Coachella, Stagecoach Won't Require Masks, Testing, Or Vaccination When Festivals Returns In April
INDIO (CBSLA) — After several months of back-and-forth, the organizers of the Coachella and Stagecoach say no masks, testing or vaccinations will be required to attend the music festivals when they return in April.
The change comes as California's statewide mask mandate expires Wednesday. Masks will still be required in certain settings, such as schools and healthcare facilities, but will only be required for unvaccinated persons in all indoor public places. The mask mandate is expected to immediately expire in most of Southern California, with the exception of Los Angeles County.
The Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, which is scheduled for April 15-17 and 22-24, updated its health and safety guidance to reflect the relaxed rules. Stagecoach, the country music festival that takes place at the same venue after Coachella, made a similar announcement.
"In accordance with local guidelines, there will be no vaccination, testing or masking requirements at Coachella 2022," the festival's website says.
The updated guidance comes as the organizers gear up for the festival's return. Coachella was delayed several times, then finally canceled in 2020 and 2021, and organizers changed its planned safety rules a number of times, in line with how public health guidance fluctuated with the shifts in the pandemic. Coachella, which takes place in Riverside County, wasn't alone in immediately announcing its intention to drop face masks -- Disneyland also announced it would drop indoor mask requirements for vaccinated people.
Tickets for both weekends of Coachella are already sold out, but fans can still join a waitlist. Tickets for Stagecoach, however, are still available for purchase.
