I Tried Using Tinder’s New Festival Mode & Here’s What Happened
Download the Tinder app and add the Beyond The Valley or Falls badge to your profile so you can start matching and chatting with fellow festival-goers long before the first set drops!
If you haven’t already heard, Tinder has brought back Festival Mode, which means that meeting people at a festival is easier than ever. So, whether you’ve lost your mates, or you’re just looking for a fresh face to spice up the day, this is the mode for you.
I put Festival Mode to the test at Festival X in Sydney, where I tried to match with as many festival-goers as is humanly possible. If there was a love story to be told, I was going to find it, and it didn’t hurt that I was exposing myself to mad VIP upgrades, swag, and much more in the process.
Let’s take a look back at my Tinder Festival Mode experience:
Pre-Swipes
My first move was to download the Tinder app (who am I kidding? We all know my single ass already had it), match with the Festival Mode card, add Festival X badge to my profile, and begin swiping.
So many swipes, so little time. And there it is: my first match!
Sakshi, 19. Bio song is ‘Breaking Free’ from High School Musical. Let’s do this.
I say, “Hey! You going to Festival X?”, to which she replies, “YESSS, hbu?!” Considering we both have the festival badge on this question is moot, but still, gotta start somewhere.
I reply, “Yes!! Who you most keen to see?” to which she proceeds to say the three words that immediately end our budding romance:
“LIL PUMP, HBU?”
Goodbye, Sakshi. Nice knowing you.
It’s Here: FESTIVAL DAY
I’m like an excited kid at Christmas, but instead of presents, I’m getting ready to open up matches. I put on my best floral shirt, aviator sunnies, and enough hair gel to withstand a hurricane.
At the festival, we make a quick pit-stop to pick up our Tinder wristbands. After showing the staffer the Festival Mode badge on our profiles, we are immediately showered in merch and given a VIP wristband, which gives us access to Tinder VIP Fast Lanes and more, which equals less time waiting around to get to the front of the queue and more time dancing. It’s win-win.
Time To PARDII
We head off to Sunset Bros, where I get ready to dance so hard that my legs fall off. Clearly, I underestimated how dark it would be in there because, before you know it, I lost my wing-man, James. I know! Ten minutes in and we’re already separated?! He couldn’t hear my calls or receive messages, so there was no way I was getting through to him.
Oh well, the show must go on!
After an hour of hakking and muzzing by myself, I head outside hoping to see my buddy-boy James again. I decide to get a drink, skipping the ENTIRE queue thanks to the VIP Tinder Fast Lane. I realise that now is the perfect time to jump on Tinder, find myself a match, and hopefully not spend the rest of the day alone.
I get to work, swiping yes to all my fellow festival babes . I see COUNTLESS hotties, geared up in their festi-wear, flaunting their festival badges like it’s nobody’s business. As I continue swiping, I get a notification saying, “IT’S A MATCH!”, and almost spill my drink with excitement.
Deepika, 21. Sydney. Bio is “Mint Slice is better than Tim Tams, change my mind.”
I say, “hey”, to which she replies, “hey wya? I’ve lost my friends”. If that’s not meant to be, I don’t know what is.
We organise to meet at Steve Aoki, and holy hell, it’s about to kick off.
The Meet-Up
I see a cute girl standing at the back of the stage where Steve Aoki is playing, on her phone. I approach, already knowing it’s her from her pics. She says, “Yes! Nice to meet you!” We hug and proceed to chat about the day and the tragic series of events that led to the loss of our friends.
Half-way through the convo, Steve drops the banger that is ‘No Beef’, so we both agree that now is the perfect time to mosh. We head to the front, we bust, we whine, and then Deepika says the six words that make any man feel more ripped than The Hulk: “Can I get on your shoulders?!”
Yes, Deepika. Yes you can.
She’s woo-ing, yeet-ing, and the two of us are living our best lives. But there must have been some good mobile reception up there, because Deepika got a call from her friends, who were waiting for her at the Oxygen Stage.
We hug goodbye, exchange socials, and agree to meet up later in the night.
The Return Of James
Fortunately, James and I had already arranged to meet at 7:30pm in front of the Tinder Tower. What is the Tinder Tower, you ask? Well, picture a 40-foot scissor lift in the middle of the Giants stadium, offering the BEST view of the main stage that anyone could ask for. But how?! By using Tinder Festival Mode, of course.
After reuniting, James tells me that he too had used Tinder Festival Mode after we got separated, and had matched with a guy who he ended up spending the day with. Festival Mode saved us both! We head into the Tower area, strap-in, and get ready to lift-off for the opening set of Calvin Harris. We receive a flurry of Snapchats from friends who spot our sky-high possie from the ground. I wonder if Deepika saw me…
We touch down after 15 minutes of BLISS and run back into the mosh to catch the end of Calvin’s set. What a vibe!
Possible Reunion?
After Calvin’s set, I decided to message Deepika and see if she’d be keen to link up for Armin Van Buuren. Sadly, however, she never replied (I’ve been telling myself reception was bad ever since).
James, however, messages HIS guy, who comes over and meets us for the set! AANNDD they’re hanging out again this weekend! Sorry WOT???
Tinder Festival Mode out here creating bonds like it’s nobody’s business!
So, while I didn’t find my one true love, I did manage to find an awesome match when I was in a pinch and have a total blast. With some of summer’s hottest festivals just around the corner, Tinder’s Festival Mode is here to ensure you have only the best experiences. Just add the Tinder Festival badge to your profile at Falls Festival, and you, too, could meet your Deepika (don’t let her get away like I did tho).
Or you can score access to the Tinder Beach Club at BTV Pools if you’re going to the sold-out Beyond the Valley. Picture taking a match in there, I tell ya!
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Download Tinder and add the Beyond The Valley or Falls badge to your Tinder profile to find a date to dance with or a mate to mosh with this NYE.
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(Image courtesy of Maria Louise Boyadgis, Life Without Andy)