Going Phone-Free at Coachella Is In. Here’s Why Pinterest Wants You to Touch Grass
Coachella Festival has transformed dramatically since its inception. Now, online creators dub it the “Olympics of influencers” or even say it’s the closest influencers get to the MET Gala.
And they’re not entirely wrong.
Brands and companies spend millions of dollars to secure a spot at what is now the world’s biggest music festival and be part of the moment. In fact, as the market evolves, they continue to turn to the celebrities, influencers, and content creators of the moment to attend on their behalf.
Curious, isn’t it? Especially since the inaugural Coachella took place in October 1999 as a Pearl Jam boycott of Ticketmaster, with tickets then costing just $50. Now, the festival occurs annually each April, lasts multiple weekends, and is no longer limited to just music.
And then, Pinterest came up with a brilliant idea
This year, the social media platform—known for its unique approach to publishing and discovering information—invited festival-goers to touch grass, put away their phones, and live in the moment.
Through the “Joyride” activation at Coachella, Pinterest invites everyone to leave their phones in a bag for a while before entering. The activation is carefully designed, and to those of us who experienced it firsthand, it feels like a colorful oasis to reconnect with that inner child who marvels at the world beyond the screen.
“Growing up as a millennial in a Latino household meant no Game Boys or phones at the dinner table, or TV playing while doing homework,” said Jean Fernandez, an attendee who experienced the activation. “It feels like no one pays full attention to anything anymore,” he said. “It was nice to go back to that part of my life for a couple of minutes during the festival.” Fernandez also explained, “It felt necessary and nostalgic to give something 100% of my attention.”
At the charm station, for example, Pinterest invited attendees to enhance their look of the day with personalized accessories. Similarly, ELF makeup artists offered mini glamour sessions, adding sparkle, color, and a special vibe to the experience.
Finally, at the end of the visit, attendees could pose for a photo that would be mailed to them as a keepsake.
It was, without a doubt, an opportunity to reconnect with the tangible world and forget about doomscrolling.
An inspiring initiative
Although it may sound paradoxical, given that it’s a social network, Pinterest has long known that connectivity doesn’t have to hinder our experience of the real world.
As Sara Pollack, Pinterest’s Global Head of Consumer Marketing, told us, the platform is, in reality, “quite different than social media. We’re not a performative platform.” And in an era where being constantly connected seems to dictate our lives and decisions, Pinterest made the bold decision to promote the opposite.
With more than 50% of its audience belonging to Generation Z, Pollack acknowledges a demographic that, while it may seem to depend on social media, “many of them wish social media never existed.” Taking that sentiment into account, Pinterest then sought to create an experience for those who long for a real life without technology.
After all, who knows more about trends than Pinterest?
Some might be skeptical of this new push for a disconnected life. But if anyone knows about trends, it’s Pinterest.
The platform conducts an in-depth study of its users’ trends and publishes an annual trends report that is always spot-on. In fact, the announcement of Karol G as the first Latina to headline Coachella influenced the 2026 Pinterest Trends Report. The news inspired the Hot Tropic trend, which Pollack describes as “very bold, very bright […] Carnival.”
What’s more, months before the festival, searches for “Coachella outfit ideas” increased by 465% compared to previous years. This is proof that festival fans turn to Pinterest as their primary source of inspiration.
In addition to Hot Tropic, other trends Pinterest highlighted were Swashbuckled, Shoegaze Aesthetic, Sheer Euphoria, and High Camp.
If you ask us, the best thing about Pinterest is that it makes you feel at home
Pinterest’s fundamental appeal lies in offering a safe, inspiring space that fosters belonging and encourages genuine self-expression.
And it’s no coincidence.
For Pollack, there’s a genuine concern for making everyone—regardless of their culture, gender, background, or creed—feel like they belong. “Visual inspiration crosses all borders,” she told us, noting that Pinterest has special search features like skin tone range, hair pattern tool, and body type spectrum.
“We’re not asking you to try to define yourself,” she added. “We’re just hoping it’s an easy experience [and] that you get results that are actually representative of you.”
During Coachella’s second weekend this year, April 17 to 19, the Pinterest activation will be open to all festival attendees from 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM. And, honestly? You should check it out.
