Coachella has dropped their COVID-19 mask and vaccine mandates ahead of their upcoming festival in April.
According to KTLA, organizers for Coachella and their country music-focused sister festival, Stagecoach, announced the news on Tuesday, Feb. 15.
“Festival Admission Update: As we prepare to spend an incredible weekend in the desert together, we are announcing that there will be no vaccination, testing, or masking requirements at Stagecoach 2022, in accordance with local guidelines,” tweeted the Stagecoach team.
Festival Admission Update: As we prepare to spend an incredible weekend in the desert together we are announcing that there will be no vaccination, testing or masking requirements at Stagecoach 2022, in accordance with local guidelines. Visit https://t.co/mSx3KWeASg for more info pic.twitter.com/wy4VzOTPBU
— Stagecoach Festival (@Stagecoach) February 15, 2022
Following their statement, Coachella’s website was updated with the same sentiments.
“In accordance with local guidelines, there will be no vaccination, testing or masking requirements at Coachella 2022,” it said.
It also indicated that their rules and restrictions could change at any moment.
“However, the event shall be presented in accordance with applicable public health conditions as of the date of the event, and which may change at any time as determined by federal, state or local government agencies or instrumentalities, artists or the promoter; such requirements may include, without limitation, changes to…entry requirements, such as proof of vaccination and/or negative COVID-19 test, and other protective measures such as requiring attendees to wear face coverings.
The festival will be returning for the first time since 2019 due to the pandemic. Organizers aimed to have the concert in 2020 and 2021, but they proved to be no match for the rapidly spreading COVID-19 virus. However, in 2022, they announced that Coachella would be back. It will take place at its usual location in Indio, Calif., the Empire Polo Club, from Apr. 15 to 17 and 22 to 24.
Luckily, unvaccinated festival attendees will only be required to wear masks in certain areas. According to the California Department Of Health, unvaccinated people at large outdoor events are only required to wear masks to enter indoor places like retail stores, restrooms, and concession stands. However, it also stated that having a “verification of fully vaccinated status or pre-entry negative COVID test result is strongly recommended.”
Headliners for Coachella include Kanye West, billed as Ye, who reportedly threatened to drop out if singer Billie Eilish didn’t apologize to Travis Scott. West alleged that Eilish threw shade at Scott regarding the Astroworld Festival tragedy at her concert in Atlanta earlier this month. He had not performed at the music festival since headlining in 2011.
Another anticipated performer is rapper Isaiah Rashad, who recently went viral for allegedly appearing in a sex tape of a man giving another man oral during a threesome. Rashad has not responded to the hoopla regarding the video, which hit the internet on Feb. 9.
Stagecoach is also set to take place at the exact location as Coachella, from Apr. 29 to May 1.
