INDIO — On Wednesday, June 10, Riverside County public health officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser announced that both Stagecoach and Coachella are both officially cancelled. The festival had previously been rescheduled for mid-October.
Stagecoach and the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival now join the long list of already cancelled events for 2020. In her announcement, Dr. Cameron touched on a number of topics that led to the decision to cancel.
“Because of the risks of the ongoing pandemic, the two-weekend festival (along with its country music counterpart Stagecoach) will be off until next year at the earliest.”
“I am concerned as indications grow that COVID-19 could worsen in the fall,” Kaiser spoke on Wednesday. “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.”
“These decisions are not taken lightly with the knowledge that many people will be impacted. My first priority is the health of the community.”
Goldenvoice, the promoter of both festivals, has been praised by Dr. Cameron for its continued efforts of protecting the health of concert-goers. The company has recently announced a wave of layoffs, furloughs, and pay cuts in all of its divisions including music, sports, and facilities.
“It is clear now that live events with fans will not resume for many months and likely not until sometime in 2021, so we are faced with no easy options,” chief executive Dan Beckerman wrote in a company-wide memo.
Coachella and Stagecoach were both scheduled to take place in April with headlining acts such as Frank Ocean, Travis Scott, and Rage Against the Machine at the Empire Polo Grounds. 2020 will be the first time in 20 years without Coachella music festival.
