On the heel of the cancellation of music events around the world, especially Ultra Music Festival and Tomorrowland Winter, festival attendees are wondering what is next?
A big question mark on everyone’s mind is the three weeks in April that belong to Goldenvoice: both weekends of Coachella and Stagecoach.
The two festivals occur in Indio, California. The governor of California recently declared a state of emergency, after 53 confirmed cases and one death on Wednesday. Riverside County, where Coachella and Stagecoach are held, has not had any confirmed cases – they have mostly been in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Regardless, Palm Springs Mayor Geoff Kors said the city has increased deep cleanings at Palm Springs International Airport, where many people fly into for the major events.
As of Thursday, March 5th, Dr. Cameron Kaiser, Riverside County’s public health officer, has not instructed the music festivals to cancel their events. If they do decide to cancel, however, they will receive the support of the county. So everyone can breathe now and continue to plan their Coachella and/or Stagecoach adventures with your friends. Just remember to stay hydrated, wash your hands, and put on sunscreen.
Dr. Kaiser went on to state that the coronavirus situation is ever-changing and being closely monitored. While he did not state a threshold for canceling the festivals, he did say that it would be done with as much lead time as possible if it became necessary.
A statement from Indio officials went as follows: With the music festival five weeks away, officials are
…actively monitoring input from local, state and national health officials to assess the health risks of COVID-19, and update those risks to stakeholders. Additionally, we are in contact with Riverside County Public Health, which is facilitating conference calls and sharing information with partner agencies.
Goldenvoice has yet to comment on the situation.
As always, be sure to practice basic health measures that the CDC recommends, which includes washing your hands, avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, and staying away from public places such as school or work if you feel ill.
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