Tinder’s Newest Feature May Help You Find Your Festival Bae

Along with the iconic fashion moments, FOMO-inducing Instagram posts, and explosive artist performances, festival season also offers some major opportunities for music lovers to connect. If you are among the ranks of those looking to find their quintessential “festival bae,” Tinder wants to have your back. On April 14, the app announced a new way for festivalgoers to meet: Enter, “Festival Mode.” This new feature, created in partnership with Live Nation, is available on the Explore page and allows users to choose which live music events they’ll be attending in order to meet other attendees as early as a month prior to each show. Whether you’re searching for friends to join you in scream-singing every Harry Styles lyric, or looking to fall in love during J. Cole’s set, this new mode just might make it happen.

According to Tinder, music is the top interest among users worldwide. “So many of our members are excited to jump back into in-person events. We wanted to build on that excitement and offer them a head start at meeting someone new ahead of one of the biggest festival seasons in years,” Kyle Miller, VP of product innovation at Tinder, said in a statement. “Festival Mode … [is] a great, low-pressure way to make real-world connections again.”

If you’re joining in on the jams this year, here is everything you need to know about Tinder’s Festival Mode.

What Is Tinder’s Festival Mode?

As early as a month before each event, Tinder users can begin to connect with their fellow attendees using Festival Mode. Located on the interactive Explore page, along with other fun features like Swipe Night and Blind Date, Festival Mode lets users choose each show they’re attending and interact with other members who will be there.

Like the other features found on the Explore page, Festival Mode provides an alternative to using the OG swipe feature and sifting through general users.

Most of us can agree that shooting your shot in person can be pretty nerve-wracking. In a survey conducted by the app, 75% of singles aged 18-39 reported that meeting someone online before linking up in person eases the anxiety that comes along with trying to make a good first impression. Additionally, 31% of those surveyed reported plans to attend a festival this year, so it sounds like many people are going to take advantage of the opportunity to find a concert buddy before they even get to the festival.

How To Use Tinder’s Festival Mode

Located on the Explore page, Festival Mode is now available for all Tinder users. Before heading to the festivities, you can scroll through the list of available events — Bonnaroo, EDC, Lollapalooza Berlin, and more — and add each to your profile.

From there, you’ll be able to swipe through other users who have also denoted their plans to attend the same events. Just like you would in the main swipe feature on Tinder, you can swipe right or left on users heading to the show, and chat with them if you happen to match.

For users not attending a show, or if you don’t see yours listed, there is a “Festival Goers” option available in the feature; this option also leaves room for those who just want to vibe with others who love the festival scene. Whether you’re livestreaming in your living room or scooting boots at Stagecoach, it sounds like Festival Mode is another way to add even more excitement to live-music season.