Tik Tok revealed behind the scenes of Coachella

As the Coachella festival is in full swing, social media is inundated with posts from festival-goers. Influencers and celebrities have turned the desert event into an aspirational destination. However, TikTokers are shedding light on the less glamorous reality of attending the festival with their behind-the-scenes footage. While photos, videos, and reviews of Coachella are dominating our feeds, not all attendees are subscribing to its aspirational aesthetic.

Taking place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, the annual music festival has returned this year and is scheduled for the weekends of April 14 to 16 and April 21 to 23. The festival features performances by popular artists such as Bad Bunny, Frank Ocean, and Blackpink.

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The festival was first launched in October 1999 with a diverse range of music genres. Despite not being profitable and being canceled the following year, it made a comeback in 2001 and has since become a major calendar event. The festival is now a hotspot for celebrities and influencers who showcase the boho-glamour it's known for.

However, with tickets costing upwards of $500, some attendees have taken to social media to reveal the less luxurious side of the festival. TikTokers, in particular, have shared their personal experiences to highlight the disparity between the festival's expectation and reality, making it one of the most talked-about events of the year on social media.

During the Coachella festival, a TikToker named Megan Foley shared her unique morning routine in a video that garnered over 600,000 views. In the video uploaded on April 15, Foley showcased how she was living out of her car during the festival.

Car camping is listed as the "most popular overnight option" on the Coachella website, offering an "awesome weekend oasis" for attendees and their crew. For a price of $149 (plus tax and fees), car campers are assigned a one-vehicle slot in a 30 by 10-inch site that can accommodate as many attendees as possible.

Foley revealed her Coachella sleeping quarters at the start of the video, which consisted of a mattress, pillows, and blankets crammed into the back of her car. She then proceeded to demonstrate her morning routine, which involved using a nasal spray to cope with the dusty environment.

While walking towards the public toilets, Foley captured on video another person who appeared to be camping with her. The person mentioned that they were far away from the bathrooms, but added that they were relatively clean.

On April 16, a TikTok user going by the name @kurrsch posted a video that seemed to show a crowd of fans waiting outside a long fence. When the fence was partially opened, fans surged forward in a loud mass, pushing their way through and forming parallel queues at the other end of the clip.

The video received over 4.3 million views, with an on-screen caption indicating that it was filmed at noon. However, the performance that the fans were waiting for - Frank Ocean's headlining set - wasn't scheduled to start until 10 p.m., implying that they planned to wait for 10 hours by the stage. According to Insider, Ocean's performance was delayed by over an hour and cut short due to a curfew.

Later, the same creator provided an update from the main stage, confirming that everyone was safe and having a good time. She also addressed a comment asking what would happen if she needed to use the bathroom or get food during the 10-hour wait. In response, she showed herself leaving the stage and then returning, weaving through the crowd to get back to her original spot.

On April 16, another TikToker with the username @mananamariee shared a video with the caption "The Reality of Coachella." In the video, which received over 60,000 views, she stood in the middle of a crowded area and addressed the camera, saying, "Look at all these people. You don't want to come to Coachella," before laughing.

In the caption, she reiterated her point by using hashtags like #coachellareality and #coachellarecap, and adding "WAY too many people!!"

Additionally, on April 14, TikToker @newyorkmich posted a video that received over 800,000 views, giving tips to first-time attendees who plan to visit Coachella in 2023.

he TikToker, @newyorkmich, shared some tips for first-time Coachella attendees in a video that received over 800,000 views on April 14. Having attended the festival the previous year, she warned viewers to wear comfortable shoes and bring a mask to protect against the dusty environment. She also mentioned the importance of earplugs, particularly for the Yuma tent where electronic music is played, and advised to be prepared for a lot of walking.