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Coachella is one of the most famous music festivals in the world, with artists and music fans descending on the Palm Springs desert for the first time since 2019 due to the Covid pandemic this summer.
It appears the event is back in full swing with a sell-out crowd of 125,000 people, with more than 100,000 people reportedly watching Harry Styles as he performed on the main stage last weekend, and over 20,000 attendees watching musicians on smaller stages.
Given the huge scale of the festival, security is important to ensure things are running smoothly and this can be a big ask when faced with unruly behaviour from the crowds.
Now, security guards who work at the festival have revealed to Insider four different things festivalgoers do that they find the most annoying.
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(All of them except one requested pseudonyms to be used, as they were fearful of retribution in their professional lives).
Festivalgoers think they know everything
While people attending Coachella may know the performance schedules, or the best places to stand to watch their favourite performer perhaps from going in previous years, it doesn't mean they know the ins and outs of the operational aspects of the event.
"They think they know everything. We know, you don't," Steve, who worked his first security job at Coachella told the publication. "If you're not allowed in a section, it's for a reason."
Lying about carrying forbidden items and then deny having them
With any music festival, there are always certain items that are prohibited from being taken into the event.
While some of the things listed as being banned on Coachella's website seem harmless, such as chairs, glow sticks, LED products, computers, laptops, sharpies, markers, paint pens, stuffed animals and umbrellas, they are part of the festival's rules.
However, the rules are not always followed, as first-time security guard Brianna knows, and says people still remain determined to sneak things in that are banned from the venue.
"It's so obvious and they still lie," she said. "We can see it!"
Festival goers enjoying the music at CoachellaGetty images
Jumping barriers and even trying to bribe security to get into exclusive areas
Coachella is a festival filled with A-listers so festivalgoers are keen to mix with the rich and famous - no matter what the cost it seems, as security guards recall people jumping over the barrier in a bid to get into the VIP area.
"I was at the front of the stage and one guy tried to hop the f****** bar and I had to stop him," Hunter a Marine told the same publication.
Meanwhile, others resorted to financial means in order to try and access VIP areas as one guard explained how a festival goer offered him $100 to look away in order for them to jump over the barrier and join the VIPs.
Female security guards get hit on or intimidated by male festivalgoers
A final thing that bothers security guards is when male attendees annoy and hassle a female guard because she's a female and so it feels like it would be easier to bend the rules.
"What bothers me? When my female security guard friend, when guys try to bother the f*** out of her because she's a female," Elijah also told the publication. "When she's working a gate, they'll try to like, use male aggression to try to get through."
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