Sober
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In 2009, Coachella introduced its first “Soberchella” — a sober experience at the famed music and arts festival in Indio, California. Since then, its following has grown from humble beginnings as an AA meeting into a popular movement. Organizations like the Yellow Balloon Group, which supports those living drug-free at festivals, have helped foster a more inclusive environment for sober attendees. Still, the festival’s earlier years weren’t always mindful of this community, and alcohol-free beverages were far from common. Over the years, though, non-alcoholic drinks have evolved into an art form, with brands continuously pushing the boundaries of creativity in their 0.0% offerings. This year, Coachella is selling more creative non-alcoholic options than ever before.
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The New Bar is back for its third year in a row as the official non-alcoholic partner of Coachella 2025 (both weekends one and two). Located at the Terrace opposite the main entrance and 12 Peaks VIP next to the main stage, The New Bar offers a variety of drinks, including craft cocktails, wine, beer, and ready-to-drink alternatives. Brands featured at their non-alcoholic watering holes this year are French Bloom Le Rosé, Almave Blanco Blue Agave Spirit, Recess Zero Proof Classic Cosmo, Recess Zero Proof Watermelon Mojito, Free AF Apero Spritz, and Free AF Mango Margarita. Not attending Coachella? These options are also available to buy online at TheNewBar.com.
FAN FAVORITE
Free AF Apero Spritz Nonalcoholic Cocktail (Four-Pack)
The overall atmosphere at The New Bar at Coachella 2025 is lively with a hint of sophistication. The customer age demographic ranges from roughly 18-50, and patrons are either sober, sober-curious, supporting their sober friends, or practicing the popular “zebra striping” drinking strategy, alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic libations to stay hydrated and present.
For example, in 2023, the brand says non-alcoholic sales at The New Bar spiked before Bad Bunny’s set as attendees paced themselves before the rapper took the main stage, demonstrating a broader cultural shift toward mindful drinking. According to the annual consumer survey by NCSolutions, 49% of Americans in 2025 are trying to reduce their alcohol intake with Gen Z accounting for 65% of this rise for reasons like better mental and physical health, a dislike of alcohol’s taste, and addiction. This marks a 44% increase since 2023.
The most popular non-alcoholic drinks customers are ordering at Coachella? According to bartenders at The New Bar, craft cocktails like the tequila-inspired Golden Hour Marg made from Lewis Hamilton’s Almave Blanco Blue Agave, and Easy Riser made from Optimist Botanicals, lime, lemon, apricot nectar, and jalapeño are in high demand. Furthermore, ready-to-drink cans like Classic Cosmo and Apero Spritz for people to drink on their way to a set are popular purchases. “A lot of festivals think if they put a non-alcoholic beer on the menu they’ve done their job in covering the category and giving their attendees ‘a choice’ but that’s not what consumers want,” says Brianda Gonzalez, founder and CEO of The New Bar. “They want the full, same, elevated experience and level of choice that alcohol consumers get.”
LEWIS HAMILTON BRAND
Almave Blanco Nonalcoholic Tequila
Patrons of these establishments seem empowered to have long-overdue non-alcoholic drink choices at these traditionally alcohol-heavy festivals. One attendee, who has been sober for three years, noted that in the past, Coachella offered few — if any — thoughtful beverage options tailored to sober people, aside from standard choices like Coca-Cola or other sodas. “The drinks are creative and flavorful, and mimic the creativity that alcoholic drinks have,” another sober festivalgoer said. While there were always a few customers at The New Bar at any one time during the day, once the sun set, crowds were lining up at the bar to quench their thirst after a day in the heat. Many expressed they were seeking a break from plain water or alcohol, craving something more inventive that could rehydrate them or help sober them up.
Best Alcohol-Free Sparkling
French Bloom Le Rosé Nonalcoholic Sparkling Wine
As well as activations at the Terrace and 12 Peaks VIP, The New Bar also works closely with the Coachella team to curate non-alcoholic drink menus for other establishments across the camp. Non-alc libations can be found at the Outstanding in the Field dinners, a limited menu at Veranda at the artist lounge, and within the Safari Campgrounds — a significant growth in inventory since previous years. “We’ve worked with the festival to grow the options offered, maintain a highly curated set of the best products in the market, and increase the access at touchpoints each year,” Gonzalez says. “Eventually, I’d like to see our non-alcoholic drink options expand across the entire camp.”
During my first visit to New Orleans for Jazz Fest many years ago, I experienced a profound moment that changed everything for me. The best way to describe it would be the sensation of deja-vu; like I had been here before, or more specifically that I had returned “home.” That day, the city spoke to me, and thankfully I heeded the call.
Shortly after that auspicious Jazz Fest, New Orleans became my home, and I’ve worked in the music industry here since then — at WWOZ, at Tipitina’s, in the classrooms of Tulane and with so many of our city’s talented artists. This city has provided me with a sense of purpose, a feeling of belonging, and a community of like-minded folks who share the same passion for music. It’s also given me the foundation for a meaningful life.
But the same elements that spoke so deeply to me — our rich cultural heritage and vibrant music scene — often go hand-in-hand with the city’s reputation for partying. It’s a story with which the music industry, my industry, is all too familiar, and one that often leads to addiction.
Addiction is a particularly serious issue in the music world. A 2020 study by Tulane’s Graduate School of Social Work paints a staggering picture: 56% of music industry professionals cite problematic substance use, and 80% met the cut-off for serious or moderate mental health concerns — both far above any national average.
Bill Taylor
Singer-songwriter Anders Osbourne, my good friend who helped me find the path to sobriety after I bottomed out with drugs and alcohol, had an idea about how to tackle this within the music industry. Together, we created “Send Me A Friend,” a national network of sober individuals who were “on call” to support struggling musicians and industry professionals at their gigs.
The effort was an overnight success, with more people asking for help and wanting to volunteer than we could handle. Anders and I wondered what it would take to create a cultural shift so that sobriety was embraced, supported and celebrated on a larger scale?
Our vision is shared by The Phoenix, a national sober community that embraces connection through a shared, active lifestyle that enhances and helps maintain each other’s recovery journeys. During the pandemic, we joined forces with them with a mission of creating sober-supportive change in the music space.
Today, we’re blown away to see how this movement has progressed all the way to a New Orleans institution: JazzFest. This year, I’ll be there alongside The Phoenix and Stand Together Foundation at the 1 Million Strong Wellness Retreat, a sober-supportive wellness lounge where festival attendees can relax between sets, enjoy mocktail happy hours and meet up with people in recovery and others to catch performances together.
And this isn’t about making the festival sober. It’s about giving people an opportunity to bring their whole selves to the festival, free of shame and fear. Together, we can transform the way people think about addiction by supporting new ways for sober fans to enjoy shows, ensuring touring musicians and crews have access to resources on the road, and engaging in conversations about sobriety that are free from shame and stigma and full of possibilities.
I’m proud of how far we’ve come in changing the way we approach recovery and sobriety, turning it into a celebration of inclusivity and togetherness. At this year’s Jazz Fest, we’ll continue to change the landscape not only for those who work in the music industry, but also for our audience members who want a way to engage and enjoy all this beautiful city has to offer while feeling safe, supported, and connected.
Bill Taylor is the director of music programs and strategy at The Phoenix, where he leads music activations all over the country and works with the Stand Together team on the 1 Million Strong campaign.
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