By: Katalina (@katty_reann)
My husband and I have been attending music festivals for over a decade. My first being a small country music festival in Ohio called, full of originality, Country Fest. My husband's was the now-defunct Big Day Out in Australia. Our music tastes are broad so going to music festivals together has been a learning experience. When going to a music festival, there are so many different genres and stages, which means CLASHES. What happens when your favorite artist is playing mainstage but your boo's is playing another stage, on the other side of the festival, at the same damn time?! Well, let me save you ten years of learning, and share our tips on how to make the most of a rave (or any music festival) with your partner.
Take the Time to Make a Plan of Attack
A high school teacher once told me the 6 p's are important: Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance. I've taken this advice into a lot of different places with me, raves, in particular, I'm sure he never expected though. Having a plan before you start drinking and partying can save you so many headaches. Know who your partner wants to see, and make sure they know who you want to see as well. A lot of festival apps even have the ability to share your timetables with your friends! Take advantage of it!
Start planning at least a week before the festival. Download the festival app together, mark your must-sees, and compare schedules over dinner or drinks. This is actually one of the most exciting parts of festival prep—you get to discover new artists your partner loves and maybe find some unexpected common ground. Plus, you can start planning your matching rave outfits once you know your daily schedule.
Now that that's sorted, take some time to pick a meeting spot, to catch back up if you ever get separated in the crowd. Trust me, it happens. When you're looking for a spot to catch up though, don't go for the super obvious one! Everyone else is, and it's going to be super crowded as soon as you get there. Pick something a little less extravagant. The biggest art installation is everyone's meeting spot, so yours can be that slightly smaller one, just to the left of it. Trust me.
Pro tip: Take a photo of your meeting spot during the day so you both have a visual reference. Festivals look completely different under the lights, and what seemed obvious at 2pm can become invisible at midnight when the lasers are firing and thousands of people are dancing. Also, establish a backup meeting spot in case your primary location gets closed off or becomes inaccessible.
You Don't Have to Be Attached at the Hip
The most important thing about going to a festival is enjoying yourself. These festivals are not cheap! So don't waste a cent of it and end up resenting the fact that you missed your favorite band because you wanted to be with your partner. There are a time and place for everything. Independence is important in a relationship, and a festival is a good time to exercise this independence. When you both have gaps in your timetables, spend all the time you want together, after you meet at your meeting spot ;)
Some of my best festival memories are actually from sets I attended solo while my husband was at another stage. I made new friends, got right up to the front, and completely lost myself in the music without worrying about anyone else. Then when we met back up, we'd both be buzzing with excitement, sharing our experiences and hyping each other up about what we just witnessed. That shared enthusiasm is what makes festival-going as a couple so special—you both get to have your individual experiences AND come together to celebrate them.
If you're worried about feeling awkward going solo, remember: you're never really alone at a festival. The rave fam is everywhere, and people are incredibly welcoming when they see someone vibing by themselves. Compliment someone's festival tops or rave bodysuits, share some gum or trading kandi, and suddenly you've got a whole crew dancing with you.
You Don't Always Have to Wear Matching Outfits, But Sometimes It Sure Does Help
My husband always thought that matching was weird until we went to Tomorrowland in 2019. We decided to do an Australian themed outfit, and my big Bunnings hat saved us several times. It's hard to miss a giant straw hat, bobbing around the crowd. Matching outfits are not only good for Insta but also a great way to say to someone, "Have you seen a person dressed EXACTLY like this?" The more outrageous the better!
Think about it: when you're trying to find your partner in a sea of 50,000 people, you need something distinctive. Couples rave outfits give you that instant visual marker. Whether it's matching color schemes, complementary themes, or identical accessories, having that coordinated element makes reconnecting so much easier. Plus, let's be real—couple photos in coordinated festival fits are absolutely fire for the memories.
Not ready to go full matchy-matchy? Start small. Wear the same color family, coordinate one accessory like rave scarves or bandanas, or just make sure you both have something neon or reflective that stands out under the lights. Even if your styles are totally different, you can find creative ways to create a visual connection that makes spotting each other easier.
Timestamp, Timestamp, Timestamp!
Lost your friend's timetable? No one's shown up at your meeting spot? And all your texts won't send? Well, you always have the one final backup, and honestly, it's a great habit to get into the second you step onto a festival site. TIMESTAMP ALL YOUR TEXT MESSAGES. Seriously. It takes less than 10 seconds. At the end of every message, put the time that you sent it at. That way, even when the service is spotty (always) and the messages come through in the wrong order (also always) you'll know exactly how late to the conversation you are. It can save you a lot of time if you're playing phone tag at a festival.
Here's what a timestamped text looks like: "At the main stage, near the left sound booth. Meet you in 10? - 9:47pm" Simple, right? But when that message doesn't come through until 10:15pm and you've already sent three more, you'll both know exactly what happened and can adjust accordingly. It's also helpful to include where you're heading next: "Going to catch Rezz at the bass stage. Join me if you want! - 11:20pm"
Another pro tip: Before the festival, test your phones and see which carrier has better service at that venue (your rave fam who've been before will know). If one of you has significantly better service, make that person the "communication hub" who sends updates. And always, ALWAYS agree on a final meetup time and place for the end of the night before you split up. "No matter what, we meet at the Ferris wheel at 1am" can save you hours of stress.
Take Some Time to Make Friends and Make Memories
At the end of the day, you're there to have a great time, make memories, and experience something different, so take some time to do just that. If it's a camping festival, get to know your neighbors! They could be locals to the area, or veterans to that festival who can share some helpful tips, or just provide some company during the festival pregame! If it's not a camping festival, that doesn't mean you can't make friends! Compliment someone's outfit, share a joke between sets, anything to break the ice! You never know, you might meet someone who becomes part of your rave fam in the future!
Festival friendships hit different because you're all sharing this incredible, temporary experience together. Whether you're camping at Coachella, dancing until sunrise at an underground rave, or catching headliners at Lollapalooza, the people you meet become part of your story. Some of our closest friends today are people we met randomly in a festival crowd years ago.
Bringing your partner to festivals actually makes it easier to be social. You have that built-in comfort zone, which gives you confidence to branch out and chat with strangers. You can split up to grab drinks or hit the bathroom without leaving a friend stranded. And when you're both friendly and open, you naturally attract other cool couples and groups who vibe the same way.
The Best Festival Moments Happen When You're Present
Here's the real secret to raving with your partner: presence over perfection. You don't need to execute the perfect festival plan, see every single artist on your list, or capture every moment on camera. The magic happens when you're both fully present—whether that's together or apart—and soaking up the experience.
Some of our best festival memories are spontaneous: catching a surprise sunset set we didn't plan for, dancing in the rain during a storm everyone else ran from, or just lying in the grass between sets talking about life and music. Don't get so caught up in the logistics that you forget to actually experience the festival.
And remember, you're not just building memories—you're building your relationship. Learning to navigate festivals together teaches you communication, compromise, independence, and how to have fun as individuals while staying connected as a couple. Those skills translate to everything else in life.
So grab your partner, plan your rave outfits, download those festival apps, and get ready to make some unforgettable memories together. Whether you're dancing side-by-side at the main stage or meeting up after separate sets with stories to tell, festival season with your boo is about to be legendary. See you out there, rave fam!
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