The Best 36+ Festival Hairstyles You NEED to Try This Year

So I was just sitting on my floor this morning, surrounded by literally hundreds of bobby pins and a ridiculous amount of dry shampoo, trying to figure out my life for the upcoming music season. Is it just me or does packing for these weekend trips always turn into a complete and total disaster? I always have my outfits planned out perfectly on my bed, but my hair? That is a whole different story.

A few years ago, I thought it would be a genius idea to just leave my hair down for a three-day outdoor event. Let me tell you, by day two, I looked like I had been dragged backwards through a literal forest. The wind and the dust showed absolutely no mercy. I spent an hour trying to untangle a giant knot at the nape of my neck while sitting in a tiny camping tent.

After that traumatizing experience, I swore I would actually plan my festival hairstyles ahead of time. You really need styles that can survive dancing for ten hours straight, sweating in the blistering sun, and maybe even a sudden rainstorm. So, I spent way too many hours scrolling through Pinterest this week, and I just had to put together a massive mood board. I wanted to share the absolute best looks I found with you guys, so we can all look stunning out there.

The Classic Braided Crown

I absolutely love this look for keeping loose strands out of your face. It is honestly one of those easy festival hairstyles that looks way more complicated than it actually is. You just braid two sections from the front and pin them up in the back. So perfect for when you are jumping around in the crowd all day and don’t want hair sticking to your forehead.

Space Buns for the Win

Space buns are literally the ultimate go-to for any outdoor event. I feel like you can never ever go wrong with them. They keep your neck cool when the afternoon sun is beating down on you, and they just look incredibly playful and fun.

Messy Textured Waves

If you want to channel your inner desert wanderer, this is the one. It totally gives off those perfect boho festival hairstyles vibes that we all secretly want to achieve. Just add a little sea salt texturizing spray, scrunch it up with your hands, and let the wind do the rest of the work.

Colorful Hair Rings

Piercing your hair is such a cool and unique concept. I tried this last summer with some cheap jewelry rings and felt like a total rockstar. It takes a little patience to loop them into your braids, but the result is amazing and catches the light beautifully.

Sparkle and Shine

Okay, we have to talk about glitter festival hairstyles because they are basically iconic at this point. Mixing some chunky craft glitter with clear hair gel and painting it right onto your roots completely hides second-day grease. It is basically magic in a jar!

The Half-Up Top Knot

This is my absolute lifesaver when my hair starts getting a little flat on day three. It gives you some great volume on top but still lets you have that long flowing look in the back. I always secure mine with an extra scrunchie just to be safe.

Vibrant Braiding Hair

Have you guys ever tried weaving colorful synthetic extensions into your braids? It is so fun to do with your friends before you head out to the grounds. You get to have bright pink or neon green hair for the weekend without actually committing to permanent dye.

Effortless Bubble Braids

Bubble braids are literally saving my life right now. They are definitely one of those cute festival hairstyles that take about two minutes to put together. Just grab a handful of clear mini elastics, tie them down your ponytail, and gently puff out the sections with your fingers.

Floral Hair Accessories

Sticking little faux flowers into your braids is such a sweet, earthy touch. I did this for a daytime set once and felt like a literal fairy floating through the grass. It is a super affordable way to upgrade a basic style.

Sleek Ponytail with a Twist

Sometimes you just want your hair totally slicked back and out of the way. A sleek high pony with some random mini braids mixed into the tail is super chic. It also stays put through all the heavy dancing and jumping around.

The Ultimate Y2K Spiky Buns

I am so obsessed with this 2000s revival we are having. It fits perfectly into the category of trendy festival hairstyles that are dominating my social media feed right now. You just leave the ends of your buns sticking out and hit them with a flat iron to make them super spiky.

Tiny Face-Framing Braids

This is probably the easiest style on the entire planet. Just take two tiny pieces right at the front of your face, braid them down, and you are completely done! It adds such a nice detail without any heavy lifting.

Vintage Bandana Wrap

Adding a vintage bandana is a massive lifesaver. It protects your sensitive scalp from the harsh sun and looks so effortlessly cool. Plus, it hides messy, sweaty roots like an absolute dream when you haven’t seen a shower in days.

Natural Curls Let Loose

Let your natural texture shine through! It is honestly one of the best aesthetic festival hairstyles because it looks so raw and beautiful. Just hydrate those curls with a good leave-in conditioner in the morning and let them do their own thing.

Double Dutch Braids

Boxer braids are a classic for a very good reason. They keep your hair totally secure and locked in from the afternoon all the way into the late night sets. I always ask my best friend to do these for me because my arms get so incredibly tired halfway through doing it myself!

Pearls in the Hair

Using a little eyelash glue to stick tiny flat-backed pearls to your strands is such a gorgeous vibe. It takes a minute to apply them all, but it looks incredibly ethereal, like dew drops in your hair.

The Classic Wide-Brim Hat

Soft, brushed-out waves paired with a nice wide-brim hat is a staple. It is so simple but so incredibly effective for protecting your face while still looking super stylish.

Fishtail Pigtails

Fishtails look so intricate but they just take a little bit of practice. They are great simple festival hairstyles once you get the repetitive hand motion down. I actually think they look even better when they get a little messy and frayed throughout the day.

Star Confetti Roots

Instead of normal glitter dust, using little metallic star shapes is so freaking cute. I tried this once and brushing it out later was a slight nightmare, but the photos we took at sunset were totally worth the struggle!

Twisted Halo Half-Up

Twisting the front pieces back and pinning them is super romantic. It keeps the hair out of your eyes while still looking soft and feminine. You can even tuck some tiny leaves or flowers into the twists.

Chunky 90s Highlights

If you have those bold, chunky contrast highlights, pulling your hair into a spiky updo really shows them off. It definitely fits those edgy festival hairstyles that give off total grunge vibes. Pair it with some dark eyeliner and you are set.

Aesthetic Butterfly Clips

Butterfly clips are officially back and I am so here for it. Staggering them down a long braid or just pinning them randomly near your temples is such a nostalgic, feel-good look.

Low Messy Buns

Throwing your hair into two low, messy buns at the nape of your neck is perfect for when you want to wear a bucket hat or a baseball cap. It is super relaxed and effortless.

The Quick Fix Scrunchie

When you are literally running late to catch your absolute favorite artist, this is for you. These are the best last minute festival hairstyles – just grab a big silk scrunchie and throw your hair up into a high, messy pineapple on top of your head.

Hidden Micro Braids

Hiding tiny little braids randomly throughout your loose hair is such a subtle but fun detail. It gives your hair a lot of gorgeous texture as you walk around.

Y2K Inspired Knot Buns

I love how sculptural and funky this looks. It is so unique and eye-catching. If you want to stand out in a massive crowd of people, sculptural buns are definitely the way to go.

Pastel Hair Wax

Using a temporary color wax is a brilliant hack. You can have soft lavender or baby blue hair for the weekend and then literally just wash it right out in the shower when you get home. It shows up really well even on darker hair.

Beaded Strands

Threading small wooden or plastic beads onto your braids adds such a cool, earthy element. It completely reminds me of the colorful hair wraps we used to get at the beach boardwalk when we were kids.

Half-Up Pigtails

This is so playful and fun! It lifts the heavy hair off your face but still leaves you with some nice length to swish around while you dance.

Sleek Middle Part

Sometimes keeping it completely sleek and straight down the middle is a total power move. Just make sure you use a really good anti-frizz serum so the humidity doesn’t ruin your hard work.

Messy French Twist Claw Clip

Throwing your hair up with a giant, colorful claw clip is my savior. Especially when it gets super humid out there in the middle of a packed crowd. You just twist it up and clip it – zero skills required.

Braided Top Knot

Braiding the hair from the nape of your neck upside down into a top knot looks amazing. I always make my sister do the back part for me though, because bending over like that gives me a head rush!

Gold Accent Cuffs

Little gold metal hair cuffs clamped onto small braids look so expensive and cool. It brings a nice metallic flash to your outfit.

Pigtail Braids with a Bucket Hat

Two regular braids hanging out under a cute bucket hat is peak outdoor fashion. It is practical, it keeps you shaded, and it is absolutely adorable.

The High Rave Pony

A super high, tight ponytail with braided extensions woven in. You will totally feel like a fierce action movie star striding across the festival grounds with this one swinging behind you.