The 2010 Coachella Music and Arts Festival is right around the corner it takes place this year on April 16-18 at Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Hopefully you have your tickets and hotel accommodations already, and are on to planning the finer details towards having a great time at this year's fest. Below are a few tips to help.

The Coachella performance schedule is now available at coachella.com, and the sponsors have posted a handy tool to help you plan ahead for all the shows you want to see. The "coachooser" page at coachella.com is set up so you can select the bands you don't want to miss, and get a printout of your personal agenda to take along with you. http://www.coachella.com/interact/coachooser

Also keep in mind that there's a lot to see and do on the festival grounds, so try and clear a little time between concerts to explore. Corporate sponsors will be set up with special exhibits and promotions, there will be lots of great vendors bringing food and wares to the fest, and there will be many special activities throughout all three days of Coachella. Be especially on the lookout for Record Exchange, as their Record Store Day event will be returning to the fest this year. Over 1000 independent record stores will participate, and many of Coachella's most popular performing artists will be stopping by to sign autographs. Record Store Day will take place on Sunday, April 18th. http://www.coachella.com/updates/news

Dress for the desert. Plan for daytime temperatures in the upper 80's, and a drop into the low 50's at night. It's a great idea to dress in layers, or carry a jacket in your backpack so you'll be ready for the cool evening weather.

Avoid driving to the festival grounds if at all possible. Plan on walking at least a mile to and from your car if you use the free Coachella parking lots. For more information on parking at Coachella (and some transportation alternatives that can help you avoid parking hassles), please visit ;;Mahalos Coachella Parking page.

Bring cash with you, as many of the food and beverage vendors at Coachella don't take plastic. There are ATM's on the festival grounds, but why waste your time standing in line to use them?

Carry some extra batteries and memory cards in your backpack, and make sure your phone is charged up. Though professional quality cameras and audio devices aren't allowed at Coachella, you can take a digital camera (so long as it does not have a removable lens), and you'll want to use it. You'll especially want to make sure your phone is working, as groups who come to Coachella together can often find themselves separated in the massive crowd. http://media.www.thechaparral.com/media/storage/paper570/news/2008/04/07/Entertainment/Top-Ten.Tips.To.Surviving.Coachella.Festival.2008-3308484-page2.shtml<ref>

If you need to recharge your phone while at the fest, look for the Microsoft Studio tent. Here you'll be able to charge up your phone, and also use their computers to check in online. <ref>http://www.coachella.com/updates/news

Coachella promises availability of "flushable toilets," and they do provide these; however, don't expect they will always be well stocked. If possible, carry some toilet paper and hand-sanitizer with you.

Not sure what you're allowed to bring with you into the festival grounds? Be sure to check out the FAQ page at coachella.com for all the pertinent details on this. http://www.coachella.com/event/rules-faq

Have fun at this year's Coachella, and don't forget to pace yourself! You don't want to burn yourself out on day one, even when it feels like there is so much to do and so little time :-)