Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival or popularly known as Coachella is an annual festival being held from April 12 to April 21, this year.
It is held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California which is located in the Inland Empire’s Coachella Valley in the Colorado Desert, since its inception in 1999. With the festival turning 20 this year, it is all set to be bigger and better. It will be held over two weekends, 12th to 14th of April, and 19th to 21st of April.
The Music Festival hosts artists of all genres, be it rock or indie. With headlining artists making an impact, people eagerly wait for the lineup to be revealed. This year’s Coachella lineup is being topped by chart-busting artists like Childish Gambino, Tame Impala, and Ariana Grande. It will include additional sets from other sensational artists like The 1975, DJ Snake, Diplo, Wiz Khalifa, Billie Eilish, Khalid, and Zedd. This will act as a platform for more than 100 artists including several who are just emerging in the scene. Ariana Grande is all set to become the youngest artist to top the lineup and only the fourth female to do so.
Passes for the festival went on sale in early January. The basic GA tickets are exorbitantly priced at $429. Other variants of the passes include shuttle passes, passes with VIP admission, etc. whose prices increase subjectively. The passes sold like hot cakes. People are still being added to the waitlist.
One can easily camp overnight at the weekend-long festival, either in your car or in a tent. There are dedicated camping areas and separate passes for attendees wishing to camp. Coachella encourages people to create their own oases with their group while car camping. You can also do so right next to the entrance. Tent camping is popular among international travelers, and people who prefer staying in a vehicle-free environment over the weekend.
Another attractive option is booking a teepee or tent near Lake ElDorado and staying over on the lakeside oasis. You can go all out and book yourself a place on the Safari Campgrounds. These on-site lodging sites are tucked well behind the actual festival area. You can either go for the Safari Tents which are shikar-style stays or the Coachella Resort which promises a boutique hotel-like experience. These offer transportation, restrooms, air conditioning, and other such pleasures. Such packages come at an extravagant price and include weekend festival passes. And, if you’re too late to avail any of these you can go for off-site camping areas that are curated by the organizers themselves.
Camping beside lake Eldorado
Coachella is not only one of the most popular music festivals but also one of the best and most loved food festivals. They are going a mile ahead this year by introducing vegan and gluten-free options. They have also paired up with PostMates for food delivery services during the festival. The Indio Central Market is hosting 15 curated restaurants from all over the country under one roof. Experience a four-course family style meal along with cocktail and wine, with Outstanding In The Field putting up their table at the festival. There will be pop-up restaurants and other featured restaurants from across the country, not to forget the Coachella regulars serving varieties of cuisines over the two weekends. Artisanal ice cream flavors are something to look forward to cooling down in the heat. There will also be a large selection of alcoholic beverages. Starting from craft-beer to regional wine, and cocktails to setting up Kombucha Bar, your palette will be taken care of.
Another service that has been added this year is Amazon’s same-day delivery that allows you to order something to your Amazon locker during the festival, free of cost. General stores will also be set up across the area for your immediate needs. If you’re too lazy to do that you can beckon the supermarket shuttles. Wi-fi hotspots are also being set up to let you enjoy the festival while being connected. You can also charge your phones at the conveniently placed charging outlets. And, if you’re tired of walking in the heat you can take a pedicab and give your feet some rest. The festival also aims to make it a safe and inclusive place for persons of any gender identity or expression, sex, sexual orientation, race, religion, age or ability. The festival works on the principle of sustainability and tries to minimize the impact on our environment. With these in mind, Coachella is set to be a grand success yet again.
