Guide Note

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is an annual three-day music and arts festival held in Indio, California, on the Empire Polo Club grounds. With six main stages and a variety of art installations, booths, vendors and activities, the festival draws upwards of 100,000 fans each year to see top musical acts from a variety of genres.

The first Coachella festival was held in October 1999 and drew about 25,000 people to see headlining acts Beck, The Chemical Brothers, Tool and Morrissey. After skipping 2000, festival organizers decided to move the 2001 event to April to avoid the excessive heat. As the festival gained exposure, organizers were able to book higher quality acts, which in turn drew larger crowds. The 2003 and 2004 festivals featured such top-name acts as Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Beastie Boys, Radiohead and a newly reunited Pixies.