Coachella and Stagecoach Festivals Officially Canceled for 2020
After originally being postponed until October, health officials announced that the festivals won't return until 2021 at the earliest.
After initially being postponed until October, the 2020 Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals have officially been canceled, ET confirms. On Wednesday, Riverside County public health officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser announced in a public health order that continuing health concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic would delay the festivals until next year at the earliest.
The lineup for Coachella 2020 -- which was originally scheduled for the weekends of April 10 and 17 -- was set to feature performances from headliners like Travis Scott, Frank Ocean, Rage Against the Machine, Lana Del Rey, Megan Thee Stallion, DaBaby and more.
“I am concerned as indications grow that COVID-19 could worsen in the fall,” Kaiser said. “In addition, events like Coachella and Stagecoach would fall under Governor Newsom’s Stage 4, which he has previously stated would require treatments or a vaccine to enter. Given the projected circumstances and potential, I would not be comfortable moving forward."
"These decisions are not taken lightly with the knowledge that many people will be impacted," he added. "My first priority is the health of the community."
Goldenvoice, the promoter of the festivals, later released a statement on the cancellations, also informing hopeful festival goers of plans for next year's events.
"Under the continuing health guidance of the County of Riverside, Coachella and Stagecoach 2020 will not take place this October as previously rescheduled. This is not the future that any of us hoped to confront, but our main focus remains the well-being of our fans, staff, artists, desert partners and everyone involved in the festival," the statement read.
"A year without Coachella and Stagecoach is hard for us to comprehend, but we have every intention of returning in 2021," they added, noting that 2020 pass holders will be contacted by June 15 and given the option of receiving a refund or rolling their pass over to 2021. "As of now, Coachella weekend one will take place April 9 – 11, 2021 and weekend two will be April 16 – 18, 2021. Stagecoach is set for April 23 – 25, 2021. We look forward to sharing our new lineups and more information. We can’t wait to be together in the desert again when it is safe."
The coronavirus pandemic has affected nearly all aspects of public life and the entertainment industry. Click here for the latest updates on event cancellations, postponed concerts, virtual awards shows and more.
Check out some Coachella highlights from previous years in the video below.
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