Spotlight
Even if you end up on the shoulders of an absolute worldie whilst Mabel sings about not calling your ex in the background, the option to exchange numbers, compliment their awfully patterned shirt and never see them again is always on the table and can be carried out a lot safely and easier in a festival setting than in real life. Once you have made it past the festival security who are clearly fed up of searching underage festival-goers underwear for bottles of contraband cider, you are welcomed by an obscenely muddy field and hundreds of scantily-clad fellow festival adventurers like yourself all fired up for a weekend of questionable toilet’s and casual hook-ups. Hook-up culture at festivals has never been more prolific than today due to the golden age of the dating app. Your friends turn to dating apps they have secured specially for the weekend to make it easier to find people to bond with and make navigating a mosh pit for their true love a lot easier when they have already swiped right. This close proximity makes it easier to reach out and find someone you can bond over the over-priced festival food with, providing both parties with a hit of instantly secured gratification. As millions make journeys to all corners of the world to bask in the rays of freedom and sun, cherished music that is passed down from generations will be enjoyed by couples meeting for the first time and by individuals keen for some festival fun. As nervous are-you-sures are whispered in the dark by teenagers who are yet to explore each other, strangers will be meeting in mosh pits for the first time and saying goodbye moments later after a brief but thrilling exchange. Saying goodbye to a festival fling can be a bittersweet way to end a weekend of high emotions, yet sad thoughts are later dispelled on the bus back home when a follow request comes through and discussions surrounding future meet-ups are had, potentially turning a festival hook-up into a partner for life.
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Words by: Lucy Matthews Design by: Holly Chapman
