I Turned a Music Festival Into a Wellness Experience

The last time I was at a music festival in April 2025, I spent the entire night sipping on hard seltzers with no real regard for rest or recovery. My dinner was a singular chocolate bunny I had delivered to my hotel room (a new, unexpected low). “This is what people do at festivals,” I told myself. But the next morning, I ended up crashing so hard, I had to leave the second day of the festival early. Not exactly the festival experience of my dreams.

This year, as I geared up for the Palm Tree Music Festival on Celsius’s Essential Vibes Tour, I was determined not to let history repeat itself. So I decided to run a small experiment. How could I make health and fitness a genuine priority at the festival? As a health and fitness editor, I started to consider my options. Should I pack any recovery tools? Did I need to book any appointments? Would this wellness-focused approach ruin my festival experience? As it turns out, it might’ve actually saved it . . .

Festivals aren’t just about the music anymore. Back in 2024, Eventbrite noticed a shift, with 68 percent of those surveyed (ages 21-35) saying they’d feel more positive about an event if it empowered them to take control of their well-being, health, and longevity. More recently, Bloomberg reported that the alcohol industry lost $830 billion, pointing to a massive shift in drinking habits and party culture. Meanwhile, we continue to see an uptick in wellness-infused third spaces like sober sauna raves, early-bird run clubs, and “daylife” celebrations, indicating a desire for more meaningful connection.

These trends suggest that modern-day festival culture is evolving, with more attendees prioritizing their energy levels, fitness, and recovery — not just partying. And truthfully? I’m right there with them. Here’s everything I did to feel my best at the festival, plus what I learned along the way.

My Festival Experience

It took a full day of travel to get from LA to Palm Beach, FL. Jet-lagged and running off the fumes of my in-flight Biscoff cookies, I was faced with the first decision in my festival wellness excursion. After a quick dinner, my friends and I were tempted to go out and explore the Palm Beach nightlife. But instead — visions of the chocolate bunny creeping into my mind — I called it an early night so I could be up (and fully caffeinated) for an 11 a.m. workout class with Solidcore.

I know what you’re thinking. “Solidcore before a music festival? Do you hate yourself?” But it actually turned out to be the total opposite. I sweat my way through the entire Starter50 class, but the burn was so worth it in the end. Even better? I left the class coasting on post-workout endorphins: dopamine boosted, mood improved, and self-esteem at an all-time high. Although I wasn’t sure about incorporating fitness into the actual day of the festival, it ended up putting me in the best headspace possible for the concert that night.

That said, physical readiness was still an important consideration for me. To ensure I wouldn’t be overly sore for the festival, I booked a full-body massage — committing to my wellness experiment in earnest. I left feeling mentally and physically refreshed, ready for the long night ahead.

Post-massage, I got dressed, sipped on a Celsius, and took my time getting ready. Instead of immediately hopping in an Uber, I then walked to the venue (my Oura ring detected over 18,000 steps before the night was through). Another big change for me was my decision to enjoy the festival without any alcohol. Inspired by my experience with Dry January, I wanted to savor every moment and wake up the next morning sans hangxiety. It was hard at first, especially as I stood with my friends in line for drinks, but it definitely paid off. I danced, met new people, and saw some of my favorite artists without needing alcohol to enjoy myself — that felt like a huge wellness win in and of itself.

My Takeaways

If you’re wondering how I felt about my wellness festival experiment, the numbers don’t lie. Per my Oura ring, my readiness score was 95 the day before the festival, 99 the day of the festival, and 94 the day after the festival. But you don’t need to spend a million dollars or rework your entire plans to prioritize wellness at a music festival. I credit my results to a culmination of small but powerful decisions. Things like walking to the festival, booking a workout class, or even just getting a couple extra hours of sleep.

I’m not saying I wasn’t tempted to order a drink with my friends or stay up late the night before. But festival wellness starts with the decision to put yourself first. And speaking as someone who’s experienced festivals both ways, prioritizing my health really did change my entire festival experience (for the better).

Chandler Plante (she/her) is a social producer and staff writer for the Health & Fitness team at Popsugar. She has over five years of industry experience, previously working as an editorial assistant for People magazine, a social media manager for Millie magazine, and a contributor for Bustle Digital Group. She has a degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University and is based in Los Angeles.