Festivals make us happier: new study from Australia

This is the conclusion reached by scientists from the University of South Australia and Flinders University. Their study was published in the International Journal of Tourism Research.

Source: Insun Sunny Son et al. The Value of Events for Personal Well-Being: A PERMA Perspective, International Journal of Tourism Research (2025). DOI: 10.1002/jtr.70061

The authors state:

"We found that frequent attendance at events was directly associated with higher levels of positive emotions - joy, satisfaction, excitement and happiness - as well as higher levels of engagement."

In other words, when a person is immersed in an event, they experience a so-called "flow state" in which they lose the sense of time.

The study surveyed more than 350 South Australians. Participants were asked how often they attended offline and online events and how it affected their overall well-being. The results showed: regular live events are far more beneficial than virtual events.

Associate Professor Sunny Son of the University of South Australia explains:

"While events are often said to improve wellbeing, there has been a lack of comprehensive research to date to back this up. We decided to look at the issue systematically and obtained evidence that participation in activities does improve overall wellbeing, and this potential is worth harnessing at the community level."

According to the study, such improvements can be meaningful not only for health, but also for quality of life in general.

"Well-being is associated with a multitude of positive outcomes, from increased longevity to better engagement in the workplace and community," Sohn emphasises.

Interestingly, online activities such as concert streaming, while they may increase feelings of achievement, have no effect on other aspects of well-being. This, according to the scientists, is another argument in favour of live streaming.

Eliza Kitchen, Associate Professor at Flinders University, suggests that offline events should be utilised as part of corporate and educational policies:

"Companies can incorporate event attendance into employee incentive programmes, invite partners and customers, and give away free tickets. This boosts staff morale and engagement."

She adds that universities and schools can also use such events to improve the psycho-emotional well-being of students - especially given the rise in mental health problems among young people.

The researchers believe that local authorities can also benefit from such initiatives. "Local authorities can organise free events to promote social connectedness, strengthen neighbourhood ties and build support within communities," says Kitchen.

The authors emphasise:

"Events are not only a way to boost tourism or the economy, but also an effective tool to improve the quality of life of local residents."