To the surprise of absolutely no one paying attention to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts festival and the Stagecoach festival, scheduled for three consecutive weekends in April at the Indio’s Empire Polo Club, have been canceled.
According to an announcement by the Riverside County Public Health Officer posted on Friday afternoon, events were closed “based on concerns about a resurgence from the fall” of COVID-19.
“This request is aimed at reducing the likelihood of exposure to COVID-19, thereby decreasing the spread of COVID-19 in communities around the world,” wrote Dr. Cameron Kaiser in the festival’s cancellation request. “If COVID-19 were detected at these festivals, the scope and number of participants and the nature of the venue would make it impossible, if not impossible, to track down those who may be at risk.”
Coachella and his country music cousin Stagecoach were originally scheduled for April 2020 and were among the first festivals canceled during the initial throes of the coronavirus pandemic. They were then rescheduled for October and then rescheduled for April 2021.
Travis Scott, Frank Ocean and Rage Against the Machine were Coachella’s scheduled headliners. After previous cancellations related to the pandemic, Goldenvoice assured ticket holders that their passes would be honored at the rescheduled festival, and refunds were offered for a certain period afterwards.
The concert industry was virtually destroyed during the pandemic. The global live events industry is estimated to have suffered a $ 30 billion loss since March 2020, according to industry commercial Pollstar. Coachella, the most lucrative music festival in the United States, typically raises between $ 75 and $ 100 million over its two weekends.
Meanwhile, other festivals have begun to suggest possible returns later this year. The Chicago Pitchfork Festival applied for licenses to host an event this September, and Bonnaroo is currently scheduled for the same month in Tennessee. Several major festivals in Europe, such as Mad Cool from Spain, are now scheduled for the summer.
AEG, owner of the Goldenvoice festival promoter, declined to comment on the cancellation, or offer information on rescheduling or refund. Goldenvoice representatives did not immediately return requests for comment.