The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, usually referred to just as Coachella, is an annual music and arts festival held in Indio, California. The festival features musicians from a wide array of genres, including rock, rap, indie, and electronic—as well as art installations and sculptures. With so much going on, you may be wondering if anyone is allowed to go to Coachella.
Anyone can go to Coachella, as it is a festival for all ages. However, anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. The same rules apply to the campground located on the festival site.
Although anyone can go to Coachella, that does not necessarily mean that everyone does go to Coachella. The following breakdown looks at some of the most likely types of people you can expect to see at this popular music festival.
Can Everyone Go to Coachella?
Coachella is a music festival for people of all ages. However, minors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Furthermore, minors under 18 can’t stay in the campground without a parent or legal guardian present.
While everyone can go to Coachella, it is possible to overstay your welcome. Some actions that may cause you to be removed from festival grounds, or be denied entrance, include:
- Sneaking friends in who do not have a pass (or sneaking yourself in, for that matter)
- Getting into fights or inciting any forms of dangerous riots or violence
- Being overly intoxicated
- Messing with production or jeopardizing the live performances in any way
Can Anyone Camp at Coachella?
Part of the experience of Coachella is camping on festival grounds, as it can make the festival feel like a nonstop music oasis in the California desert. While the same rules apply for camping as with festival entry (at least 18 years old or staying with a parent or legal guardian), there are a few points to consider:
- You must have a festival pass to camp at Coachella. You cannot simply camp at Coachella just to party with the festival-goers. A camping pass for the most basic car camping option is $102, plus fees. This does not include the cost of a festival ticket. However, there are packages in which both can be purchased together.
- All vehicles will be searched when entering the camping area.
- There is a limit of one car per camping space.
- Campers 21 and over may bring one case of beer or box of wine into the camping area.
- Camping is open from Thursday 9:00 AM thru Monday 10:00 AM.
- No in-and-outs allowed. Once the vehicle is in the camping area, it must remain there until after 2:00 AM on Sunday.
Who Goes to Coachella?
Although anyone can go to Coachella, it definitely attracts certain kinds of crowds. While it is possible to see any type of person, group, or personality at this popping event, the following are some notable groups that long-time Coachella-goers have observed:
- The college crowd – college students love a good party, so expect to see your share of college-aged people at Coachella. Although a little late for most spring breaks, the festival runs during two weekends in mid-to-late April, so expect to see some young adults getting rowdy.
- Fashionistas – fashionistas love to show off their chops in front of large, open-minded crowds, making Coachella an ideal forum. Therefore, expect to see some people less interested in the music and party scene and more interested in turning heads as they walk by.
- Music aficionados – although the festival has evolved since its initiation in 1999 to include much more than music, the tunes are still what makes it go. As a result, expect to see lots of music playing on festival grounds, with lots of people lined up early to catch their favorite acts.
- “Like” seekers – yes, there are those who go to Coachella with the sole purpose of staging the perfect scene to post to social media. It isn’t the worst idea—the sea of festive people and stunning artistic performances can make it seem like you are the epicenter of all that is hip.
- Celebrities – located less than three hours from Hollywood, don’t be shocked to see a handful of celebrities roaming festival grounds. In addition, as many famous artists got their major break by performing at Coachella, it is nostalgic for some to come back and visit where it all started (assuming they are not on the current year’s line-up!).
In Summary
Anyone can go to Coachella, as it is a festival for people of all ages. Just remember that minors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian and that any foolish behavior could get you banned from festival grounds. Other than that, expect to have a great weekend of fun enjoying music, art, and the colorful cast of humans sure to be in attendance!