After Coachella followed a wave of other festivals and opted to cancel their 2020 dates, festival organizer Goldenvoice was hopeful that it would be able to return in 2021. Last June, Coachella announced it would be taking place the second weekend of April 2021, but Riverside County Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser says otherwise.
Per a report from Palm Springs’ KESQ-TV, Dr. Kaiser has ordered Goldenvoice to cancel their 2021 festivals Coachella and Stagecoach. The official order notes that the festival usually attracts people from all across the world, increasing the risk of the virus’ spread:
“This Order recognizes that both the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and Stagecoach Music Festival are music concerts and gatherings of an international scope, attracting hundreds of thousands of attendees from many countries, including several disproportionately afflicted by the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. This order is intended to reduce the likelihood of exposure to COVID-19, thereby slowing the spread of COVID-19 in communities worldwide. If COVID-19 were detected at these festivals, the scope and number of attendees and the nature of the venue would make it infeasible, if not impossible, to track those who may be placed at risk.”
At the time of this post, Coachella has yet to share an official announcement about the festival’s cancellation.
Read Dr. Kaiser’s cancellation order above.