Entertainment in the Desert: Coachella

Written by: Sitara Nair

As highly anticipated by communities across the United States, Coachella is right around the corner, occurring on April 10–12, 2026, and April 17–19, 2026! Let’s learn about what it is, the history behind it, and what’s in store for this special weekend this year!

What Is Coachella?

Hosted at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (better known as Coachella) features a diverse range of genres, from rock to EDM to pop. At the festival, tons of live music is played, with major global stars like Beyonce, Bad Bunny, and Blackpink taking headlines. Additionally, at Coachella, there are giant art installations with super immersive exhibits to explore. While tons of influencers and important celebrities attend almost every year, the event is for everyone, especially to express themselves through fashion and culture. Coachella is so popular because it seamlessly blends music, art, and social experience into one event, features exclusive performances and surprise guests, and is a hotspot for celebrities and fans from around the world. It also helps that it isn’t just a one-day extravaganza. The festival usually takes place over two consecutive weekends in April, with the same lineup each weekend.

The History Of Coachella: How Did It Start?

The history of Coachella goes all the way back to 1993 when the band Pearl Jam had a dispute with Ticketmaster (a concert ticket-selling company) over high service fees. The band decided to prove that concerts could happen without Ticketmaster and booked a show at the Empire Polo Club in Indio. It was a success, with about 25000 fans showing up, and it planted a seed and a blueprint for what Coachella would become. The first actual Coachella happened in October 1999 and was organized by Goldenvoice. The headliners that year were: Beck, Tool, and Rage Against the Machine, huge artists at the time. Tickets cost about 50 dollars, and the entire festival focused on alternative rock and electronic music. However, the festival wasn’t as successful as Goldenvoice had hoped. The first year lost money, and no festival was held in 2000 due to financial losses. But in 2001, it returned as a one-day event, and over time, it started gaining popularity. The 2010s saw their impact explode, with social media, celebrity appearances, and massive headliners like Kanye West, Lady Gaga, and Drake driving greater fan attendance. You might be aware of some iconic performances, like a 2012 performance featuring a Tupac hologram during Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg's set (the same year the event was finally expanded to two identical weekends due to demand). Another iconic one is “Beychella” with Beyonce headlining in 2018, or Bad Bunny becoming the first all-Spanish-language headliner in 2023.

What’s in store for Coachella 2026?

Coachella 2026 will take place April 10-12 and April 17-19, once again at the Empire Polo Club. It is the 25th anniversary edition of the festival, and is highly anticipated to be super successful. This year’s main acts are Sabrina Carpenter on Friday, Justin Bieber on Saturday, and Karol G on Sunday. But apart from the main headliners, there are tons of artists coming to California (100+) like: The Strokes, Turnstile, David Byrne, Foster the People, Laufey, FKA twigs, Interpol, DJ Snake, Kaskade, and Ethel Cain. An exciting part of the festival (and new addition) is Radiohead’s “Kid A mnesia” installation, an immersive art and music world experience! Another super exciting experience is HBO’s TV premiere at the music festival! HBO will be premiering Euphoria Season 3 at Coachella itself, with late-night screenings available for campers! However, because of how exciting the event is, it isn't cheap. Prices often vary depending on sources and selling platforms but the general consensus is that 2026 Coachella tickets directly from the festival start at $649 for Weekend 1 GA and $549 for Weekend 2 GA, plus fees. VIP passes begin at $1,299 and $1,199, respectively. On resale platforms like StubHub, prices are significantly higher, with weekend one starting at over $1,400.

Overall, the event is super exciting for many music and art-loving fans, and an opportunity to show off everyone’s fashion and culture. Will you be tuning in online (or even in person) to see what will happen at Coachella 2026?