Coachella For A Group

In 1993, rock band Pearl Jam, in protest of Ticketmaster’s surcharges on venues, held a concert in Indio, California, at the Empire Polo Club. That performance in the Coachella Valley opened up the club as a viable concert site.

Six years later, in 1999, Rick Van Santen and Paul Tollett (through music events firm Goldenvoice) co-founded the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. Through trial-and-error, the event has changed and grown over the years. It’s now held in April, on consecutive three-day weekends featuring the same lineup. The festival was not held in 2020 or 2021 due to Covid-19.

Since 2003, Coachella has permitted camping on the grounds, and it now draws around 100,000 people per day. The music is performed on the Coachella Stage, at the Outdoor Theatre and in several tents. Past entertainers include Prince, Beyonce, Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Paul McCartney and Lady Gaga. The 2022 lineup included British singer/songwriter Harry Styles and American singer/songwriter Billie Eilish. The festival also welcomes tons of indie and electronic dance artists.

The ”art” in the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival is a feast for the eyes. In 2022, 11 incredibly talented artists, as well as designers and architects, from across the globe created monumental “art installations,” many of which were interactive. Kiki van Eijk’s Buoyed was 36 feet tall. Architensions The Playground was 56 feet high at its tallest and glowed at night.

You can’t expect that the opportunity to witness such spectacles and enjoy dozens of bands and the camaraderie of a festival weekend to come cheaply. The tickets in 2022 were $400 a weekend. But what is it worth to you to experience a desert festival like no other on the planet? Can you say, “California road trip?” Granted, if you’re in your 80’s, this might not be your cup of tea. If you open your mind to new experiences, though, you just might find something to enjoy and tell your grandkids about.