Music festivals are popular globally among the world and especially in the United States. Music festivals such as Lollapalooza in Chicago, Bonnaroo in Tennessee, and Governors Ball in New York City are among the most popular ones in the United States. However, out of all these music festivals there is one that holds a prestigious reputation among the rest. Coachella, a music festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, is deemed to be the most popular music festival in the United States. The festival has been active for over two decades and the first dates of the event were held on October 9-10, 1999.
Initially, Coachella was a music festival that mostly had artists performing within the genres of rock, alternative, and electronic music. Paul Tollet and Rick Van Santen co-founded Coachella and we’re inspired by European music festivals which brought the idea for Coachella to life. Goldenvoice, a music festival promoter company based in California, was in charge of organizing and promoting the first Coachella event. The first Coachella event consisted of headline artists such as Beck, Rage Against the Machine and Tool. Unfortunately, while the event did have over 25,000 attendees, Goldenvoice lost over $800,000 in profits for the event.
During the 2025 presale for Coachella Tickets prices began at around $500 whereas VIP tickets were being sold for $1200. If you’re an AMEX card holder, Coachella offers AMEX users early accessibility to Coachella tickets before they go on sale. Also, if you’re looking to stay around the Coachella venue, Coachella offers exclusive ticket offers for people purchasing hotel packages which list hotels such as La Quinta, Palm Desert, Indio Hotel, Indian Wells, and Palm Springs/Rancho Mirage. Coachella also offers camping packages with fully equipped air conditioning, bathroom accessibility, and 1-2 Queen beds. It should be noted that the base price for the Safari Cabana tent camping package costs $12,000 for just two people. Coachella also allows tent camping and car camping though festival admission tickets are sold separately.
For 2025, the first weekend of Coachella will fall on Friday, April 11 through April 13. The second weekend falls right after on April 18 through 20. Lady Gaga will be the leading headliner for both Friday dates whereas Green Day will be covering Saturday dates and Post Malone finishing the weekends on the Sunday dates. Supporting headliner artists such as Missy Elliot, Benson Boone, and KPOP icon Lisa will also be performing the same dates as Lady Gaga. Overall, over 100 music artists are expected to perform at Coachella.
Coachella also offers a variety of onsite activities. These activities include art attractions such as the Do laB and the Balloon Chain. On the other hand, food events are listed to be at Coachella which include Outstanding in the Field and the Indio Central Market. If you’re looking for restaurant-quality food, venues such as Bang Bang Noodles, Burger She Wrote, Cena Vegan, and Angelenos Wood Fire Pizza will all be present at Coachella. Numerous food venues will also be available though the list is extremely long. If you intend on attending Coachella you’ll be set when it comes to available options for food.
With Coachella being such an iconic music festival, expect large crowds. It is highly recommended that you plan out your trip months beforehand while presale tickets are sold to make the most of your time and valued money. If you’re looking for a break from all the music, Coachella has photo booths where you can snap some memories with your friends. Moreover, the ferris wheel at Coachella offers a scenic view of the Coachella festival and desert. Anker charging stations will be present throughout the Coachella venue though you should definitely still bring a fully charged portable charger and cable. If you are attending Coachella this year stay safe and have a great time.
