, were there any security measures that made you feel safe?
Of course security is a big deal and it’s something you should be careful of. But if you worry too much about security you will miss so many wonderful experiences.
When you go to big festivals, such as Lollapalooza, which is an international franchise, there is security everywhere. Also, I was really surprised by how I found public transport. I felt it would be a bit tricky. I have no sense of direction at all – I can use Google Maps and get lost. But, it was quite easy.
Also, you couldn’t drink alcohol at the festival. There was one specific area where you were allowed to drink alcohol and you had a maximum of two beers or two fernet, which is an Argentinian cocktail. This was the maximum. They could control this with your Lollapalooza bracelet. I was surprised because in Europe we tend to drink a lot at a festival.
What sort of personal impacts did you feel from going solo to a festival?
Going solo is a way of getting out of your comfort zone, getting more self-confidence, stimulating your social abilities or seeing if you’re comfortable with yourself going to any event. Also, choosing to not pay attention to what people might think.
Will you go to another solo concert or festival?
Yes. Definitely.
What one piece of advice do you give to women thinking about going solo to festivals, concerts or events?
Don’t set barriers because that’s something I realised during this trip and in the last few years. Often, as women, we prevent ourselves from doing things because we are scared of the consequences it might have. But, I believe there is so much female solidarity that you will meet on your path. Women with very good intentions, who can help make this experience a bit safer. So please don’t prevent yourself from doing things. Don’t set barriers. There are so many barriers that are set in our society for women that we should just overcome them… or make them explode!
Abigail Imas moved to Chile after graduating from university in the UK. Currently, she is working as an English assistant in an all-boys school. Alongside teaching, she is pursuing a career in journalism and learning Spanish. Her experiences in Chile inspire much of her writing and include a report on the vertiginous Cerro Abajo downhill mountain biking, insights from the nationwide blackout, and reflections from the nail salon. You can follow her on Instagram or Medium where she updates on her latest writing and life in Chile.
Ynés Griega is currently enjoying the food and culture of Mexico. Before following her dream of travelling through South America, she worked for a marketing agency in Madrid. Now, she combines work and travel by teaching French on the Preply platform. A talented linguist, Ynés shares her experiences through a podcast available in French, Spanish, and English.
