TikToker exposes 'real side' of Coachella with grim 'porta-potty showers'

It's one of the biggest festivals in the world, but while Burning Man has developed something of a reputation as a wild and lawless Mad Max-inspired festival, most think of Coachella as the one the influencers go to with their floral crowns.

Coachella's roots can be traced back to a 1993 Pearl Jam concert in protest of Ticketmaster at Indio's Empire Polo Club, but in 2026, the two-part event is expected to attract upwards of 125,000 attendees each weekend.

Then again, with this year's headliners including the likes of Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, and Karol G, is it any real surprise that it already sold out within a week of its announcement?

As with any major festival, there are complaints about the costs and the facilities, with one guy going viral for complaining that he spent $41 on two slices of pizza and a Coke.

Another claimed she splashed $53 on three coffees and a matcha.

Of course, there are plenty of options out there, with some splurging $360 on a VIP meal in the prestigious Rose Garden. Eating is just a small part of Coachella, and obviously, you'll want to keep looking your best over the two weekends.

There are numerous 'hacks' out there about getting up just before sunrise and dashing to the free trailer showers to beat the queues, but over on TikTok, one festival goer has divided opinions with her 'porta-potty' wash.

This isn't just someone getting a basin wash with some wet wipes, as elbownoelbows shows off specifically modified porta-potties which have been turned into private showers.

Saying she's taken her third Coachella shower, Noelle revealed her hack is for the porta-potty ones. Giving us a tour, she explained: "There's honestly so much room and space for you to leave your things, and it's a little gross, but you know, it works."

There's also the fact that not many seemed to know about these showers (until now), with the OP saying that they're always open, so you can skip the line and freshen up without any hassle.

Replying to Noelle's clip when it was shared on X, one person wrote: "Porta-Potty showers? The fungus is throwing a rave in there already 🦠."

Another added: "Just to see a bunch of celebrities that will not even give a sh*t about them lmao. I bet majority of the people that went to Coachella this year got a payment plan going on their tickets while still being heavily in debt

Not everyone was that fussed, as someone else concluded: "I would bring a pair a shower shoes and use it no problem obviously anyone scared to has never been to jail or used a public shower before."

As festival showers go, we'll admit we've seen a lot worse, although Noelle has got some heat on her OG TikTok, as others claimed these are supposed to be accessible showers for people with disabilities.

If you think the showers are bad, others are taking over our feeds with their candid videos of the toilet situation, as well as complaining about trash being strewn around, and the dust – even coining the nickname of 'Dustchella' for 2026. While many think it's worth the potential thousands it costs to be at Coachella, others are quite happy at home with their functioning showers and toilets that are plumbed into their homes.