Vaccination Required For Coachella, Stagecoach Music Festivals

COACHELLA VALLEY, CA — The Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals will require fans to show proof of vaccination in order to attend, festival organizers announced Thursday.

AEG Presents said it will be requiring proof of vaccination for entry into its owned and operated clubs, theatres and festivals nationwide no later than Oct. 1 — including the Coachella Music & Arts Festival and the country-themed Stagecoach Festival in Indio.

The date was chosen to allow time for eligible unvaccinated ticketholders and staff to reach fully vaccinated status should they choose to do so. Leading up to Oct. 1, AEG will be implementing a policy of showing proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of show date, where permitted.

"We have come to the conclusion that, as a market leader, it was up to us to take a real stand on vaccination status," said Jay Marciano, chairman and CEO of AEG Presents.

"Just a few weeks ago, we were optimistic about where our business, and country, were heading. The Delta variant, combined with vaccine hesitancy, is pushing us in the wrong direction again. We realize that some people might look at this as a dramatic step, but it's the right one. We also are aware that there might be some initial pushback, but I'm confident and hopeful that, at the end of the day, we will be on the right side of history and doing what's best for artists, fans, and live event workers," he added.

The announcement comes one day after AEG, Live Nation Entertainment, Goldenvoice, the Coachella Festival, AXS, the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, LA Galaxy and Los Angeles Chargers all said they will require their full-time employees at eligible company offices in the United States to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with limited exceptions.

Coachella, which was previously postponed multiple times due to the coronavirus, is slated for the weekends of April 15-17 and April 22-24 of 2022, with Rage Against the Machine, Travis Scott and an unannounced third act headlining the festival.

Stagecoach is scheduled for April 29 to May 1, 2022.

Another upcoming mass-attendance Coachella Valley event, the 2021 BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, previously announced all fans, volunteers, staff, sponsors, media, and vendors will be required to show valid proof of full vaccination in order to enter the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

"To keep all patrons on site as safe as possible, no exceptions to this policy will be allowed," organizers said. Further details on the vaccination verification process will be provided as the tournament draws closer.

Depending on the COVID-19 conditions at the time of the tournament, additional testing, as well as mask mandates in certain seating areas, may be required by the Riverside County health department and the state of California, officials said.

The BNP Paribas Open takes place Oct. 4-17.

The tennis tournament and the two music festivals attract visitors to the Coachella Valley from around the globe, but many locals also turn out. The music festivals attract younger fans, especially Coachella, and it's often a vaccine-hesitant demographic.

More than half, or 55 percent, of Riverside County young adults ages 18-24 are unvaccinated, and 53 percent of county residents ages 25-44 have not received any shots, according to the latest available information from Riverside University Health System.

—City News Service contributed to this report.