It’s been a long time since we’ve been out in Indio for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (three years, to be exact). Whether you’re a first-timer, a veteran who can tell the tales of the Daft Punk pyramid or someone who just celebrates Couchella (aka watching the Coachella livestream from your couch), we’ve compiled a handy guide to what you need to know about the festival. (And we’ll update these answers as we get more information, too!)
While you’re here, don’t forget to sign up for our free newsletter Festival Pass, where we’ll have the best of Coachella and so much more as we head into the 2022 festival SZN.
You’ll get our dispatches from our team out on the field at Coachella and the Stagecoach Country Music Festival, so follow along!
Note: This Q&A full of information and a fair bit of snark is written by Vanessa Franko, one of our editors who has covered every Coachella since 2007. Have other questions she didn’t answer? Email her at [email protected] or hit her up on Twitter during the festival at @vanessafranko.
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When is the 2022 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival?
Coachella Weekend 1 is happening April 15-17. Coachella Weekend 2 is happening April 22-24.
Where does Coachella happen?
Concert promoter Goldenvoice puts on Coachella at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, where it has taken place since 1999. Fun fact: The first major Goldenvoice show there was a Pearl Jam show in 1993.
The location for your maps app is 81-800 Ave. 51 in Indio, on the border of La Quinta, but many roads close around the fest so pay attention to the signs. If you’re coming in from the 10 Freeway, there will be signs.
Keep an eye on the Coachella site for the maps and the parking. And make sure you pay attention to where you park. You don’t want to get towed and you don’t want to lose your car in the desert night.
Who’s on the Coachella 2022 lineup?
More than 100 artists will play across seven stages. The headliners are Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and the just announced Swedish House Mafia x The Weeknd set since Ye (Kanye West) backed out. Other notable artists on the bill include Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Swedish House Mafia, Danny Elfman (yes, he of Oingo Boingo, “The Simpsons” theme song and “The Nightmare Before Christmas” fame), Grupo Firme, Banda MS, Brockhampton (for what’s reported to be the group’s final performance), Karol G, Carly Rae Jepsen, Fatboy Slim and literally more than 100 others. See the full Coachella 2022 lineup.
Wait, wasn’t Kanye going to be there?
Yeah, but now he’s not. But we have some ideas for who could replace him, though!
Update: Swedish House Mafia and The Weeknd are teaming up to replace him.
How can I get tickets to Coachella?
Tickets to Coachella are sold out, but there are ways to get them.
Coachella has a ticket exchange and purchase program through Lyte.com. Those are officially sanctioned and you can get support for them, but there are other places on the secondary market to find passes.
Some other sellers, like Stubhub, offer a guarantee, even though the festival doesn’t offer support.
Stay away from shady sellers who are unverified.
Where should I stay for Coachella?
This late in the game, unless you’re dropping a lot of cash, you’re probably out of luck. Hotels and rentals go fast. However, you can purchase car or tent camping, which starts at $102, before fees. If you’re bringing more friends, you’ll need to purchase a car camping companion pass for $55 for each vehicle.
What time is Harry Styles/Billie Eilish/Purple Disco Machine playing Coachella? When are the Coachella set times coming out?
Set times are usually released the week of the festival. We’ll post them when we’ve got them!
Massive crowds of festival goers during Alison Wonderland performance at the Sahara tent during Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, Calif. on Friday, April 20, 2018. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
How many stages does Coachella have?
In recent years, the festival has run music seven major stages: the outdoor Coachella stage and Outdoor Theatre; open air tents the Sahara, Mojave and Gobi; the closed (and blissfully air-conditioned) tents Yuma and Sonora.
The headliners play on the Coachella stage. The Sahara traditionally features the largest EDM acts on the bill, and in more recent years, rap and K-Pop. The Yuma is more geared toward house music and usually has a glittering shark-shaped disco ball inside. The Sonora has been a home for most of the up-and-coming rock and punk bands on the bill.
Beyond the seven major stages, there’s also the Do Lab, an EDM oasis with water cannons, usually some aerial artists and always some big surprise guests. (Did we ever tell you about the time Skrillex showed up?)
Other installations have also featured performances, like the Heineken House, where Thundercat and Flying Lotus are teaming up this year. There are also musical things happening in the campgrounds, like the Silent Disco.
How can I watch the Coachella livestream?
You can celebrate Couchella again this year with the official Coachella livestream through YouTube at www.youtube.com/coachella. Pluses: A/C and cheaper food/drinks. Cons: You’re not there; no Spicy Pie.
The stream starts at 4 p.m. April 15, which is a few hours after gates open and the music starts. You typically don’t see all of the artists on the livestream, but most of the big names do. There will also be a livestream for Weekend 2, but it typically is more low key than the first weekend.
When we have the YouTube schedules, we’ll post them.
Note that the livestream times can be delayed. Back in 2016, the Guns N’ Roses fans were VERY unhappy that Silversun Pickups was still on the stream when GNR had already started in real life. (On the bright side, I made a lot of new international GNR friends who were very excited for my Twitter updates.)
Jeff Morales, and Svetlana Noori, both of Palm Desert, hang out in the shade of the “Is This What Brings Things Into Focus?” art installation, by Joanne Tatham and Tom O’Sullivan, during the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA., Friday, April 14, 2017. (Staff photo by Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/The Sun/SCNG)
What’s the weather like at Coachella?
Great question. It can definitely get into the triple digits during the day, but it will cool off into the 60s at night. Some years are more mild during the day, like when it started drizzling in 2012.
For Weekend 1, weather.com says it’s looking like highs of upper 80s into the low-mid 90s as of April 5.
Weekend 2, if history is any indicator, it’s likely going to be inching toward or into triple digits.
Also, be prepared for wind. It kicks up the dust.
What are the COVID-19 rules for Coachella?
You no longer have to be vaccinated or show proof of a negative test to attend Coachella. That being said, you’re going to be around 125,000 people, so…
The festival’s website suggests wearing a face covering to protect yourself from the desert dust. That’s sound advice and it can protect you from germs, too.
What should I pack for Coachella?
My musts: Comfortable shoes and socks, sunglasses (but not your priceless vintage ones), sunscreen (no aerosols allowed inside), mask, hand sanitizer, a hoodie for when it gets cold at night.
Note that there are some changes in what you can/can’t bring this year.
Do you have to pay for parking at Coachella?
If you want regular parking, not at all. There are some parking fees if you want upgraded parking or if you’re paying to camp with your car.
Where are the shuttle stops for Coachella?
Valley Music Travel is running the shuttles. You can see all of the details on their page.
Can I Uber/Lyft/rideshare to Coachella?
Yes, but we’ve heard horror stories about going home for the evening, so plan accordingly.
Brothers Bryan and Michael Voltaggio from Volt Restaurant in Washington, D.C grill meat for Friday’s Outstanding in the Field meal in the rose garden at the 2016 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio. (File photo by David Brendan Hall)
What can you eat at Coachella?
You can go fancy and have a $375 omakase sushi experience (and yes, Indio is still in the desert), or go more affordable with a slice of pizza from Spicy Pie, a beloved festival staple. We have a list of the notable food and drink names coming to Coachella. Beware that some require you to have a VIP ticket or to purchase a separate meal ticket, like Outstanding in the Field.
That being said, it’s hard to go wrong with tacos wherever you are. We wrote about all of the tacos back at Coachella 2018.
This year, every stand has to offer at least one plant-based option.
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Where can you eat after Coachella is done for the night?
Pre-pandemic, a number of restaurants along Highway 111 extended their hours during the Coachella weekends. There are lots of fast food options. (Our team is partial to In-N-Out, especially if someone can go pick it up before the headliner is done.)
Who are the surprise guests at Coachella?
If we told you it wouldn’t be surprise now, would it?
One I’d like to see is Trent Reznor with Danny Elfman, though.
What’s up with the Coachella parties? Is Neon Carnival happening?
We’ve joked that you can do Coachella without ever stepping onto the festival grounds. (In fact, we wrote about that once.)
Neon Carnival is happening, yes. There are also some cool Coachella-adjacent shows, including Framework’s In the Desert and Goldenvoice’s Day Club, which both feature Coachella artists.
What’s the deal with those Coachella NFTs?
Well, everyone going gets a free Coachella NFT and you might get a golden ticket that gets you upgrades.
If you want to know about the other ones that went on sale, we wrote about them. We also wrote about how much people paid for the NFTs that come with lifetime Coachella passes.
What’s the most important tip for someone going to Coachella?
Dehydration is serious business. It gets hot, you’re dancing, you’re having fun, it can be a lot. Be sure you’re drinking water. There are refill stations around and you can bring in an empty plastic bottle.
Oh, and after you’ve sufficiently hydrated, it’s good to know about the real, permanent bathrooms across from the Beer Barn.
King Khan performs with one of the characters from TV’s “Yo Gabba Gabba” at the 2010 Coachalla Valley Music and Arts Festival, Sunday in Indio. (File photo by Tom Bray/The Press-Enterprise)
What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever seen at Coachella?
I could write a book about that. Celebrity sightings are always strange, though. Back in the day at Coachella 2010, I saw Danny DeVito hanging out with the cast of Yo Gabba Gabba. That was weird and delightful. DJ Lance Rock with the Yo Gabba Gabba cast is still one of the most underappreciated sets ever at the fest. And we used to have a pool for who would spot David Hasselhoff first.
The coolest thing was the time Nile Rodgers sat down with us and told stories in the press tent.
Where can I get more updates about Coachella and other festivals?
Why, I am so glad you asked. We have a free newsletter called Festival Pass all about Coachella and other music festivals in Southern California. Here’s how you can sign up.
Have more questions we didn’t answer? Email [email protected].
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