Coachella, held annually in the California desert, is widely recognized as a major music and arts festival, but it also serves as a significant venue for brand marketing and consumer engagement. During the festival weekends, numerous companies establish pop-up activations, gifting suites, and interactive experiences that distribute free products, samples, and services to attendees. Based on reports from the 2025 festival season, these freebies range from food and beverages to beauty products and lifestyle accessories. Understanding the nature of these offers, where they are located, and how they are accessed is essential for festival-goers looking to maximize their experience without incurring additional costs.
The landscape of free offerings at Coachella is diverse. It includes official festival-sponsored activities, large-scale brand installations, and independent influencer events. While some freebies are available to any attendee who visits a specific location, others are restricted to VIP ticket holders, influencers, or participants of specific interactive activities. The following guide details the types of freebies reported at Coachella 2025, the brands involved, and the methods used to secure them.
Food and Beverage Freebies
One of the most prominent categories of freebies at Coachella is food and beverage samples. Brands often use the festival to launch new flavors or products, offering attendees a chance to try items that may not yet be widely available in retail stores.
Snack and Confectionery Samples
A major snack brand, Takis, maintained a high-profile activation during the 2025 festival. According to reports, the brand featured a neon-lighted structure with interactive walls where guests could "graffiti" using special pens. The primary draw for many attendees was the availability of free samples of rolled tortilla chips, specifically including the new "Blue Heat" flavor. This flavor was described by testers as having a taste similar to Cool Ranch Doritos but with a crunchier texture and increased heat.
Fresh Juice and Wellness Shots
Erewhon, the high-end grocery and cafe chain known for its celebrity smoothies, provided free ginger shots at their brand activation. These small, concentrated wellness drinks are a staple of the Erewhon menu and were distributed to festival-goers as part of their promotional presence.
Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Several beverage companies hosted events or pop-ups. Sprinter, a vodka soda brand, celebrated new flavor drops with an activation in Palm Springs. Hydro Jug was also present at the 818 Outpost, offering cup engraving services. While the engraving itself is a service, the branded cups are often distributed as part of the experience. Additionally, 818 Outpost, hosted by Kendall Jenner’s tequila brand, was described as a "mini festival" with over 40 brands exhibiting, likely including various beverage samples.
Beauty and Personal Care Products
Beauty brands frequently utilize Coachella to showcase products that promise durability in harsh desert conditions or to offer exclusive mini-versions of their bestsellers.
Skincare and Makeup
Rhode, Hailey Bieber’s skincare line, returned to Coachella with a photobooth activation located at the 818 Outpost. While the primary focus was likely the photo opportunity, brand activations of this nature often include product samples or deluxe minis for attendees.
One Size, a makeup brand founded by Patrick Starrr, showcased their viral setting spray. The brand used the desert environment to demonstrate the product's staying power under extreme heat and dust, likely distributing samples or full-size products to influencers and attendees at their activation.
Hair and Body Care
Sol de Janeiro, known for its Brazilian Bum Bum Cream and body sprays, hosted "Casa Cheriosa." This activation provided attendees with mini versions of their bestselling body sprays, along with juices and opportunities to freshen up.
L’Occitane also had a presence at the 818 Outpost, where they offered freebies as part of their activation.
Lifestyle and Apparel Freebies
Beyond consumables, Coachella offers opportunities for attendees to acquire clothing, accessories, and lifestyle goods at no cost, though these often require participation in specific activities or access to exclusive areas.
DIY and Customization Opportunities
The Coachella Art Studios provided a venue for attendees to create their own items. These activities were completely free, but the rule was "you can only take it if you make it." Offerings included: * Upcycling Vintage Clothes: Attendees could bring thrifted pieces or utilize available materials to add patches, trim, and rework garments with the help of pro sewers. * Junk Journals: The studio provided journals, paper, and collage materials for attendees to document their weekend. * DIY Jewelry: Participants could create beaded bracelets, wire-wrapped gems, or repair broken jewelry. * Clay Crafts: Making keychains or mood boards from clay was also available.
Additionally, the Coachella Store offered custom chain-stitching and heat press stations powered by Large Lemonade. Attendees could create one-of-a-kind jackets, hats, and hoodies. While the service is provided, the physical item (the customized apparel) is effectively a freebie if one brings a blank garment or participates in a specific promotion.
Clothing and Merchandise
The Coachella Store also sold limited-edition capsule collections and exclusive collaborations, but these were purchase-based rather than free. However, the annual vintage merchandise sale in the Camping area offered free items in the past, though the 2025 data specifically mentions a sale (which implies purchase) for vintage goods and top-sellers.
Revolve Festival, a pre-party event attended by influencers, is known for its massive gifting suite. Reports indicate that influencers received "crazy stuff free to pick up," which typically includes high-end apparel, accessories, and beauty products from various brands.
Health and Wellness Activations
Brands in the health and wellness sector often create "rest stops" or hydration stations.
Supplements and Rest Areas
Lemme, a supplement brand founded by Kourtney Kardashian, focused on being a "Rest Stop" at Coachella. They offered freebies, photo ops, and a place for attendees to relax and recharge.
Fitness Activities
The Coachella Run Club offered a community running experience on both Saturdays of the festival. While not a physical product giveaway, the event provided a structured, free activity for attendees, embodying a wellness lifestyle.
Ticket and VIP Access Opportunities
While most freebies involve products, there are reports of attendees securing free or discounted access to the festival itself, though these opportunities are rare and often tied to influencer status or networking.
Influencer Networking
One content creator documented how she secured free VIP tickets to Coachella (saving over $1,000) by leveraging an invitation to the Revolve Festival. By attending the pre-party as a creator, she was eventually able to secure festival wristbands for herself and a friend. This method is specific to individuals with a significant social media following and established relationships with brands.
Local Community Freebies (Periphery)
For those staying in the surrounding Coachella Valley area (Palm Springs, Indio, Rancho Mirage, etc.), the local Craigslist "Free" section often lists items relevant to festival-goers. While not officially part of the festival, these listings can provide useful goods for the weekend. Examples from the 2025 timeframe included: * Furniture: Couches, loveseats, recliners, tables, and chairs. * Home Goods: Kitchen cabinets, plantation shutters, fridges, TV cabinets, and moving boxes. * Outdoor/Random: Flagstone, firewood, trampolines, and garden items. * Pets: Free cats looking for homes (though unlikely to be taken at the festival).
Note: These listings are user-generated and unverified. They are not official festival offers but represent the "freebie" culture in the region during the event.
How to Access Coachella Freebies
Securing freebies at Coachella requires preparation and awareness of brand locations.
- Monitor Brand Social Media: Brands like Takis, Rhode, and Sol de Janeiro usually announce their activations on Instagram or TikTok prior to the festival. Following these accounts provides location details and sometimes RSVP links for exclusive access.
- Visit 818 Outpost: This location appears to be a central hub for multiple brand activations (Rhode, Hydro Jug, L’Occitane, Sprinter). It functions as a "mini festival" and is a prime location for collecting samples.
- Attend the Revolve Festival: Access is generally invite-only for influencers, but some general admission tickets may be available through contests or secondary markets (though often at high cost).
- Participate in Activities: The Coachella Art Studios requires active participation to receive items. Attendees must physically make the crafts to take them.
- Explore the Festival Grounds: Walking through the festival grounds, specifically near art installations (like the "Take Flight" windmills), often reveals pop-up activations, such as the Takis structure mentioned in reports.
Conclusion
Coachella 2025 offered a wide array of freebies through brand activations, interactive art, and influencer events. The most reliable sources of free products included food samples from brands like Takis and Erewhon, beauty minis from Sol de Janeiro and Rhode, and custom apparel from the Coachella Art Studios. While access to the highest-value freebies (such as festival tickets) is generally limited to influencers, the average attendee can secure a significant amount of free merchandise and food by visiting specific brand activations like the 818 Outpost and participating in festival-sponsored activities. Attendees are advised to monitor social media channels of participating brands for specific locations and times to maximize their opportunities.