Introduction
Large-scale festivals are exhilarating experiences, but they can also be overwhelming and stressful for attendees. The combination of massive crowds, intense music, bright lights, and long hours can take a toll on even the most enthusiastic festival-goer. Mental health, care, and recovery spaces have emerged as essential features at festivals around the world to help people in distress. By offering calm environments, supportive staff, and essential resources, festival organisers can ensure everyone stays safe, feels cared for, and has the opportunity to recover when needed. Investing in these support systems not only prevents severe incidents but also creates a more inclusive and enjoyable atmosphere for all.
The Importance of Mental Health Support at Festivals
A festival is a high-stimulation environment – which, for some people, can trigger anxiety, panic attacks, sensory overload, or substance-related distress. At a large-scale event with tens of thousands of attendees, it is statistically inevitable that a portion will experience some form of mental or emotional crisis during the event. Forward-thinking festival producers now recognize that caring for attendees’ mental well-being is just as important as providing medical aid or security. In fact, welfare advocates argue that psychological care services should be treated as a core safety requirement, “the same as medical or security… just as important” (www.irishtimes.com).
Prioritizing mental health at festivals isn’t just the right thing to do ethically – it also makes the event safer. With proper support in place, minor issues are less likely to escalate into major emergencies. For example, an attendee having an anxiety attack can be guided to a quiet recovery area and comforted, rather than being left to spiral or potentially require hospitalization. A guest who feels faint from heat or dehydration can rest and rehydrate at a care station before their condition worsens. As Linnae Ponté, director of the Zendo Project (a psychedelic harm reduction service), noted, working hand-in-hand with event staff on attendee care reduces the number of drug-related hospitalizations and arrests at festivals (maps.org). In short, providing mental health and recovery services isn’t just altruism – it tangibly reduces severe incidents and improves overall safety.
Low-Stimulation “Chill-Out” Spaces
One of the most effective tools for festival well-being is the creation of low-stimulation rooms or chill-out spaces. These are areas set aside away from loud stages and crowds, designed to offer a calm, safe haven for anyone feeling overwhelmed. Key features often include subdued lighting, comfortable seating (bean bags, mats, or couches), hydration stations with water or electrolytes, and minimal noise (sometimes aided by earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones). The atmosphere is kept quiet and soothing – think gentle music or silence, with volunteers on hand to provide reassurance.
Real-world examples show how impactful these spaces can be. Glastonbury Festival in the UK, for instance, introduced dedicated calm areas as part of its accessibility and wellbeing initiatives. In the festival’s Green Fields area, the famous Healing Field provides a tranquil zone offering yoga, meditation, and massage away from the main stage frenzy (quietconnections.co.uk). Glastonbury even set up a Sensory Calm Space in its accessible campsite, equipped with shade, soft furnishings, and sensory-friendly activities – a quiet retreat for those with autism, anxiety, or sensory sensitivities who need a break (quietconnections.co.uk). These efforts are part of a broader movement across UK festivals to create inclusive environments that cater to neurodiverse and introverted attendees, not just the stereotypical extroverted music fan (quietconnections.co.uk).
The trend extends globally. In the Netherlands, the electronic music event Awakenings Summer Festival recently launched a “low-stimulus” care space for patrons requiring a calmer environment (www.awakenings.com). Developed with a disability advocacy group, this space offers noise-cancelling headphones, soothing ambient visuals, and staff guidance. Overstimulated visitors can find peace and quiet individually in these small rooms, with a medical volunteer on standby if needed (www.awakenings.com). An attendant at the entrance ensures the area remains reserved for those who genuinely need relief from sensory overload (www.awakenings.com). By implementing such measures, Awakenings is removing barriers for people who love music but struggle with large crowds or intense stimuli. The message is clear: any festival aiming to welcome all attendees should provide a calm corner to recharge.
Even outside of traditional festival settings, major events are seeing the value of quiet spaces. During Taylor Swift’s recent stadium tour in Australia – an extremely high-energy concert environment – arenas across the country set up sensory rooms and chill-out zones for fans who needed them. Demand was huge; these rooms were “incredibly well utilised by many people who simply would not be able to attend a major event without access to a space like this” (powerd.media). This example underlines that offering a low-stim sanctuary is not about catering to a tiny minority – it can make the difference between someone enjoying the event or having to leave early (or not attend at all).
For festival organisers, setting up a chill-out space is a practical step with big benefits. It requires some planning – choosing a suitable location slightly away from noise but still accessible, furnishing it, and staffing it appropriately – but the payoff is significant. Many festivals use tents or enclosed structures for these rooms; some even repurpose an indoor venue or large yurt on the festival grounds. It’s wise to place the quiet zone relatively central (so any attendee can reach it without a long trek) yet shielded from direct stage sound. Signage should be clear (more on that in a later section), and staff or volunteers should always be present to supervise and assist visitors. Keep the decor and lighting gentle – consider items like floor cushions, rugs, and maybe calming visuals like tapestries or nature images. Providing free water and perhaps light snacks can help someone recovering from heat or panic to physically stabilize as well.
Peer Support and “Sanctuary” Teams
In addition to the physical quiet spaces, having peer support volunteers or a dedicated “sanctuary” team on site is a game-changer for attendee welfare. These are people – often trained volunteers or staff – who roam the festival or operate in welfare tents specifically to help those in psychological distress or needing a caring presence. Unlike medical staff who focus on physical health, welfare teams provide emotional first aid: listening to attendees’ concerns, talking them through anxiety or confusion, and generally keeping them safe until they feel better.
A great example is the Ground Control team deployed at large EDM festivals like EDC (Electric Daisy Carnival) in the United States. Insomniac Events (EDC’s organisers) created Ground Control as a special crew that patrols the festival in search of anyone who might need help. Dressed in easily recognizable purple shirts and equipped with backpacks of water and supplies, small groups of Ground Control roam all the hotspot areas (www.dallasobserver.com). Their mission is simple: check in on people. They might offer water to someone who looks dehydrated, help a lost or disoriented person find their friends, or sit with a guest who is having an emotional moment. They literally shine flashlights into dark corners to ensure no one is unconscious or ill behind the scenes (www.dallasobserver.com). Thanks to this proactive approach, the “dark corners” of EDC aren’t littered with people having a bad time, because these volunteers catch issues early and escort attendees to the medical tent or a calm area as needed (www.dallasobserver.com). Ground Control members are trained to handle everything from providing basic first aid to offering friendly reassurance – and to do it all with an upbeat, non-judgmental attitude. Their motto is essentially to keep the vibe positive and safe, and it works. Many long-time festival producers point to initiatives like Ground Control as contributing to a marked decrease in serious incidents at massive events.
Peer support services at festivals have taken root worldwide. In the UK and Europe, volunteer groups like PsyCare, Kosmicare, and Zendo Project operate “sanctuary” tents especially at camping festivals known for psychedelic or intense experiences. For instance, Boom Festival in Portugal has its Kosmicare village, and Burning Man and other U.S. events have hosted the Zendo Project’s spaces – these are areas where attendees undergoing a difficult drug experience or emotional crisis can receive compassionate care from trained sitters. The volunteers sit with individuals one-on-one, providing a tranquil environment and gentle conversation to help them come down from a bad trip or panic episode safely. The impact is profound: Zendo Project staff have reported that their presence at events directly reduces the need for hospitalizations or security interventions for psychological crises (maps.org). In Ireland, PsyCare volunteers fulfil a similar role at music festivals, handling cases of extreme anxiety, confusion, or trauma among festivalgoers so effectively that medics and security have far fewer incidents to deal with. Organisers who have partnered with these welfare teams often find that the service “takes the burden off medics” by caring for attendees who don’t necessarily need a doctor – just time and a sympathetic ear in a safe space (www.irishtimes.com).
Importantly, peer support teams should be integrated with the festival’s overall safety operations. That means clear protocols: if security or medical staff encounter someone who is panicking, intoxicated, or emotionally distraught, they can hand that person off to the welfare team or guide them to the sanctuary tent instead of reacting with enforcement. At many festivals, radios and communications are set up so that any staff member can call in the welfare team when needed (“I have a guest here feeling very anxious, can a sanctuary volunteer meet us?”). This integrated approach ensures the attendee gets specialized care, and it frees up security/medical to focus on other tasks.
From a planning perspective, setting up a peer support or sanctuary service involves recruiting the right people and training them well. Many festivals collaborate with experienced harm reduction organisations to supply volunteers – for instance, Shambhala Music Festival in Canada works with groups of trained volunteers for its Sanctuary and women’s safe space, and Boomtown Fair in the UK famously has multiple welfare centres staffed by volunteers ready to help around the clock. If you don’t have an existing partner, you can recruit volunteers locally (nursing students, mental health professionals, and compassionate veteran festivalgoers often volunteer) and provide them with training in mental health first aid, active listening, and basic medical triage. Emphasize qualities like empathy, calm under pressure, and discretion. These folks will be handling sensitive situations, so it’s vital they approach every guest without judgment – whether someone is having a drug-induced panic or just overwhelmed by the crowd, the support should feel the same: caring and respectful.
Hydration and Medical Support: A Holistic Approach
Mental health care at festivals doesn’t exist in a vacuum – it connects closely with physical health support like hydration and medical services. Often, what looks like a mental health crisis (dizziness, confusion, irritability) could be exacerbated by basic physical needs such as water, rest, or food. Likewise, someone who has overexerted themselves dancing in the sun might become panicky simply because they’re dehydrated and overheated. This is why savvy festival organisers make hydration a pillar of their safety strategy and integrate it with welfare and recovery efforts.
Free water stations are now considered a must-have at any large-scale festival. Dehydration is a common trigger for medical incidents at events, especially in hot weather or indoor raves with high temperatures. By ensuring that water is abundant and easily accessible, you help attendees take care of themselves before problems arise. Many events go further by distributing water proactively: the earlier example of Ground Control volunteers carrying water is one model (www.dallasobserver.com). Some festivals have roaming “water teams” or even vendors handing out electrolyte ice pops on sweltering days. The goal is to get water to anyone who needs it, including those who might be too out of sorts to seek it out themselves.
It’s smart to position hydration points next to or inside recovery and medical areas. For example, a “cool down” tent might feature shade, drinking water, misting fans, and chairs – so someone about to faint or panic can literally cool off and hydrate under observation. Medical tents should always stock ample water and electrolyte beverages as part of their first-line treatment for distressed attendees. In fact, medical and welfare teams can work hand-in-hand: if a guest comes into the medical post with symptoms of anxiety or mild overheating, and the medics determine no serious physical issue, that guest can be escorted to the chill-out area to rest and be monitored by the welfare crew. Conversely, if someone arrives at a welfare tent in mental distress, the volunteers should check for basic physical red flags – are they dehydrated? too cold or too hot? – and involve medics if needed. This collaborative, holistic approach to care ensures no one slips through the cracks.
To illustrate, Shambhala Festival in Canada integrates its Sanctuary (mental health safe space) with its overall harm reduction programme which includes free water and on-site medical professionals. Attendees who start feeling unwell from substances or heat often first visit the Sanctuary tent to relax in a calm environment while sipping water or electrolyte drinks. Many recover fully with just rest and rehydration. But if any medical danger signs appear (for instance, extremely high temperature, trouble breathing, or unconsciousness), Sanctuary volunteers immediately involve the medics next door. Because these teams coordinate, Shambhala has managed to care for many guests on-site without escalation, contributing to an impressive safety record for a festival of its size.
Planning tip: When budgeting and designing your festival site, place water stations everywhere – especially near stages, camping areas, and at any welfare or first aid locations. Make them visible (big “Free Water” signs or flags) and mention them in the event guide/app. Many festivals even include reminders in push notifications or on the main stage screens (e.g. “Stay hydrated!” messages between acts). By normalising hydration and rest as part of festival culture, you reduce stigma around taking breaks. An attendee who knows that “water is freely available and it’s okay to take a breather” is more likely to care for themselves before reaching a crisis point.
Training Staff to Spot and De-escalate Distress
Having great facilities and teams is crucial, but equally important is ensuring all festival staff – from security guards to bartenders to stage crew – are trained to respond to attendees with empathy and calm. Front-line staff are the eyes and ears of your event; they are often the first to notice if someone in the crowd is not okay. Training them to spot signs of distress and handle those situations kindly can prevent incidents from escalating or being mishandled.
What does distress look like in a festival setting? Some signs are obvious: an attendee sobbing or hyperventilating, someone looking disoriented and confused, or a person acting agitated and erratic. Other signs can be subtle: a usually energetic person sitting down looking dazed, or a group of friends arguing with one member who seems unwell. Festival producers should implement training sessions (even brief ones during orientation) to teach staff and volunteers how to identify these red flags. For example, security personnel can be taught to distinguish between an attendee who is aggressive versus one who is actually frightened or having a panic attack – the two can look similar but need opposite responses. Instead of reacting with force, a well-trained guard will approach a distressed individual in a non-threatening manner, speak in a gentle tone, and ask if they need help. This kind of de-escalation training is standard in fields like healthcare and mental health support, and it’s extremely useful at festivals too.
Many events now include Mental Health First Aid techniques in their staff training. This might involve role-playing scenarios: e.g., a patron appears extremely anxious and paranoid – the trainee learns to calmly introduce themselves, ask simple questions (“Are you with friends? Do you know where you are?”), and avoid sudden movements or confrontational body language. Staff should also know the protocol for what to do next – typically, keep the person safe and either bring the on-site medical team or guide them to the recovery/welfare space for professional help. The key instruction is to always treat the person with respect and patience, not as a troublemaker. A compassionate response not only helps the attendee recover faster, it also builds trust – others nearby see that your festival staff truly care about attendee well-being.
An example of training paying off is how some UK festivals handle drug-related panic. Instead of ejecting attendees who admit they feel unwell after taking something (which in past decades might have been the norm), modern festival staff encourage them to seek help. Boomtown Fair in England, for instance, trains its security and stewards to be approachable and helpful on welfare issues: team members are taught to escort vulnerable guests to the welfare tent or call for the welfare team over the radio. By fostering an environment where asking for help isn’t punished, Boomtown and similar events have seen more attendees willingly come forward early if they or a friend are struggling – which means problems can be addressed before they become life-threatening.
Continual education is part of this effort. Brief your crew at daily staff meetings about any incidents and remind them of the importance of kindness. Encourage a “see something, say something” culture regarding guest safety: if a food vendor notices someone looking ill nearby, they should alert a roaming medical or security member rather than ignoring it. Every staffer, no matter their role, should feel responsible for the duty of care towards festivalgoers.
Promoting and Normalising Care Services
All the excellent support services you provide will only make a difference if attendees know about them and feel comfortable using them. That’s why promotion and normalisation of these resources is key. Festival-goers should hear loud and clear that it’s okay to not be okay – and that support is readily available whenever they need it.
Event communications before and during the festival should highlight the mental health and recovery amenities just as prominently as other information like stages or food vendors. In the festival’s mobile app and website, include a section for Attendee Welfare or Safety. List out where the Medical Tents, Water Stations, and Calm/Quiet Spaces are located (with map coordinates if possible). If you have a special team like Ground Control or welfare volunteers, introduce them in the info materials: e.g. “Have a question or feeling overwhelmed? Look for our Welfare Team in the bright green shirts – they’re here to help!” When people see something mentioned in official channels, they know it’s a legitimate part of the event, not something taboo.
On-site signage is equally important. Use clear, friendly language on signs and banners to point people toward help. For instance: “Feeling Overwhelmed? Visit the Chill-Out Tent for a quiet break” with an arrow, or large blue flags marking the medical and welfare areas. Signs can be placed in high-traffic spots and especially near stages and in camping zones, since that’s where people might start to feel the need for a break. Consider also posting reminders in restroom or water refill areas (where folks slow down enough to read a notice).
A powerful way to normalise using care spaces is through announcements and messaging from the stage. Festival MCs and performers have a lot of influence on crowd behaviour – a simple shout-out from an MC can work wonders to remove stigma. For example, during changeovers, an MC might say, “Remember to take care of yourselves out there. If you need water or a breather, we’ve got free water points and a chill-out room by the red tent. No shame in stepping out for a bit – we want you to have a great time and stay safe!” When the audience hears this in the middle of the event, it reinforces that the festival values their well-being even amid the party atmosphere. Some festivals also use their video screens to display wellness tips, such as “Stay hydrated and look out for each other,” or short PSA videos about consent, overdose symptoms, or mental health support. These messages, delivered in a positive and non-lecturey tone, help create a culture where caring for oneself and others is just part of the festival norm.
Another strategy is to engage the community aspect of festivals. Encourage attendees to be “#Family” (as many festival cultures call themselves) and to watch out for their fellow festivalgoers. If it’s a multi-day camping festival, you can include a note in the welcome booklet like, “Be a good neighbour: if you see someone who looks like they’re having a hard time, ask if they’re okay or help them find one of our care spaces.” Peer encouragement goes a long way – often a person might be hesitant to seek help on their own, but if a friend or even a kind stranger offers to walk them to the welfare tent, they’ll accept it.
When you normalise use of welfare services, you’ll likely see a higher uptake of those services – and that’s a good thing. It means people trust the support system. Don’t equate increased visits to the calm space with something “going wrong”; on the contrary, every person who stops by to rest or talk is someone proactively avoiding a potential meltdown or injury. Over time, the festival community will see these services as just another part of the event, like grabbing food or watching a show. That culture of care yields countless benefits: attendees feel safer and more loyal to events that care; minor incidents get handled early; and serious incidents become rarer.
Adapting to Different Festival Scales and Audiences
Mental health and recovery strategies apply to festivals of all sizes, but the implementation can scale up or down depending on the event. In small boutique festivals (say 1,000–5,000 attendees), you might only need one well-marked quiet area and a handful of trained volunteers on duty. Intimate events often have a tight-knit community vibe, so attendees may naturally look after each other – but it’s still crucial to have formal support in place, especially if professional medical services on site are limited. Even at a one-day city festival of a few thousand people, offering a simple “chill zone” with some shade, water, and a couple of friendly staff can make a big difference.
On the other hand, at large-scale festivals (50,000 attendees and up, spread over big grounds), you’ll want to scale up the welfare operations accordingly. This could mean multiple welfare tents or calm spaces – for example, one in each major area of the festival site – so that help is never too far away. Large events often employ dozens of welfare volunteers in shifts, coordinate with medical teams via radio, and perhaps have a central headquarters for the welfare team to manage resources. Communication challenges also grow with size: a giant festival brings in attendees from all over the world, different languages and cultures, and large crowds can make it hard to reach everyone with announcements. Thus, big festivals might invest more in signage (using universal symbols for first aid or quiet zones), multi-language information in apps, and frequent public address announcements about staying safe.
Different festival genres and audiences also have unique needs. An electronic dance music festival with a predominantly young crowd might focus heavily on drug and alcohol harm reduction – ensuring lots of water, sober spaces, and overdose prevention measures (like free electrolyte packets or even pill-testing services where legal). A rock festival with older attendees might emphasize medical support for heart or respiratory issues and have more seating for rest. A family-friendly festival will consider children’s needs: having a calm family space or parenting room can be a lifesaver for a kid (or parent) in meltdown mode. At cultural or spiritual festivals, there may be on-site counselors or spiritual care teams to handle emotional breakthroughs or conflicts. The fundamentals remain the same – provide places and people that attendees can turn to for help – but the flavour of the services can be tailored to match the event’s profile.
Internationally, cultural factors play a role too. In some countries, talking about mental health openly is still stigmatized, so festival organisers there have to work harder to frame their welfare offerings in a positive light (emphasizing terms like “rest zone” or “friendship volunteers” if that resonates better). In other places, government regulations might already mandate certain health and safety standards – for instance, some European countries require free drinking water at large events, and Australia’s newer accessibility guidelines strongly encourage sensory-friendly spaces. A savvy festival producer will keep on top of both local regulations and global best practices, blending them to create an event where attendee well-being is front and centre.
Regardless of size or type, a festival that invests in mental health, care, and recovery infrastructure is sending a powerful message: “You’re welcome here and we’ve got your back.” This approach not only prevents tragedies – it builds a loyal community of attendees who know that their safety and happiness are truly valued.
Key Takeaways
- Quiet Recovery Spaces Are Essential: Providing low-stimulation “chill-out” rooms or areas at festivals gives overwhelmed attendees a safe place to decompress. This inclusivity move helps neurodiverse people, first-timers, or anyone who needs a break to stay and enjoy the event longer.
- Peer Support Reduces Emergencies: Trained welfare volunteers or peer support teams (like dedicated sanctuary crews) can address mental health crises and minor injuries on the ground. By offering compassionate care early, they lighten the load on medics and prevent situations from escalating into serious incidents.
- Hydration and Basic Care Matter: Simple measures like ample free water, shade, and rest areas go a long way to keeping festivalgoers both physically and mentally well. Dehydration and exhaustion can trigger meltdowns – so make hydration points and cool-down zones ubiquitous.
- Train Staff in Empathy and Response: Security and event staff should be taught to recognize distress and respond kindly. A calm, de-escalating approach by staff can turn a potential incident into a resolved situation. Empower every team member to be part of the safety net for attendees.
- Promote and Normalize Using Help: Publicize your medical, welfare, and recovery services clearly in apps, maps, and on-site signage. Use stage announcements or MC messages to remove any stigma about visiting the medic or chill-out tent. When getting help is seen as normal festival behaviour, more people will seek it before things get critical.
- Caring Culture Improves Safety: Ultimately, festivals that foster a caring culture see fewer severe incidents. When attendees know support is there and feel okay using it, problems are addressed early and effectively. Investing in mental health and recovery spaces isn’t just about avoiding disasters – it creates a happier, healthier festival for everyone.
27th September 2025