Radiofrequency Identification (RFID) is becoming a ubiquitous technology that provides methods of tracking and organizing complex processes, and has had previously described benefits when used in medical and clinical situations such as disaster and mass casualty incidents. However, the potential benefits of this technology have not yet been examined or applied to mass gathering events such as music festivals using the medical lens.

RFID at music festivals was observed and characterized at a Canadian multi-day festival through a combination of (1) observation of real world application of the use of RFID-enabled attendee wristbands and (2) the development of a proposed implementation framework using expert input in event medical care, public health, festival safety and event organization. Potential roles for RFID technology in enhancing attendee safety, facilitating event medical care and collaborating with other on-site services, and promoting research agendas for these unique events were explored.

Observed and theoretical roles for RFID fell into four main domains: (1) the presence of important encoded personal health data and contacts specific to individuals that would be accessible in case of an emergency, (2) the unique, anonymous identification of attendees who access (and re-access) medical as well as other services, including during handovers between these services, (3) support for any larger public health research projects aimed at understanding the behaviors and flow of attendees, including recreational substance use and related harm reduction efforts, and (4) the storage of festival-tailored data throughout the event on RFID-enabled wristbands (eg previous medical visit details, self-entered substance use history, etc).

The use of RFID at music festivals has clear benefits. It allows for the dynamic access and retrieval of important data that can aid safety and support the provision of timely and tailored medical care. Security and privacy issues need consideration where attendee data is concerned.