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Thousands of people are flocking to the Empire Polo Club for the first weekend of the Coachella Music and Arts Festival.
The festival is celebrating 20 years of desert shows, not including its 2-year cancellation due to the pandemic. This year, Indio will be packed with music fans and party goers for the next three days — injecting streams of cash into the local economy in an otherwise quiet community.
Headliners for the show include Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and Swedish House Mafia with The Weeknd. Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, was originally slated to headline the festival, but he unexpectedly dropped out two weeks ago.
There are seven stages at the festival: The main Coachella Stage, Outdoor Theatre, Sonora, Gobi, Mojave and Sahara. Dozens of acts will play during the weekend.
If you didn’t get to purchase one of the coveted tickets, the festival airs all sets on its YouTube live streams, and has a list of times on its website. Here’s the lineup:
Who are you stoked for on Saturday? pic.twitter.com/FwOnkfKRSY
— Coachella (@coachella) April 14, 2022
Attendees will not be required to show proof of COVID vaccination or testing, and masking will not be required at the outdoor event. However, health officials continue to urge precautions against the spread of the virus. Testing sites are available on site and around the Coachella Valley.
Outside of set times, the outdoor fest is popular with pool parties across the Coachella Valley. Temperatures in the area will reach into the high 80s on Saturday and then get a little hotter in the early 90s by Sunday.
While watching concerts from your couch can’t possibly match the dusty and sweaty experience in person, at least you’ll be in the know in case another Tupac hologram happens.
