Festies

Ep. 27 Festival Crowd Etiquette: Do’s and Don’ts Every Festie Should Know

• Sunny Balopole, Vanessa Gutierrez, Clark Lawson • Episode 27

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In this episode of Festies, Sunny & Vanessa break down the unwritten rules of festival crowd etiquette—from personal space and totem tips to hot debates like shoulder-riding and group spot-saving.

We share real stories from festivals like BottleRock and Lollapalooza, plus practical festival survival tips to help you navigate packed crowds with grace. Whether you’re a first-timer or seasoned pro, learn how to create good vibes, avoid eye rolls, and be the festival friend everyone wants nearby.


Sunny's Festival Corner:

Dry Diggins Music Festival

POP Montreal International Music Festival

Sunny:

Hey Vanessa,

Vanessa:

yeah Sunny?

Sunny:

What do you call two best friends that love music festivals?

Vanessa:

Hmm, I guess you'd call them Festies

Clark:

music festivals, friendship festies.

Vanessa:

When was the last time I saw you?

Sunny:

Fourth of July?

Vanessa:

oh yeah.

Vanessa:

What did we do Fourth of July?

Sunny:

So we did music in the park and then we went to your house for barbecue.

Vanessa:

Yeah,

Sunny:

it was so yummy

Vanessa:

Dude, all that meat was so good.

Sunny:

Yeah,

Vanessa:

so Megan's dad like sous vide, sous vide, I don't know what it is.

Sunny:

Clark

Vanessa:

those tri tips.

Vanessa:

Those were so good. And then my sister's boyfriend brought like a huge tomahawk steak, and then he also bought this like teriyaki steak that he brings all the time. It's so good we didn't have enough of it, though I wish we had more clark's or was it yours, clark's? Bread focaccia, is that how you say it?

Sunny:

Yeah,

Vanessa:

bread was really good.

Sunny:

I think that's pretty much the staple. That's what we bring now, because according to Clark it's easy, but to me I'm like this takes two days. Well, thanks for having us for Fourth of July.

Sunny:

I don't know what we would have done.

Vanessa:

That was Megan's thing, not my. Thing.

Sunny:

So there was that, and then I decided to go out after to a

Vanessa:

oh yeah

Sunny:

, to a Lady Gaga dance party at the Cat Club in San Francisco.

Vanessa:

If I knew I wasn't going to work the next day, I would have gone with you.

Sunny:

It was so fun.

Vanessa:

Yeah.

Sunny:

When Abracadabra came on, the DJ played it at like the perfect time. The floor was bumping. Everyone's just yelling like feel the beat under your feet.

Vanessa:

The floor is on fire. That's literally my favorite part.

Sunny:

Yeah, oh, it's so fun. Yeah, the Cat Club is a dope spot too.

Vanessa:

Was it super crowded?

Sunny:

No, no, so they have like a back room that's really big and a lot of people go dance back there, but it's like 80s synth wave, so we didn't go anywhere back there

Vanessa:

Yeah,

Sunny:

we just stayed in the front part, which is where Lady Gaga was was playing, and they played a lot of songs that I forgot about too. I think I took a video and sent it to you the song.

Sunny:

Teeth,

Vanessa:

yeah,

Sunny:

totally

Vanessa:

show me your teeth,

Sunny:

yeah our friend Connor went with me.

Vanessa:

Cute,

Sunny:

yeah, I had really thought it wasn't gonna happen. But I kept thinking about what you said, where you're like with Sunny she's going to make it happen, but I really thought that it wasn't going to happen. This time it wasn't. Clark and I were ready to leave and Connor comes up to us to say bye and he's like wait, no, gaga? And I was like what do you mean? He's like I texted you like an hour ago and I pull up my phone. I was like you texted me eight minutes ago but I hadn't seen it. So I was kind of in this sad mood, leaving Megan and Vanessa's party because I knew the Gaga wasn't gonna happen. And then Connor came up to me and was like I want to go

Vanessa:

awww,

Sunny:

so we went.

Vanessa:

So it's not always you, but somehow the universe

Sunny:

yeah,

Vanessa:

makes it happen for you that's funny that the other time I was talking about this was for coachella to see gaga

Sunny:

it's lady gaga.

Sunny:

Yeah, that's the pattern here. Oh, and this is the other part that worked out. I was telling connor maybe we can drive to the city a little earlier to catch the fireworks.

Vanessa:

Oh dude, I didn't even see the fireworks

Sunny:

and so.

Sunny:

I love fireworks for some reason, and we were driving out to the city and as we were driving out on the water by candlestick, the fireworks started going and we didn't even plan that part and I was like Conner, the fireworks!

Sunny:

I'm so happy.

Vanessa:

I love fireworks too, but I totally forgot about them this time.

Sunny:

It's a huge part of 4th of July,

Vanessa:

I know.

Sunny:

So we got it all. We got the park, the party, the fireworks the Gaga.

Vanessa:

The Gaga

Sunny:

Happy 4th.

Vanessa:

Well, we weren't speaking about crowds, but we'll do a transition, we'll do the music. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. Okay, festies, today we're gonna talk about something very important, and that's crowd etiquette.

Sunny:

That's important it is.

Vanessa:

I'm surprised we haven't talked about it yet. I feel like a lot of this is common sense, though like we're not going to be telling you anything super new here. But also, if you've never been to a festival, then this is some good info to know. But as much as we all love live music, sometimes the crowd can really make or break your experience, like almost all the time actually. But like we've all been there, you know you're at a set and people are like shoving past you or like a crowd of 10 are trying to get to the front, cutting through everybody or like there's a six foot tall person in front of you with a person on their shoulder or holding up a totem or something.

Vanessa:

We're gonna talk about some of the kind of unspoken rules of crowd etiquette or spoken rules, I guess, because we're talking about them and like what's cool and what's questionable and what needs to stop expeditiously, and then we'll share some of our own pet peeves or green flags and stories from festivals that we've been to.

Sunny:

When you talk about crowd etiquette, you're talking specifically when you're in a crowd with a bunch of people watching the music?

Vanessa:

Yeah, there's festival etiquette. That encompasses so many other things like bathroom etiquette, water etiquette camping etiquette

Sunny:

Really break it down.

Vanessa:

But this is specifically for like when you're at a set dealing with the crowd around you,

Sunny:

okay,

Vanessa:

biggest thing is just to like be respectful of other people's personal space and so many things fall under this category but try not to be like on top of people. I know that's very hard to do the closer you get to the stage, like I remember we were at Backstreet Boys at Stagecoach, and there was a guy behind Ed that just kept stretching his neck, I guess, to see, but like was just so in his space breathing down his neck.

Sunny:

Oh, no

Vanessa:

so just be mindful of how close you are. There's ways to be packed like sardines, but still respect people's space.

Sunny:

Yeah.

Vanessa:

When you're going through crowds. If you have to, that's fine, as long as you are very polite about it. Don't just shove through people without saying anything. People don't mind you going through if you're like excuse me, so sorry

Sunny:

Like overly polite.

Vanessa:

Yeah, yeah. Literally

Sunny:

no matter how packed a crowd is, there will always be little pockets of open space. You just really need to find that space and comfortably make room.

Vanessa:

Maybe carry a mister Bottle if it's a hot festival and like spray people.

Sunny:

Right, that's a good idea, yeah

Sunny:

Walk with the fan fan people. You know, it's like there are ways to do it. If you're in the crowd and you don't want people walking in between you, close the gap.

Vanessa:

Yeah,

Sunny:

it'll always happen where, like, a string of people will be walking through and it's like as soon as the last person goes, it's like, ok, close the gap.

Vanessa:

Yeah,

Sunny:

no one else through this way. So there's ways to also protect your own personal space, you know.

Vanessa:

I always make sure that when people are cutting through me, I'm like don't worry about it, You're good.

Sunny:

Yeah.

Vanessa:

I like to make people feel better about doing it.

Sunny:

Yeah,

Vanessa:

you're okay, you can do it. You can get there.

Sunny:

Yeah.

Sunny:

Cheer them on, cheer them on, yeah, yeah.

Vanessa:

Be respectful and be kind, be nice. It just makes everyone's experience better.

Sunny:

Yeah. Because you know, as they've get, that little break of someone being like you got this. It feels really good. I kind of understand when people are annoyed when people are going closer but when people are trying to leave. I'm like they're leaving,

Vanessa:

right yeah.

Sunny:

What is your deal?

Vanessa:

Yeah?

Vanessa:

When people are trying to get to the front, that doesn't really bother me as long as you don't stop right in front of me.

Sunny:

Yeah, they gotta stop in front of somebody

Vanessa:

and make it to the front. I know also, if it's like one or two people, great. But like when people try and go like 10, deep to the front,

Sunny:

yeah,

Vanessa:

be considerate, like know your limit.

Vanessa:

If your group of 10 wants to be there front row for the headliner, then be there an hour early

Sunny:

yeah, okay, say that was plan, but the bathroom lines were too long or something like that, you know, and like you wanted to be up close,

Vanessa:

yeah,

Sunny:

I'm kind of like go for it.

Vanessa:

Yeah, totally, I'm totally for having the experience that you want, but try not to do it going straight down the middle. Go up along the sides and then cut through.

Sunny:

Yes,

Vanessa:

then you're bugging less people.

Sunny:

Yes, that is key.

Vanessa:

There's ways to do it.

Vanessa:

Let's see. How do you feel about smoking in the crowd?

Sunny:

Good question, um, I think anyone who smokes. Look around. Make sure there's no kids around you first off. Yeah, not that other people's kids are your responsibility, but it's just an extra way to be considerate

Vanessa:

yeah, if it's cigarettes, then I would be a little more cautious

Sunny:

I think if you're chain smoking, you shouldn't be smoking in that crowd

Vanessa:

okay.

Vanessa:

Another thing keep conversations to a minimum. This is probably my biggest pet peeve, because I am not the type of person that can just tune things around me out.

Vanessa:

I'm a chismosa, meaning I like the gossip and I'm just kidding um, but when people are just socializing while the music's playing, especially if it's like maybe a quieter artist or like a slower song or just in general, not paying attention to the music

Sunny:

like the closer you are, the less you should be having conversation

Vanessa:

yeah, if you know that this is not your main thing you want to see, then maybe stay in the back

Sunny:

yeah

Sunny:

, it's in the back building,

Vanessa:

yeah okay.

Vanessa:

And then the other one is be kind and positive. You want to contribute to the positive atmosphere of the festival and the vibe, so be friendly, give people compliments. You know you're in such close quarters with a bunch of people, just like you know. Make someone's day and don't be Judge Judy. Like, obviously people at festivals love to express themselves differently in the way they dress or in the way they act or dance or whatever.

Sunny:

Yeah,

Vanessa:

that should be no concern of yours.

Vanessa:

Just be happy and don't put out icky vibes

Sunny:

yeah

Vanessa:

my next point is to stay safe and also look out for people around you, not just to keep yourself safe, but like to see if anyone might be in need of help. Either they're uncomfortable, somebody's making them uncomfortable, or they're like not in good shape and they need water, or they need medics. Just keep an eye out for your fellow festies. I know I've given tons of water to people around me in the past.

Sunny:

Nurse Vanessa,

Vanessa:

before I was a nurse

Sunny:

yeah

Vanessa:

, actually, it was so funny. I remember the like two days after I passed my nursing license test, like I hadn't even worked a day as a nurse Some guy like passed out in front of me and I was like I'm just a baby, don't do this in front of me right now.

Vanessa:

I'm just a baby

Sunny:

was he okay?

Vanessa:

yeah, he was fine I like was like okay, I guess I'm gonna check his pulse. Okay, that's like the main points I'd have, but I also wanted to bring up a couple other things.

Sunny:

Yeah,

Vanessa:

if you're up close or in a very packed crowd, try not to sit down, because people around you can't see that you're sitting down. People behind you can't see that they're sitting down. All they see is a gap. So they'll try and push or they'll try and cut through the crowd to get to that spot, but like there's people there, they're just sitting.

Sunny:

Yeah,

Vanessa:

that happened to us at Stagecoach. People kept trying to push us because there was a group of three or four girls sitting in front of us and they were like trying to get through. And some guy was like what's with that gap? We're like people are sitting down, which is very annoying and

Sunny:

it's dangerous.

Vanessa:

It's very dangerous. How do you feel about people holding spots for like a group of 10 close to the front?

Sunny:

Like, let's say, you and I are standing up in the front and our friends are trying to get to us.

Sunny:

That's that kind of situation?

Vanessa:

or people put like a blanket down.

Sunny:

Oh no, if you have a blanket down, no, that's not

Vanessa:

good crowd.

Vanessa:

Etiquette.

Sunny:

Yeah, to put a blanket down and just expect everyone to go around it

Vanessa:

yeah, no, that's not happening

Sunny:

.

Vanessa:

If the gap is there, it will.

Vanessa:

Your blanket will be stepped on

Sunny:

say, like if you're in a situation where you have to sit down for a second look at everyone around you and say like I need to sit down, can you

Vanessa:

Surround me

Sunny:

like surround me or shield me for a second

Vanessa:

yeah,

Sunny:

that's what I would say

Vanessa:

okay.

Vanessa:

So biggest things is just be respectful of people's space, keep conversations to a minimum, be kind and positive, stay safe and look out for others and just like be aware

Sunny:

yes,

Vanessa:

be aware of your surroundings. Also, I wanted to mention totems. Some people really don't like totems because they kind of block views, or I like them. I guess I would just say, if you have like a big, wide one, maybe turn it on its side or, once your whole group has found you, put it down. I don't know.

Sunny:

I mean go to a concert then If you don't want the totem. This is a part of festival culture. You know it's part of it

Vanessa:

Also.

Vanessa:

I'm like what do you need to see on stage? Just listen to the music.

Sunny:

Yeah.

Vanessa:

I get it if it's like a good performance performer like Lady Gaga, that would be annoying to have a totem blocking your view. But especially for like DJs, what do you need to see on stage?

Sunny:

Yeah.

Vanessa:

Like the lights and the music that's all coming at you no matter where you are.

Sunny:

Good point,

Vanessa:

so try not to get too pressed over totems, I guess yeah.

Vanessa:

Okay, I put up some crowd etiquette poll questions on Instagram just to get some feedback from our followers about what they think

Sunny:

I'm so curious

Vanessa:

Is good or bad crowd etiquette. I haven't looked at these, so we're going to find these out together. My first question was is it okay to push through a crowd to get to the front? 74% of you said yes if you're polite. 23% said no, stay where you land. 3% said I don't care what you do.

Sunny:

Got it.

Vanessa:

And that was. Let's see 29 votes for yes, nine for no one for do whatever you want.

Sunny:

Wow, I remember when you should just get like three. I know right answers on our instagram stuff, that's exciting,

Vanessa:

yeah.

Vanessa:

next question should you FaceTime someone during a set? Oh, we didn't even talk about this. 19% said sure, it's part of the fun, 32% said no, it ruins the vibe. And 49% said do whatever you want. I really have no issue with that, to be honest.

Sunny:

I don't want to be able to hear the other person in your phone, though,

Vanessa:

right

Sunny:

Turn your volume down.

Vanessa:

Yeah,

Sunny:

if I'm hearing the person on the other end of your facetime.

Vanessa:

The music's too quiet.

Sunny:

That's the music's too quiet. Yes, that is true.

Vanessa:

Uh, then that's a problem. Yeah, right, I think it's fine. Yeah, if you want to show your mom your song or something and they're not there, like, yeah, fine, hold it up, let them see it, but don't be screaming into your phone, I guess. Okay, holding a spot for a big group. Acceptable or annoying? 22 said acceptable, 31 said annoying and 47 said only if you're in the back. So that was the most 21 votes.

Sunny:

Okay

Vanessa:

, only if you're in the back

Sunny:

for me.

Sunny:

I feel like it just takes a lot to bother me.

Vanessa:

Yeah,

Sunny:

I'm really quick to let things go

Vanessa:

same.

Sunny:

These questions are hard because I kept thinking to myself it depends, it depends,

Vanessa:

it does, yeah, it does also, why would you want to do that to your friend, your one friend that's holding it down. You're getting so much hate yeah, probably or like dirty looks.

Vanessa:

Don't do that to your friends

Sunny:

right, yeah.

Sunny:

Yeah, good point.

Vanessa:

Okay Is sitting during a packed set. Okay, we talked about this. We got 28 votes for no only in the back and 16 votes for totally fine. 36% said totally fine, 64% said no. Okay, sharing water with strangers nice or risky?

Sunny:

Both

Vanessa:

I feel like it's nice and risky. Okay, 15 votes for nice 30% and then 35 votes for risky. It's 70% 70, 30 split here. I wouldn't drink someone else's water, but I would share mine.

Sunny:

If it's a water bottle, you know the classic waterfall. I don't know if that really does stop any germs.

Sunny:

But

Vanessa:

so I used to do that before I started wearing camelbacks I would just have water bottles and I remember sharing water with people around me. Then, when I started wearing camelbacks, I would still buy like a couple water bottles just to have in case people around me needed water

Sunny:

same

Vanessa:

so that I they wouldn't have to be like sucking on my hose.

Vanessa:

I mean, you and you and I are both like this. We want to be helpful to people around us too, so like I, would just get a couple water bottles and keep them in my backpack.

Sunny:

You know, if someone clearly needs water, I'm not going to put my fear of germs over somebody really needing water.

Vanessa:

Yeah.

Sunny:

But yeah, at the same time I don't feel right being like yep, share your water

Vanessa:

do it at your own risk, okay.

Vanessa:

Climbing on shoulders at a big show iconic or in the way? actually people seemed a little bit more like, even on this one. 51 said iconic. 49 said in the way, that's 23 votes for iconic, 22 votes for. In the way before bonnaroo I would have said iconic.

Vanessa:

I used to put people on my

Sunny:

I was just gonna say, vanessa puts people on her shoulders all the time

Vanessa:

yeah by people.

Vanessa:

It's a penny, I think is the only one.

Sunny:

You put someone else on your shoulders too

Vanessa:

, at edc some stranger

Sunny:

nice,

Vanessa:

and I think I put my little sisters on my shoulder before too, so I mean, I used to do that. It was like for djs, so what are you trying to see on stage? But this time where it annoyed me was that I were trying to see icp. They're obviously huge performers. They were coming out too. It was like their first song and I was just so curious to see what their whole thing was, because I'd never seen them before. And then this girl got on the shoulders and I was like, oh my god no, I can't see anything.

Vanessa:

That was the only time it like really annoyed me, but I think you can do that max one or two songs.

Sunny:

One song should be the limit,

Vanessa:

because also, why would you want to do that to your friend?

Sunny:

Hold me up

Vanessa:

for the whole set, like no, their neck is hurting.

Sunny:

Yeah,

Vanessa:

okay, last one talking loudly, slash socializing during a show harmless or rude? 38 said no big deal, 62 said rude and I'm gonna have to agree that has bugged me since the early days of me going to like shoreline for country concerts

Sunny:

which everyone talks there.

Vanessa:

I know I would really have to choose the right people to go with, because if I went with people I just wanted to socialize, I fucking hated that and I I'm sorry. I want to hear the music. God forbid, I go to a concert and want to hear the music,

Sunny:

then pay for a seat,

Vanessa:

yeah no, if you go down the lawn a little bit more. It's fine,

Sunny:

I'm just giving you shit.

Vanessa:

Yeah, I know. Okay, I think that's all I've got. If you guys think of anything else, DM them to us.

Sunny:

Yeah, there definitely has to be things that we're not thinking of.

Vanessa:

Oh, totally, but I was going to ask you what is the most annoying thing someone's done in a festival or crowd that you can think of.

Sunny:

Oh, actually remember when we went to Bottle Rock and we saw Stevie Wonder? my mom was way in the back, we were way in the front and she was trying to get through the crowd to get to us. She had to fight her way through the crowd she's five one. I remember turning around and she was 5 feet behind us maybe and there were these two guys standing in between us and I could see her face. And to those guys I was like, hey, my mom's right there, is it okay if I grab her hand? And they just stood completely still, arms crossed.

Sunny:

I know they heard me and they just looked at me and like, acted like they didn't hear me

Vanessa:

Jerks,

Sunny:

and I was just like

Vanessa:

that's that Bottle Rock crowd, though.

Sunny:

Yeah, I hate to say that, I hate to make a full generalization like that.

Vanessa:

No, I know

Sunny:

, but the two years we did go to Bottle Rock, that was the experience.

Vanessa:

Yeah,

Sunny:

not letting people through the crowd.

Sunny:

So, yeah, that, yeah, that was the most annoying and especially because it was like my mom

Vanessa:

yeah,

Sunny:

you know, maybe they thought.

Sunny:

I was lying is my mom.

Vanessa:

Yeah, I had a similar experience like that at Lollapalooza. We were leaving the crowd and there was a people in front of us leaving also, and I remember seeing a guy we were gonna be walking past and he stood his ground. I heard him say like I'm not fucking moving. This was like eight years ago Please don't judge me, I don't even know what came over me. Like I, this is so not like me,

Sunny:

oh man.

Vanessa:

But when we got up to him, I like shoved him kind of and I was like oh, you're not going to move.

Sunny:

Wow

Vanessa:

, he fucking got so pissed. He turned around and pushed me. I can't remember if I fell or not, but I definitely bumped into the people in front of me and I think I was already very annoyed at this crowd in general, because I will not go back to Lollapalooza.

Vanessa:

I also hate to generalize that.

Vanessa:

But I do not like the crowd at Lollapalooza. They're not the most respectful, At least in my personal experience. Sorry if you love Lollapalooza, but I least in my personal experience. Sorry if you love Lollapalooza, but I think I was already just like fed up with the crowd in general and I kind of just lost.

Sunny:

You took it out on.

Sunny:

This guy

Vanessa:

took it out on this guy who was being a dick

Sunny:

yeah, that's super yeah. I'm not moving.

Vanessa:

Just turn to your side for a second

Sunny:

tough guy.

Vanessa:

Don't do what I did

Sunny:

yeah,

Vanessa:

I condone that. I don't know what came over me. That's so not like me, but it happened that you and it was a long time ago.

Sunny:

We were talking about biggest festival crowd, ick, I thought of fan clacking First off. What is fan clacking? People do this thing where they will snap them and they make this very loud noise. You know, fans are lovely if you're fanning people, but no more clacking. But I think clacking is on its way out.

Vanessa:

All right, that is it for crowd etiquette.

Sunny:

Nope, it's not it,

Vanessa:

oh sorry.

Sunny:

I thought of one for you that you might have forgotten about.

Vanessa:

Oh yeah.

Sunny:

Something super random that Vanessa does not like. She hates ooh ooh in the crowd.

Vanessa:

It's so annoying, like why,

Sunny:

I don't know.

Vanessa:

Why do people do that?

Sunny:

I don't know, but Vanessa and I like to look at each other and just pout no woo, woo,

Vanessa:

no woo woo,

Vanessa:

I'm such a hater.

Sunny:

Oh, you are a hater, no.

Sunny:

Didn't bug me until you said out loud that it bugs you. Now it bugs me. Okay, that's the last thing.

Sunny:

I had. Sorry,

Vanessa:

Sunny's Festival Corner.

Sunny:

August 22nd to the 23rd we have the 10th Annual Dry Diggins Music Festival. It's in Auburn, california. This is a camping festival and they are celebrating their 10th year. It's also an all-ages festival. Headliners are Anthony B and Save Ferris. Other acts are Mystic Roots featuring Lake Anthony and Sammy Ramone. Okay, next September 24th to the 28th, we have Pop Montreal International Music Festival in Montreal, quebec. It is a not-for-profit, curated cultural event. It presents emerging artists from all around the world and anyone can apply to play, and the music curators or musicians slash other professionals. They all get together to have listening sessions and then they vote and they listen to every submission.

Vanessa:

Wow,

Sunny:

yeah, I thought that was pretty cool. Headliners are wait, no, there's no headliners. They listed them in alphabetical order so I just picked at random. We have Albert Dalton, Isabella Love Story and the Tubs.

Vanessa:

Good names.

Sunny:

That's it for Sunny's Festival Corner.

Vanessa:

All right festies. Make sure you follow us on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube at festiespodcast and leave us a rating and review wherever you listen to us. And also don't forget, you can get 10 off eargasm earplugs by using our discount code festies 10.

Vanessa:

There's a link to it in our instagram bio.

Sunny:

Nice,

Vanessa:

check it out. Talk to you guys next time. Bye

Sunny:

bye,