Lovin’ Life festival in Charlotte to offer free water after fans express concerns

Organizers of the Lovin’ Life Music Fest in Charlotte announced on Friday they’ll offer free water for fans.

The organizers had initially resisted that idea but changed course after several fans expressed concerns about health and proper hydration at the outdoor event. Water stations will be available to attendees after concerns about limited water, the festival’s organizing company, Southern Entertainment, said in a statement.

“While water has consistently been available at medical tents for emergency purposes and for purchase at various points throughout the festival grounds, we are pleased to announce the implementation of water stations to further enhance accessibility,” the statement said. “We encourage and welcome attendees to bring their own empty cups to further promote sustainability and eco-conscious practices.”

Lovin’ Life Music Fest is a new, three-day music festival scheduled for May 3-5 in uptown at 300 N. Brevard St. More than 40 artists are scheduled to perform, including Post Malone, Stevie Nicks and The Beach Boys.

And with what is expected to be hot weather, some took to social media to push back against the limited water options, pointing to the potential health impacts of the festival’s original plan to only offer water for purchase or for free at a medical tent.

Several fans made comments on the festival’s official Instagram page, voicing their displeasure about the initial plans for accessing water.

Mackenzie Johnson said in an email to the Observer that she recently moved from Kentucky to Charlotte and plans to attend Lovin’ Life. She said friends had told her about the lack of water stations at the 2021 Railbird music festival in Lexington, Kentucky, when festival organizers acknowledged they didn’t have enough water refill stations.

“For weeks, there has been an increasing concern regarding the lack of free, accessible water at the festival,” she said in her email, referring to Lovin’ Life. “I have been to many outdoor festivals, but I have not been to any that have lacked water fill stations.”

“As someone aware of the dangers of dehydration and (who) suffers from migraines and other medical predispositions for dehydration, having access to water is crucial, particularly when outside at a festival.”

Before Friday, Johnson said music fest organizers responded to water concerns on the Lovin’ Life Instagram page by saying people could receive an 8-ounce cup of water at a medical tent if they needed. After she criticized the organizers on social media, she said, they blocked her.

Water access has been an issue at other past music festivals, such as Woodstock ‘99 in upstate New York, which saw attendees who didn’t bring their own water overpaying for it at a crowded venue with nearly half a million people. Hundreds were treated for dehydration and exhaustion in the high summer temperatures.

More recently, in 2023, there was backlash from festival-goers at the Live at the Station Festival in Texas after they said there was a water shortage, making it unavailable to some guests. Organizers for that event said there wasn’t a shortage and that they would look into the issue.

Details of where the water stations would be placed at the Lovin’ Life Music Fest and how many would be available were not immediately available.

Observer public safety editor Patrick Wilson contributed to this report.