Report: Coachella is Moving to April 2022

Coachella won’t be happening at all this year.

According to a new report, the festival has nixed plans for a potential October date, and has now been pushed to April of 2022, two industry sources tell Variety. While nothing has been officially announced, this would mark a two-year absence for Coachella, which takes place over two weekends at the Empire Polo Ground in Indio, Calif.

The festival was originally scheduled for April 2020 before being moved to October 2020. In January, public health officials announced that the festival wouldn’t be happening in April 2021 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.

Due to the pandemic, Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser today (Jan. 29) signed a public health order canceling Coachella Valley Music and Arts, Stagecoach Country Music festivals planned for April 2021. We look forward to when the events may return. https://t.co/YAIn8uTea9

— Dr. Geoffrey Leung (@RivCoDoc) January 29, 2021

There is continued uncertainty over the COVID-19 crisis. While some promoters are planning for at least a partial resumption of touring in the late summer and fall, Coachella may prove risky due to the logistics of over 100,000 people from all over the world gathering at a single location. Preparations for the October festival would have to begin soon and may be challenging based on the festival’s scale.

Additionally, California has more strict COVID protocols than other states including Texas and Florida, which are already planning to resume concerts as soon as this spring. Multiple festivals across the country are moving forward with plans for later this year, including Las Vegas’ Life Is Beautiful, which sold out in record time.

“There’s a big difference between having two weekend of Coachella in California and throwing a country festival in Florida,” one source told Variety.

Frank Ocean, Travis Scott, and Rage Against the Machine were slated to headline the 2020 festival before it was canceled.

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