The 2020 Coachella Valley Music and Arts and Stagecoach Festivals have been canceled due to the ongoing risks of the coronavirus pandemic, a Riverside County representative confirmed to TheWrap.
In April, the dates for Weekends 1 and 2 of Coachella had been moved from April to October 9-11 and October 16-18. Stagecoach was supposed to take place on October 23-25. A spokesperson for Goldenvoice, which runs Coachella and Stagecoach, has not yet responded to TheWrap’s request for comment.
“I am concerned as indications grow that COVID-19 could worsen in the fall,” Riverside County public health officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser said, according to the Los Angeles Times. “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.”
Scheduled nightly headliners for Coachella included Rage Against the Machine, Travis Scott and Frank Ocean. Stagecoach, one of the nation’s biggest annual country music festivals, was to follow on the same grounds in Indio April 24-26, with Carrie Underwood, Eric Church and Thomas Rhett in the headline slots.
Coachella and Stagecoach join the growing list of events that have been canceled in the wake of the coronavirus scare. 2020 will be the first year without Coachella since 2000.
Earlier this week, AEG — the parent company of Goldenvoice — also announced a round of layoffs, 20% pay cuts and furloughs that will go into effect on July 1.